 Snowy and slushy - two words that would perfectly describe the Georgia snowstorm of 2022. ❄️ It snowed like crazy - all day but unfortunately, very little snow actually accumulated on the ground - much to the dismay of snowman builders everywhere. 😂 The big, giant, fluffy flakes were beautiful but at the end of the day, we only ended up with a dusting of snow on the ground. That didn't stop dedicated Georgians from taking advantage of the situation, though.🛷 You really haven't experienced a Southern snowstorm until you've witnessed a group of people body surfing down a muddy hill on their bellies in 30 degree weather. 😅
Snow days call for comfort food. And carbohydrates and starches are what comforts for this girl. Bread and pasta are my go-to on days when I feel like I need comforting. 🍞🍝 Yet, in a moment of aberrant boldness - I decided to venture outside of my comfort zone and into the delicious world of curry to soothe my chilly soul. No one likes to be outside of their comfort zone but, that's where progress happens. Am I right? It's scary and unfamiliar but it can also lead to new and exciting discoveries. It took me 50 years to make my first batch of curry but thankful that I finally mustered up the courage to make this flavorful dish.  My aversion to curry stems from a distaste of the curry spice. I think that's why I hesitated so long before making homemade curry. The fact is, this curry dish doesn't have any actual curry spice in it. 🤷🏻♀️ Clearly, I was wrongly associating the spice with the dish. This Lentil and Potato Curry is crazy delicious and packed with flavor and I didn't add any curry spice to it. 😅 I'm a late-comer to the curry world but I'm happy to say that I've found a new comfort food.  Lentil and Potato Curry 2 Tablespoons coconut oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 3/4 Tablespoons grated ginger 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3/4 teaspoon cumin 3/4 teaspoon coriander 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon tumeric 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons dried lentils 2 medium potatoes, diced 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 teaspoon lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon garam masala 1/4 cup coconut cream
 Stir in lemon juice, garam masala and coconut cream. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency with more broth if necessary.  Serve curry over rice and finish with a squeeze of lemon and scattering of fresh herbs.  Serve with pita or naan bread. Or if you're an Italian - a rustic Italian baguette. 😅
Ciao!
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 Where are all my fellow Georgians who stocked up on food and supplies in preparation for last weekends snow storm? 🙋🏻♀️ If you're like me - you overestimated the impact that freezing precipitation would have on your family's appetite and now you're faced with a pantry stocked with "snow day" food. 😬 If I had an excess of lemons - using them up would be a no brainer but what's a girl to do with leftover eggs, bread and milk? 🥚🍞🥛  French Toast!! Ricotta Stuffed French Toast. I'm not normally a french toast fan but I have to admit that this stuffed french toast is pretty amazing. And when you smother it in the honey butter, pistachio and sweet wine sauce - it takes it to a whole new level. I know you're going to love this just as much as I do.  Ricotta Stuffed French Toast 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, grated 4 slices hearty white sandwich bread 3/4 cup whole milk 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 Tablespoons butter 3 Tablespoons pistachios, chopped 1/4 cup honey 2 Tablespoons Marsala 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
 Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.  As for our winter snow storm - it was kind of crazy. I'll share some video and pictures on the next blog post. You are not going to believe it. ⛄️
Ciao!  What level of lazy is preheating the oven from the comfort of my bed? I wish I was asking for a friend. 😂 Last January we starting dreaming about and planning a kitchen remodel. One of my biggest priorities was adding a second oven. Nothing fancy or specific - just a means of making my baking process more efficient. I ended up ordering a wall oven that has a learning capacity greater than my own. 😅 Either my appliances are getting smarter or I'm getting dumber. This oven has as app that connects to my phone so that I can preheat, set the timer and even scan the barcode on a bag of chicken nuggets and the oven will set itself to the precise cooking time and temperature. 😯  When I first learned about all of the fancy dancy features on this oven - I swore that I would never use them. My intent was to use it to bake - not to create science experiments in this machine.😅 I guess I failed to see the NEED to have my oven connected to my phone. And then I woke up one morning, dreading the thought of getting out of bed to preheat the oven to bake a batch of cinnamon rolls. That is the moment that it dawned on me. 🤣 Preheating the oven from the comfort of my bed is the reason thatt evey oven should have a phone app. 🙃 Did I mention that this oven also has a proofing setting? In a nutshell - proofing is what you do to yeast dough to get it to rise before you bake it. Proofing cinnamon rolls is key to getting that nice soft, fluffy texture. And now that I can preheat my oven from the comfort of my bed and proof them in my oven, there's really no excuse NOT to make cinnamon rolls at least once a week. 😅
