Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Warning: this stuff is napalm DEATH to any fitness/weight loss aspirations. But it's so good. So. very. good. You've been warned.

Ingredients:

• 8 peaches, peeled and sliced, (approx 6-8 cups)
• 1/4 cup bourbon (substitute rum if you wish)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl add peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix well to coat the peaches evenly; set aside. If possible, allow to refrigerate overnight.
3. Prepare the dumplings: Into a bowl or processor, sift together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter into small pieces. Add it to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs. Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don't overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

4. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the peach mixture and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. There can be gaps, the dough will puff up and spread out as it bakes. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some sugar; put it into the oven on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

5. Cook uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream (Haagen-Dazs 5 Vanilla Bean is my favorite)

Clam Chowder Recipe

Having participated in a booze-themed cooking night recently, this this sherry-infused clam chowder was a smashing hit. If sherry isn't your thing (but please give it a try! Honestly! Or go get that cooking sherry stuff, which isn't nearly as good but means you won't have to step food in a liquor store), you can add more clam juice to make up the extra liquid. This chowder is nice and thick and rich and clammy and all the lovely things clam chowder is supposed to be.

The Shill Family Chowda

1 c. white onion (approx. 1/2 large white onion)

5-6 stalks celery, finely diced

5 small/medium Yukon Gold Potatoes

4 of the small cans of chopped clams in juice

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. flour

1 quart half-and-half

1/2 c. sherry

1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce (though we usually do a bit more)

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

4 fresh bay leaves

1-2 Tbsp. fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste (we like lots of both)

1) VEGGIES: Drain juice from the clams and pour over the vegetables. Set clams aside. Add just enough water to cover the veggies and simmer covered over medium heat. Cook until barely tender.

2) ROUX: In the meantime, in another pan, melt better and add flour, whisking constantly. Add 1/2&1/2 gradually and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until smooth and thick (it will cling to the back of a spoon a few seconds before dripping back into the pan when ready).

3) Add undrained veggies to the roux, the clams, and sherry. Add the aromatics, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Tabasco sauce. Heat through over medium heat until gently bubbling. Season with salt and pepper to personal preference.

4) For optimal taste/texture, prepare the day before you want to serve it and let sit refrigerated overnight. Yum.

Recipes that Get Lost in Translation

Hello, fellow bloggers. My name is Kristen Shill, and the most lovely Meg has beckoned me to this food blog thing. My blogging nom de plume is Lost in Translation, so you'll know my recipes by that name.

My food style is perhaps best described as a penchant for fresh ingredients, lots of garlic, and any recipe that calls for alcohol. Since living in France, I adore anything in a lovely rich sauce. I also grew up in an uber-health nut family, so I've learned easy ways to cut fat out of some recipes without totally sacrificing flavor on the altars of Boring Ho-Hum Food-Like Yuck. Bland food is the bane of my existence. Spice it up, baby! (No, really. When I go to Indian and Thai restaurants, my husband and I have to convince—nay, beg!—our waiters to believe that we want food so spicy that we will sweat and endure serious pain twelve hours later.) I don't do much exact measuring when I cook anymore unless I am baking, so most of my spice suggestions are estimates, not bright-line rules.

My food philosophy is that food is a gift. Calories consumed shouldn't be wasted on undeserving food. When I cook proteins, I try to honor the life of the creature that gave its life by making it into something simply delicious. I don't look for shortcuts while cooking (like pulling out the food processor for every little job the way my husband does) because cutting vegetables and peeling cloves of garlic is part of my cooking meditation. One of my truly favorite things is preparing a beautiful meal for people I love who appreciate great food!

Anyway, I'm pleased to be aboard. Look for some recipe contributions from me early in the week. I'll do my best to be a regular blogger. Cheers!

Ultimate Fruity Granola (from Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking)

5 c. old-fashioned oats

1 c. sliced almonds

1/2 c. sunflower kernels

1/2 c. ground flaxseed

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. honey

2 T. canola oil

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. dried banana chips

1/2 c. dried apricots, halved

In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, sunflower kernels, and flax. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, salt, and cinnamon. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved and mixture is heated through. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer to a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown, stirring every 8 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Stir in dried fruits. Store in an airtight container.

