Recipes For Make Guests Happy

I don't know if it's because I'm ridiculously hung-over or if I'm spending way too much time checking out petite giraffes, but I can't be bothered with correct grammar right now. Alls I know is, I made some food, then drank a lot and hung out with friends until I passed out in my party dress.

The three most popular dishes from last night were probably the cornbread, beef stew and banana pudding pie.  The Creamy Tomatillo Dressing (a reproduction of the one at Cafe Rio courtesy Kalyn's Kitchen) was also a hit.  The peach cobbler couldn't be faster or easier to make, and I'll definitely be making it when fresh peaches come into season.  The slow-cooker ribs were literally just beef ribs + BBQ sauce of your choice + 1 inch of water in the slowcooker for 8-10 hours.  Presto.

Hope you guys like the recipes and enjoy!!

Green Chile Cornbread

Ingredients

1 cup melted, unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs (mine were at room temp)
1 (15oz) can creamed corn
1 (4oz) can chopped green chiles, drained
1.5 cups shredded "Mexican" blend cheese (or a mixture of cheddar and Monterey Jack, depending on taste)
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time; then mix in creamed corn, green chiles and cheese
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; gradually mix flour mixture into corn mixture and stir until smooth. Pour batter into lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes until lightly browned.

Beef Stew

Ingredients

1 pound cubed beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil, divided
4 cups beef broth
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 teaspoons tomato paste (I keep a tube in the fridge, they're fantastic)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 cup red wine (cabernet sauvignon or merlot both work well)
1.5 cup carrots, sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 cups red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch, whatever you prefer
1/2 cup corn kernels

Preparation

1. Coat beef thoroughly in salt, pepper and cumin, then dredge in flour.  Heat 3 Tbs oil in a medium pot, then brown beef on all sides on high heat.  Remove beef, then cook onion, garlic, tomato paste and paprika in remaining oil on medium heat.  
2. Once onions are soft, add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and ground thyme. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1.5 hours or until meat is tender.
3. Add red wine, carrots and potatoes to the pot and simmer for another 45 minutes.
4. Scoop out 1/2 cup of broth from the pot; then, in a small bowl, fully dissolve the flour or cornstarch.  Stir the mixture thoroughly into your stew and, turning the heat to a simmer, allow the stew to thicken.  Repeat, if desired.
5. Add corn to stew, simmer for 20 minutes and serve.

Banana Pudding Pie

Ingredients

2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 sliced ripe bananas
3 cups milk
2 packages vanilla instant pudding
1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1.5 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla


1.5 cups thawed whipped topping


Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix wafer crumbs, pecans, nutmeg and butter until thoroughly combined; press firmly into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned; set aside to cool.
3. Pour milk into large bowl and whisk together with pudding mix until well combined, then whisk in lemon juice.
4. Layer crust with banana slices; spread 2 cups of the pudding mixture evenly over the banana slices.
5. In a separate bowl, whip together heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff**; stir 1 cup of the whipped cream into the remaining pudding, then spread the mixture evenly over the pie.
6. Combine remaining whipped cream with whipped topping (the whipped topping will help keep your fresh whipped cream firm). Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then serve!

** You can replace the fresh whipped cream with whipped topping, if you prefer or are short on time.

Avocado Ice Cream

Avocados are probably one of my favorite things in the world, not only because of their awesome flavor, but also because of their creamy texture and incredible versatility.  I've tried to eat avocados in every imaginable way and my beloved avocado has never failed me: deep-fried in panko, as a relish, in pasta, baked into bread, whipped into mousse, in panna cotta, etc...

So there really isn't a single way that I won't eat avocados, but there are some ways that I love it better than others.  Guacamole is a serious addiction of mine, so are avocado-flavored desserts.  And since more exotic ice cream flavors are hard to come by in Salt Lake City, I was giddy with excitement when, armed with my brand-new ice cream maker, I experimented with making my own avocado ice cream.

The result was a super rich, velvety ice cream bursting with avocado flavor.  Of course, when I say avocado, I always mean the more flavorful Hass variety, and during the winter and spring, I'm eating Mexican avocados because right now happens to be their peak season.

And since avocados are eaten sweet in many countries (consider avocado shakes in the Philippines or paletas de aguacate in Mexico), it's actually a pretty popular way to eat avocados!

With that said-- enjoy!

Avocado Ice Cream
Servings: 7-8 cups

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
4 small ripe avocados
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Preparation
1)  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1.5 cup whole milk (reserve 1/2 cup milk), granulated sugar, vanilla and salt until sugar is dissolved; whisk in heavy cream and refrigerate
2)  Peel and pit avocados, then place avocado flesh into a blender with 1/2 cup milk, lime juice and 1/2 cup condensed milk; puree until smooth (add additional tablespoon of milk if mixture is too thick)
3)  Whisk avocado mixture into milk mixture until thoroughly combined
4)  Pour mixture immediately into the frozen bowl of your ice cream maker; ice cream should be ready in 20 minutes
5)  Freeze ice cream in an airtight container for 2 hours or overnight before serving

Black Truffle Cipollini Onion Spread and More...

