This weekend was not only memorable because it was Ella's first birthday. There were 76 tornadoes in the country on Friday. Denis and I were driving from Charlotte to Asheville where we had been for several weeks. Forrest called at about the time we were getting close to Asheville to tell us to wait out the storms so we stopped at Tracy's new office to check out the weather. The truth is that once I knew that Jim Cantori was in Kentucky my decision was probably already made. I stayed in Asheville for that night while Denis drove on. He did have to stop in Knoxville as a tornado was on the ground there. We all know that he was probably very glad not to have me in the car during that time! I spent the night with Tracy and family and then drove to Oak Grove with her and the kids on Saturday morning.
When we got to Ally's she had a fabulous lunch prepared. Barbecue pork, coleslaw, potato salad - YUM!
Ally's Pulled Barbecue Pork Sandwiches
4 pounds top loin pork roast
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker on low and cook for 12 hours. Pull the pork out and place on cutting board. Put sauce in a separate bowl and save. You can shred the roast on the cutting board with two forks or you can simply drop the roast back into the crock pot and shred with forks.
Leaving slow cooker on low, add 24 ounces of your favorite BBQ sauce. Add about 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved sauce back to the slow cooker and cook all for another 30 minutes.
(Ally's version of) Bobby Flay's Creamy Cole Slaw Recipe
Ingredients
1 head green cabbage, finely shredded in food processor
2 large carrots, finely shredded in food processor
3/4 cup best-quality mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Spanish onion
3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons celery salt
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery salt, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; add more salt, pepper, or sugar if desired.
ALL-AMERICAN POTATO SALAD (Cooks Illustrated)
Published July 1, 2004.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
While developing other potato salad recipes, test kitchen cooks found that seasoning the potatoes while they're hot maximizes flavor. So as we developed our all-American potato salad recipe, we splashed hot russet potatoes with white vinegar a...(more)
SERVES 4 TO 6
Note that this recipe calls for celery seed, not celery salt; if only celery salt is available, use the same amount but omit the addition of salt in the dressing. When testing the potatoes for doneness, simply taste a piece; do not overcook the potatoes or they will become mealy and will break apart. The potatoes must be just warm, or even fully cooled, when you add the dressing. If you find the potato salad a little dry for your liking, add up to 2 tablespoons more mayonnaise.
INGREDIENTS:
2pounds russet potatoes (3 to 4 medium), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Table salt
2tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1medium rib celery , chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
2tablespoons minced red onion
3tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1/2cup mayonnaise (see note)
3/4teaspoon powdered mustard
3/4teaspoon celery seed
2tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large hard-cooked eggs , peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place potatoes in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and transfer to large bowl. Add vinegar and, using rubber spatula, toss gently to combine. Let stand until potatoes are just warm, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together celery, onion, pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard powder, celery seed, parsley, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula, gently fold dressing and eggs, if using, into potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour; serve. (Potato salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
Party TIME!!
Ally served up some great snacks for the party. Everybody's favorite was her Buffalo Chicken Dip. All I know to tell you about this is not to look at the ingredient list, just make it and enjoy. It's addictive (and so good for you!)
Ally's Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked (roasted, poached or grilled) and chopped
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup bottled ranch dressing
1/4 cup bottled blue cheese dressing
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
6 ounces Frank's Hot Sauce
Frito's Scoops for serving
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together in a casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes.
Note: This dish can be made in a crock pot. The texture will be a little different but it's an easy way to keep the dish hot for football Saturdays.
Also present on the buffet - Hummus with homemade pita chips, Bruschetta with cantaloupe and prosciutto (Denis made), Rice Krispy Treats, Ella's cake and those fabulous mocha cupcakes that Ally makes, Strawberry Mojitos (another Pepere contribution which I'll try to post)and other birthday treats. We all ate way too much so we skipped dinner.
Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting
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Serving Size: 18
Summary: Notes:
These are my favorite cupcakes. Everybody in the family was crazy about them. The original recipe lists 12 as the quantity but they are so light and fluffy that Ally says if you only make 12 the batter runs over the top of the muffin tin and makes a mess. 18 is perfect.
(Cupcake recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction)
*Note: To make the swirls on the cupcakes, use a 1M decorating tip.
Ingredients:
Mocha Cupcakes
1-1/3 all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperatureEspresso
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
Directions:
1. Mocha Cupcakes 1. Mix the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.
3. 3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. 4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.
5. 5. Divide the batter evenly between the 18 liners. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.
6. Espresso Buttercream Frosting 1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.
7. 2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.
For breakfast the next morning Ally served homemade biscuits and pumpkin butter, scrambled eggs and bacon.
TALL AND FLUFFY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS (Cooks Illustrated)
Published July 1, 2004.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
To create a rustic buttermilk biscuit recipe that would produce extra-fluffy, moist, tender rolls with crisp, golden-brown tops, we tried lard, vegetable shortening, and butter, both separately and in combination. The biscuits made with lard o...(more)
MAKES 12 BISCUITS
We prefer to use low-fat buttermilk in these biscuits, but nonfat buttermilk will work as well (though the biscuits will be a little lighter in texture and flavor). For the highest rise, use a double-acting baking powder, such as Calumet, Clabber Girl, or Davis. Store leftover biscuits in an airtight zipper-lock bag. Reheat by placing them on a baking sheet in a 475-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
Nonstick cooking spray
Dough
2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
1tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1tablespoon granulated sugar
1teaspoon table salt
1/2teaspoon baking soda
4tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2cups buttermilk cold, preferably low-fat
To Form and Finish Biscuits
1cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces), distributed in rimmed baking sheet
2tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Generously spray inside and outside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nonstick cooking spray.
2. For the dough: In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1-second pulses. Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients; pulse until mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy).
3. To form and bake biscuits:Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly, scoop level amount of dough; drop dough from measuring cup into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free). Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds. Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour; gently shape dough into rough ball, shake off excess flour, and place in prepared cake pan. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center. Brush rounds with hot melted butter, taking care not to flatten them. Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees; continue to bake until biscuits are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel; turn biscuits right-side up and break apart. Cool 5 minutes longer and serve.
SHAPING THE BISCUITS
1. Using greased 1/4-cup measure, scoop 12 level portions of dough onto floured baking sheet. Lightly dust top of each biscuit with flour.
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