Cajunman Would be...Confused???

It's been bitterly cold here in the plains. I don't think it got above 20F, but I could be wrong since I was stuck in the office all day. There's still snow on the ground from our Christmas Eve blizzard, and the ice in the parking lot of my apartment is treacherous. With that said, I wanted something hearty, flavorful, and a bit spicy for dinner. Enter Jambalaya.

Appropriately named Man pleasin' Jambalaya on All Recipes, this has it all: chicken, smoked sausage, rice, spice. It's certainly hearty and could easily feed an army. It lives up to its namesake too (at least the first part). I made this a few weeks ago, and the hubby said, "I wouldn't mind if we had this again. I think it's my new favorite." Now to be fair, every meal is his new favorite, but it's still nice to hear that he likes my cooking. I do realize that this is not a traditional jambalaya. It should probably have some shellfish in it and possibly some other things. It is a really good base to start with and personalize (which I did). Give it a try. You won't be disappointed (unless you don't like it, then I can't help you there).

Man Pleasin' Jambalaya
Recipe from All Recipes, adapted by me

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, diced (I use the Tyson boneless, skinless tenderloins)
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups long grain white rice
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced (I use the all beef by Hickory Farm)
1 can diced tomatoes (I used a small can the first time and handful of fresh chopped cherry tomatoes this time)
1/4 cup olive oil 
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1-1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft. Add the chicken and continue cooking and stirring so that it does not stick. When the chicken is browned, add the sausage and tomatoes.
2. Pour in the broth, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, and season with cayenne, cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and broth has been absorbed.

Chili: The Recipe

Special thanks to my dad who emailed me the recipe. Apparently I'm not losing my mind; there really isn't a set recipe that he follows either. This is for you, Tulsa Gentleman:

"I use Carroll Shelby's Texas Chili for the start. It comes in a box. Used to be in a sack. I use about 4-5 cans of tomato sauce. Less cans use more water, more cans use less water. Don't know the size of the crock pot. Anyway, brown ground beef - about a pound. Can use more or less depending on how meaty you want it. Then add all the ingredients from Shelby box except the masa flour (add that later) to the crock pot, add browned ground beef and tomato sauce. Also add a can of kidney beans after you rinse them. Then add a few glasses of water and stir to mix everything up. Then add some crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper (this adds to what came in the Shelby box) if you want it spicier. Add sliced jalapenos about halfway thru the day and the masa flour to thicken. Stir occasionally thru-out the day. Enjoy with lots
of cheese and onions."

I also like to top mine with Fritos and sour cream, but that's because I'm a weenie compared to my family and need to kill some of the heat in order to eat it. I think when I finally get brave enough to make it myself, I'll add some onions to the ground beef while I'm browning it cause I only really like them cooked, not raw.

Chili for a Chilly Night

Allow me to tell you a story. My dad grew up in New Mexico, a state some people still think you need passport to visit (yes, I have actually been asked that before... goes along with the misconception that we live in teepees and hunt buffalo still here in Oklahoma, but that's another story). Anyway, being from the land of enchantment, my dad has eaten almost as much Mexican food as those living south of the border and has become immune to spicy food.

For as long as I can remember, my dad has made the world's hottest chili. This is the stuff legends are made of. Pregnant ladies eat it to induce labor. Sick people eat it to clear their sinuses (works better than nasal spray and vapor rub). Normal people eat it to lose their taste buds. I think you get my point here. Dad's chili is spicy, and it only gets spicier the longer it sits in the fridge (it becomes nuclear if you heat it in the microwave the next day).

Being the total flake that I've apparently become since starting this blog last year, I forgot all about posting my dad's chili today. I forgot my camera and didn't remember it until we had already gotten to my parents' house. Add on top of that, I forgot to get the recipe when we left. Insult to injury right there. Le sigh...

I can tell you every single ingredient that's in Daddy's chili. The problem is I can never remember the exact measurements. What I can do is list the ingredients without the measurements and update it later after I get him to email me the recipe, or I can leave you thankful your taste buds are still intact while I go drink a gallon of milk. The choice is yours, dear reader (kind of like those choose your own adventure books only scarier).

Le Soupe a l'Oignon avec un petit Croque Monsieur

I've been waiting since early April to tackle the soup lovingly known as French Onion Soup. I went garage sale-ing with a very dear friend, and I picked up some little white pots that I knew would be perfect for the soup. I knew that they were just going to be sitting in one of my cabinets though. You see, when the hubby was gone and my sister was living with me, I knew I would be eating it alone if I cooked it. Sweet Honey Mim is not going to like this post almost as much as she would not have liked to come home to this soup for dinner. 

I've been trying to plan our meals for every night for each week so that I don't come across the problem we had when I was in high school ("Hey mom, what's for dinner?" "I don't know. What would you like?" "I don't know. Just make something.") And on and on it would go until my mom finally made the rule of whoever asks that question will be the one responsible for making dinner. Anyway, I'd been planning on making this soup for the past week and was ecstatic to finally be putting my crocks to good use. I went searching for the perfect recipe. I was shocked to see just how many variations there are to something that is essentially pub food. I finally found three similar recipes that each had only minor variations and decided to put them together to make my own recipe.