I was in a hurry to make something for my #BBQPornSLC event on Saturday.  The pressure was on knowing I'd be in the company of R&R Barbecue, some fab food photographers and one of my fave foodies, Heather King, but I also had less than an hour to get everything together and make myself look halfway presentable.

The first thing I made was a crostini with a Black Truffle Cipollini Onion Spread.  I spread it over some grilled baguette and topped it with some mushroom tapenade and roasted garlic, but could easily have eaten it with a spoon.  It's a pretty versatile spread that tastes a lot fancier than it is to make.

Black Truffle Cipollini Onion Spread
Servings: approx. 2 cups

Ingredients
3/4 cup balsamic marinated cipollini onions (homemade or store-bought)
1 package cream cheese, room temperature
1-1.5 teaspoon black truffle oil, depending on how strong a truffle flavor you like
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1)  In blender or food processor (I used my handy Magic Bullet), pulse together onions, cream cheese, truffle oil, salt and pepper until smooth
2)  Nomnomnom!

I'm excited to try this spread topped with roasted figs and shaved parmesan, maybe some marinated gigante beans or thinly sliced proscuitto!  Oh, the possibilities...

The other thing I made for my party was milkshake shots.  Specifically, Cherry Cordial Milkshake shots, inspired by the classy cherry cordial jello shots I made from the night before (will post separately).  Even though I don't have the pics to prove it, I'm pretty sure Heather and Crystal would vouch for me that the milkshake was tasty and you should try making it for your next party.  Or to just drink at home alone on the couch.  No one's judging.  Here's what I did:

Cherry Cordial Milkshake
Servings: approx. 4 mugs or 24 shots

Ingredients
3 cups vanilla ice cream (I used homemade, but store-bought is fine)
1/2 cup creme de cacao
1/4 cup white rum
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice (from jar of marascino cherries)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped

1)  In blender, puree together ice cream, creme de cacao, rum and cherry juice until smooth
2)  Place maraschino cherries and dark chocolate into blender and mix with spatula until combined; pulse gently for a few seconds, if desired.
3)  Serve immediately in mugs or in individual shot glasses for a fun party-sized treat!

Thank you, Universe

Today I tried getting a fast food lunch for the first time since I started at my job 4 months ago. On my way back to the car, I stumbled (over nothing from what I could tell) and lost half my Mexican pizza on the asphalt.

At first I cursed, my stomach grumbled, then I walked dejectedly back to my vehicle feeling sadly devoid of crispy tortillas loaded with fake cheese and artificial enchilada sauce. Then I realized the Universe was doing me a favor by making me clumsily fall while walking on a perfectly level concrete sidewalk.

That's all the sign I needed that I should not be eating fast food at lunch. An In'n'Out burger once in awhile is fine, but do I need to be loading myself up with processed food only to go and sit at my desk all day long? Nope, says the powers that be.

Vanilla Maple Croissant Bread Pudding

I've been experimenting with croissants recently, trying to recreate a creme brulee croissant french toast I had in Vegas a couple months ago. Last night's experiment turned out fantastic and was so easy to make because you prep the night before. What I love about this recipe is that it's soft and delicate with a crunchy top-- contrasting textures are my favorite. Plus the little splash of rum goes great with the vanilla, maple and hint of orange flavor.

This is a super easy make-ahead breakfast--all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven when you wake up and by the time you're done with your shower, you've got a light, fluffy, crunchy bread pudding to nosh on with your morning tea. But it'd be awesome as a dessert with some ice cream and fruit! Just prep in the morning and by the time dinner rolls around, you're ready to go.

VANILLA MAPLE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
4 eggs
1.5 cups half & half (or heavy cream, if you wish)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (a little goes a long way here)
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon dark rum
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large croissants, halved horizontally
(optional) 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation1) Melt butter in a small skillet, then add brown sugar and maple syrup. Mix until smooth and combined. Spread mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 baking pan.
2) Place sliced croissants, cut side down, over the brown sugar mixture; sprinkle with chocolate chips, if desired
3) In a mixing bowl, beat eggs (careful not to overbeat) and add half & half, vanilla, orange juice, rum and salt
4) Pour egg mixture over the croissant and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 8-10 hours
5) When ready to bake, place baking pan into the oven at 375 degrees (I didn't preheat and it turned out great) for 40 minutes or until the tops of the croissants are crunchy and brown.
6) Nom nom nom!

Eat me, I'm delicious!

Our New Home

It's official! The papers are signed, funded and recorded. We have our house!