*Notes: My almonds were stale, so I had to leave those out, and it made me sad. But, if any of you don't like almonds, I can tell you it is delicious even without them. Next, I actually put in whole flaxseed, instead of ground, and it's awesome. I think I like it better that way. Also, no banana chips in mine. I do add a handful of raisins usually, just for some extra goodness.

This granola is awesome. I am going to be experimenting with lots of granola recipes, so if any of you have you one love, please share.

Per 1/2 c. serving: 253 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 86 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein. Not too shabby!

Healthfulness and New Bloggers

I have decided to revitalize my eating habits. It is a new goal of mine (and my husband's) and we are doing great so far. I got a lot of really useful ideas from a book I've been reading and it's actually been a lot easier than I thought to incorporate really healthful and yummy items into our diet. Here are some ideas . . . .

One of the new things I'm doing is eating a spinach salad for dinner at least once a week. Not just any spinach salad, we're talking a Seinfeld-style "big salad" dinner. And I love it. I get to put all sorts of yummy toppings on and it makes me soooo happy.

Some of the toppings I have tried: crispy onion strings (sold by croutons), boiled egg, red onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella, diced chicken strips, grated carrot, artichoke, ... and the list goes on. I also found a new love: Thai peanut dressing. I think it's Lighthouse brand. And it is incredible. I was worried that I would get sick of these salads, but that definitely hasn't happened yet. The toppings give it enough variety (and I love the toppings enough by themselves) that I don't feel like I'm eating the same thing every week. Furthermore, I have noticed a HUGE change in the way I feel. Obviously, this is not solely attributable to the spinach salads, but I know it's part of it.

I also started buying better eggs (with omega-3) from vegetarian-fed free range chickens. I never thought it would really matter, but these eggs taste way better. I kid you not.

Oh, another awesome tip: homemade granola with dried fruit and flaxseed. It is another dream come true. I eat it with yogurt almost every day. SO good. And SO healthy. I will post that recipe, I promise.

According to one source, these are the top 10 brain foods:

#1: Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)

I am going to try to work these into my meals-- beans are definitely easy to throw into a lot of things. I am also looking into new recipes with legumes. Haven't experimented a lot with legumes, but they are good enough for you that I really want to.

#2: Eggs

DHA-fortified in particular, which come from providers that feed their hens DHA-producing microalgae. Look for packages that say DHA-fortified or Omega-3. Did you know that you should consume 220 mg of DHA a day? The typical American diet for US women is about 50 mg. One DHA-fortified egg can give you 300 mg of DHA, and one 4 oz. fillet of steamed or poached wild Alaskan salmon contains 830 mg of DHA. If you decide to go with these eggs, make sure you check the info on the package to see how much Omega-3 they are really offering.

#3: Nuts/seeds

Good options: almonds, walnuts, sunflower kernels, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed.

#4: Olive oil. Use this. For almost everything. If you must fry, use canola.

#5: Alaskan wild salmon (see above)

Look for labels that indicate Pacific-caught. You can even use the canned wild Alaskan salmon in certain recipes-- which is nice since fresh and frozen can get pricey. Basically, wild salmon is a lot healthier than farm-raised. Farm-raised contains lower levels of omega-3 and higher levels of PCBs, dioxins, methyl-mercury, and pesticides. The vast majority of "Pacific salmon" is wild caught, that's why I say look for that on the label.

#6: Yogurt and kefir

Look for the "Live Active Cultures" seal on yogurt. I discovered the generic brands don't always have this, so I finally made a commitment to Yoplait. I always liked it better, but I'd feel more frugal if I bought the cheaper stuff. Well, no more.

Kefir is a yogurt-like drink made from sheep, goat, cow, and soy milk, with a mildly sweet and tart taste.

Why look for the seal? Well, probiotics are live organisms. When taken in adequate amounts, they confer a health benefit to the host. Not all yogurt and kefir contain probiotics; in fact, many brands have dead or unreliable contents. The seal requires that the product contain at least 108 viable lactic acid bacteria per gram for refrigerated products. Yogurt is also an excellent source of high-quality protein. One 6 oz container of low-fat yogurt provides 7 grams of protein with only one gram of saturated fat (or less if you get non-fat).