I first turned to the Bible of French food, Julia Child's The Art of French Cooking (Hey Anne, I finally got to use the cookbook). That woman was a genius! I then pulled out my other love, Jamie Oliver and his Jamie at Home. Lastly, I turned to The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild. Following Ms. Child's recipe almost completely, I added a little bit of Jamie and a touch of Barbara to come up with something my hubby and I both enjoyed. I hope you like it too...

Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee avec un petit Croque Monsieur (it just sounds cooler in French)
Recipe by Julia, Jamie, Barbara, and me

5 medium sized onions, thinly sliced (I used 3 white and 2 yellow)
3 Tbl butter (homemade...yumyum)
2-3 glugs olive oil
Handful of fresh sage leaves (I think I used about 8-10, but I didn't really count it out)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3 Tbl flour
2 qts boiling beef stock (I used 2 - 32 oz. boxes of beef broth)
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth (Red Bicyclette chardonnay for me)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbl cognac (or brandy cause that's what I had on hand)
Fresh baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 cup coarsely chopped ham
1-2 cups freshly grated Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat broiler. Place the butter, oil, and sage leaves in a large stock pot on medium heat. Heat until butter is melted and add onions. Cover and cook the onions slowly for about 15 minutes.
2. Uncover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown (trust me on this, don't rush this step, and don't leave the lid on; my onions never colored since I forgot the lid).
3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add the beef stock/broth and the wine. Season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes more, skimming occasionally. Correct seasoning as needed.
4. Just before serving, stir in the cognac/brandy. Ladle into soup bowls. Place slices of baguette to cover the top of the soup. Top with a bit of the ham and gruyere, place bowls on a baking sheet, and set on the top rack under the broiler. Allow to broil for approximately 5 minutes, or until cheese is hot and bubbly. Serve with extra pieces of baguette and butter.

To toast baguette slices and make them more like croutons (yumyum), place the slices on a baking sheet inside the oven as it preheats for approximately 5 minutes. Turn the slices over and heat for another 3 minutes. You want to leave them in long enough to get crisp, not long enough to start to color. I preheated my oven to 375 first and then bumped it up to broil after I was done with the baguette only because my oven is fickle and would have just torched them.

Starting the Year Off Right

I wanted so badly to make something that would be a hit with anyone that set eyes on it. Who was I kidding?!? We all know that I'm not the best at decorating cakes. Did that stop me from making a 14-layer cake? Not at all.

 

Before you get all bug-eyed and think, "She's completely lost her mind. Fourteen layers?!?" It's not what you think at all. I came across the recipe on Bakerella and just knew it was what I was looking for. Fourteen super thin layers of yellow cake sandwiched with a chocolate ganache then frosted with a chocolate buttercream, it was love at first sight.

 

I set out to make the cake early this afternoon. I took my eggs and butter out of the fridge to come to room temperature while I made some fun necklaces and played a computer game all while watching Dr. Who (it really was a nerd's dream in my apartment today). When I finally got bored with being a nerd, I realixed it was almost 6:00 P.M. Where in the world did my day go? Needless to say, I haven't gotten the cake frosted with the buttercream but I did get the rest of the cake and ganche finished and assembled. It actually works in my favor that I was lazy since now I won't be able to eat the cake tonight and can save it for dinner at my parents' on Sunday (I'll be bringing you my dad's outrageously hot chili so be ready with some milk and corn bread).

 

 

Here it is in all of it's unfrosted glory! It can be eaten this way; I just think it looks prettier and more deceptive with the buttercream. Imagine the surprise when the cake is finally cut and there are 14-layers of yellow cake peeking out of the chocolate! I think I need to go have some chocolate now... Enjoy!

 

Fourteen Layer Cake w/ Chocolate Ganache
Recipe via Bakerella via Oprah via The Smith Family (I didn't feel the need to change a thing for once)

 

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter , at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs , at room temperature
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder , preferably Dutch process
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut up
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly butter the bottoms and sides of 14 8-inch pans and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Your best bet is to purchase the disposable pie pans so that you don't have to wait for your pans to cool and then clean them before doing another batch.
2. To make the layers, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Using a 2/3 of a cup for each layer, spread the batter evenly in the pans. It will make a thin layer.
4. Staggering the pans on the racks so they are at least 2 inches from each other and the sides of the oven and not directly over each other, bake the layers until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12 minutes (I did 4 at a time for the first three batches, then the last two; I cooked all for 12 minutes and had no problems). Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely. Repeat the procedure until all 14 layers have been baked and cooled.
5. To make the icing, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk to a full boil in a large saucepan (the biggest one you've got or there will be a giant chocolate puddle; trust me on this one). Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the icing has thickened slightly (it will resemble chocolate syrup but will thicken as it cools), about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Let the icing cool until thick enough to spread, but still pourable.
6. Place a layer of cake on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan. Spread with a few tablespoons of the icing, letting the excess run down the sides. Stack the remaining cakes, icing each layer. Pour the remaining icing over the top of the cake. If you wish, smooth the icing on the edges to cover the sides. Place pecan halves around the top perimeter of the cake. Let stand until the glaze sets. (The cake is best served the day it is made. To store, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)