Swedish Cinnamon Rolls are amazing. The soft cardamom dough and the sweet, buttery cinnamon filling is the most amazing combination. And a steaming cup of cinnamon spice tea was the perfect compliment to this delicious roll. Don't get overwhelmed by the amount of steps in this recipe. I tried to break everything down to simplify the process but I'm afraid that the lengthy instructions might be intimidating to some. Don't worry though - I got you. The pictures will help and if you need along the way - email me with questions.  Swedish Cinnamon Buns Flour Paste 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup bread flour Dough 1/2 cup milk 2 cups bread flour 1 Tablespoon instant yeast 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 6 Tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds Filling 3/4 cup sugar 6 Tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons cinnamon 1 Tablespoon bread flour 1/4 teaspoon salt Egg Wash 1 egg 1 Tablespoon water pinch salt 1/4 cup crystalized sugar
 Bake 13 minutes at 425.   Swedish Cinnamon Rolls require a commitment in time. These rolls actually proof twice. Once is a cold proof - in the refrigerator and the second is a warm proof in the oven. If your oven doesn't have a proofing setting - don't ;et that stop you from making these delicious breakfast rolls. Cover the rolls with a towel and put them in a warm place in the house to rise. My favorite spots are on top of the dryer while it's running or above the dishwasher while it's warm.
Ciao!  There's snow in the forecast for the weekend so like every other good Southerner - I'm stocking up on supplies and preparing to be snowed in the house for at least a month.❄️😂 The chances that we'll see actual snow this weekend is fairly low but that doesn't stop Georgia residents from emptying the grocery store shelves. It's possible that we're all just using this wintery forecast as a good excuse to buy carbs and beer, but either way - we're prepared. 🍞🍺  The first thing Southerners do when snow is in the forecast is head to the grocery store. 🥛The second thing we do is run outside with our camera phones to document the event. 🤳🏻And lastly, we eat all of the aforementioned food. 😅 Snow or no snow - it'll be all hot chocolate and warm soups in our house this weekend. 🍲 This chicken and vegetable soup is one of my new favorites. I would call it a tortilla soup/vegetable soup fusion and it's delicious.  Chicken and Vegetable Soup 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered 1 large onion, quartered 6 garlic cloves, smashed 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems and leaves chopped separately 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 pound bone-in chicken thighs 2 quarts chicken broth 1 1/2 cups long grain rice 2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced into 1/4" thick slices 12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces 1 ripe avocado, chopped 1/2 cup queso fresco lime wedges
 Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup over rice.  Top each bowl with avocado, cheese and remaining cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges.
Stay warm out there friends. Ciao!  I regret to report that as careful as we were to take precautions against it, Covid 19 has officially hit the Davis house. 😩 Not to worry though - we're all okay. The virus was very selective in the family members that it chose to inflict. Nonetheless, we tested, we quarantined and we cleaned and sanitized - everything we own. 😷 In an attempt to stay one step of any weird Covid symptoms, throughout our quarantine I also performed daily sensory testing on my poor symptomatic family member. 😬🤣 Can you blame me? I rely on the input of my family to taste test all my food experiments. Let's forget about the fact that this Covid positive family member could lose their sense of smell or taste - I need a food taster. 😅😅😅  I could have filled my house with the intoxicating aroma of fresh apple pie to test my family's sense of smell but instead, I chose to fill my house with the distinctive smell of brussels sprouts. 😂 Brussels Sprouts was an unconventional choice but... in my defense, it worked. The pungent smell of brussels sprouts was immediately detected by Covid positive family member. 😂 And while I was thrilled to know that we all still had our sense of smell, I don't recommend filling your home with brussels sprouts smells if you're going to be quarantined inside for several days in a row. 😬 Have I completely turned you off of brussels sprouts yet? Stick with me. In a surprising turn of events, the family member who was somewhat offended by the strong odor of simmering brussels sprouts, actually agreed to taste them. 🤷🏻♀️ And to my utter amazement - she liked them!! I knew that I would love this vegetable salad but I never dreamed that my family would take more than a single bite. I'm happy to report that with our sense of smell and taste fully intact, we all ate a giant helping of this brussels sprouts salad.  Brussels Sprouts Salad 4 slices bacon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 pound brussels sprouts, sliced thin 15 ounce can chick peas, rinsed 1/4 cup chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
 Reduce heat, cover and simmer 6-8 minutes. Stir lemon juice into pan.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
Ciao! |