We agreed to let the sellers lease back the house for a month and while I'm really glad to help them out (they have a little one), I can't wait for them to get out so I can go running through every room of MY house. I fully intend to roll around on the carpet for sh*ts and giggles, turn on the fireplace for no reason, maybe stick a pizza in the oven just to eat it sitting on the living floor before our furniture arrives.

First order of business: pack. Scratch that. Drink booze. Second order of business: pack. Third thing on my list: stalk my tenants by driving past the house slowly and peaking into the house to see how far along they are with packing. It's creepy, I know. There's no sense in denying it.

I'm trying not to get overly excited because until we start moving our stuff in, it's not totally our home yet. Patience is good, I keep reminding myself. It all begins in T-Minus 32 days.

Between family crises and major unexpected life changes, 2010 was probably one of the worst years of my life. I want to leave it and never come back. I'm hoping this new home is a symbol of what's to come-- new beginnings and dreams coming true.

House-buying for the Anal-Retentive and Highly Emotional

The past six years have been a constant state of planning and fantasizing for me. From the house-buying books to the penny-pinching to the endless daydreaming of someday owning a home-- somewhere along the way I managed to convince myself that buying a house would be the most blissed-out experience ever.

It's not.

It's been a nightmare.

And I made it harder than it needed to be.

I've long believed it would take me at least 10 years to get to a point where I would be able to buy a house. That's because I never suspected I would move to Salt Lake City, where our monthly rent near downtown is less than what I paid for an even smaller apartment in unimpressive Upland, California almost ten years ago. You can imagine how ridiculously ecstatic I was when I realized I would (finally!) have a place of my own. No more throwing away money on rent, no more begging landlords to please fix the heater, no more living in borrowed homes fulfilling someone else's dreams.

Enter Ramona Avenue, a quiet tree-lined street near the heart of downtown Sugarhouse, one of my favorite, albeit expensive, neighborhoods in Salt Lake City. The first offer we put on a tiny cottage on Ramona Ave was rejected due to poor communication between the seller and his agent (later they came back asking me to "save them" because their buyer backed out). The second offer we made was on a house just one block away from the first. I made the novice home-buyers mistake of letting myself fall completely in love with that house. Before our offer was even accepted, I was browsing furniture online. That was going to be our home. I was sure of it.

When our second offer was rejected, I fell into a miniature depression. I cried, I couldn't eat, I just wanted to lay around in bed feeling sad about how somebody else was moving their crap into MY house.

But no, I had to pull myself together. Clear my mind and stay focused on the biggest decision I would be making to date. Buying a house is a financial decision, I reminded myself. I can't let myself get all crazed. So when we put an offer on a third place (a gigantic foreclosure listing on a corner lot with a basement income-generating unit), I reminded myself to stay composed.

Tired of waiting for the bank to respond, we went to look at more houses. Interest rates weren't going to stay at 4.5% forever. The fourth house, a mid-1920s bungalow on a tiny dead-end street near the university, immediately felt like home to me. It was smaller in every way and not located in Sugarhouse, but something told me to put an offer on that house. The following day, both House #3 and House #4 accepted our offer.

From a financial standpoint, the foreclosure listing would have offered quite a bit of instant equity, which was what drew me to it in the first place. So we decided to go with it.

That is, until we realized there used to be meth in the house.

Sure, it was technically "cleaned out," but no one really knows how much meth was in the house and what the potential long-term health affects might be. Was I willing to take a chance on our health, especially when we've been talking about having kids in a few years? How many buyers just like us aren't willing to take that chance? Would I be comfortable living in a home with those questions lingering in my mind?

The answer was 'no.' Yes, buying a home is an investment, but for us, it's an investment that we have to make a life in. And therein lies the two most important lessons I learned from this process: (1) If you're buying a home to have a life in, your mindset reflects that, and (2) It's important to recognize the difference between being emotional and having a gut instinct.

Being emotional is about feeling stuff, like fear, sadness, anger, etc.-- it's a reaction to something that happens to you (e.g. getting excited about making a bunch of money). Gut instinct is informed by something you know, whether or not it's clear what exactly it is you know. Being emotional is reactive. Gut instinct is proactive. And my gut instinct has always led me the right way; now was no time to question it.

But I did. After two months of disappointment and unpleasant surprises, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. And in the past two weeks since we've been under contract, I can honestly say that I've second-guessed myself to the point of ridiculousness. And it's enough. Really.

My sister Lorin said to me: "Diana, you'll know you made the right decision when you're sitting in your new home and you can't help but feel incredibly happy." My friend Kelly agrees. I think deep down inside I knew that, and that despite what my mind was telling me, my gut instinct was telling me something else.

Life has taught me that gut instinct doesn't have universal answers, just the right answer for you. It knows everything your brain knows plus it sees clearly the things in your heart that you're not always aware of. My gut instinct has always been braver than me, smarter than me. Trusting it can't possibly be a bad thing.


**Cartoon by Jim Borgman