#7: Whole grains

This is probably common knowledge, but check your grain items to see if whole-grain is the first listed ingredient. Companies are getting pretty tricky with their labels and often make things look like whole-grain when they're not.

#8: Leafy greens

Hence, the spinach salads. Mmmm. But other good options are kale, collards, and broccoli.

#9: Dark purple fruits

Suggested: prunes, raisins, and blueberries. I discovered that I quite like prunes. Who knew?

#10: Orange and red fruits and vegetables

Like . . . oranges, red bell peppers, tomatoes. Very, very good choices. I am actually trying to eat one of the 3 options each day.

Now . . . that said:

I have also decided to revamp this blog. I learned a great lesson from it: if you start a collaborative blog, make sure you get people who are willing to collaborate. Or it will fizzle. Thus, three (and possibly four) new cooks are going to join the ranks of Whatcha Got Cookin'? and begin wow-ing us all with their culinary expertise. (Teah, I hope this will renew your interest in the blog, too. You were pretty much the only one posting with me before. I think with others who plan to post regularly, both of us will get back into it. :) ) So, yay for a cooking blog!!

The others can write a little post to introduce themselves and their cooking styles if they want . . . or they can just start right in on posting recipes. I am so excited and I hope that we can share some awesomeness with each other.

Bon appetit!

Best Manicotti Ever . . . and yes, I am still alive.

Hello my cooking friends:

I must apologize for my absence these past few months. Life has been insane! But I am still here, still cooking (as much as I can), and still interested in recipes from all of you.

So, without further ado, and as Teah said in her last post . . . if anyone is out there, here is a recipe!

Best Manicotti Ever

Tomato sauce:

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, in juice

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 T. EVOO

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1/2 t. salt

2 t. basil

Cheese filling & pasta

3 c. part-skim Ricotta

4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (~ 2 c.)

8 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese (~ 2 c.)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

2 t. chopped fresh basil

16 no-boil lasagna noodles

- Adjust oven rack to middle, preheat to 375.

- Heat oil, garlic, red pepper flakes in sauce pan over medium heat until fragrant but not browned. (~ 1-2 minutes)

- Stir in tomatoes, basil, 1/2 t. salt, and simmer until slightly thickened (~ 15 minutes).

- Medium bowl: combine Ricotta cheese, 1 c. of the Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs. Set aside.

- To assemble: Pour 1" boiling water into your 9x13 pan, then add the noodles one at a time. Let soak until pliable (~ 5 minutes). Separate with the tip of a knife to keep from sticking. Remove noodles and place on a dish towel. Dry the dish. Spread 1 1/2 c. sauce on the bottom of the dish. Then spread 1/4 c. cheese mixture evenly onto the bottom 3/4 of each noodle. Roll up into a tube shape and arrange in your pan, seam side down. You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, 16 in all.

- Top evenly with remaining sauce, covering pasta completely. Cover with foil. Bake until bubbling (~ 40 minutes). Remove foil and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered until cheese is browned and bubbly (~ 6-7 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

- I halfed this recipe and it turned out just fine. Delicious. I even baked mine in a round pan, because my 8" square had other food in it. No problems!

- I did not use fresh herbs, only dried.

- I really like the Barilla brand no-boil lasagna noodles. I'm sure this would work fine with real manicotti tubes if you prefer.

- This cheese filling is awesome! Probably the best manicotti I've ever had.

- This recipe can be made up to the baking point and then refrigerated or frozen. Refrigerate for 3 days at most. It can be frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw it in the fridge for 1-2 days. Increase the baking time to 1-1 1/4 hours. (*This is the advice that came with the recipe.)

Basically: really, really good. And very easy.

Pork Medallions

If anyone is there.....here is a delicious recipe someone gave me!! Apparently I like pork.


Pork Medallions

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire
6 oz pineapple juice
1 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Cut pork loin into medallions. Marinade in sauce as long as desired. Grill medallions and boil marinade to serve as gravy.