Be My Guest – Audrey's 74 A blog by Giulia Doyle Tue, 31 Jan 2017 21:28:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.1.17 Be My Guest with Not Without Salt – Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies /2014/06/04/be-my-guest-with-not-without-salt-salted-chocolate-chip-cookies/ Wed, 04 Jun 2014 13:46:09 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=2921 Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies - Be My Guest Audrey's

photo on left: Ashley Rodriguez, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

I am super pleased to share the newest chapter of my Be My Guest series today. I’ve been following Ashley from Not Without Salt for years now and admire her work immensely. I asked Ashley when I first started the series last year if she would like to participate. She agreed to join me here on the blog if I gave her a bit of time since she was working on her first cookbook. Her cookbook will be ready just in time for Christmas and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Ashley’s style of photography is different than many blogs I follow – she uses simple backgrounds and gets really close to her food – the mood she instills is inviting and her stories capture my attention. In addition to some of my favourite recipes, such as this tomato pesto, she also shares beautiful travel photos on her blog. Last and definitely not least, she was also the Saveur Best Food Blog winner in 2013.

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies - Be My Guest Audrey's

photo on left: Ashley Rodriguez, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Today Ashley wanted to share her salted chocolate chip cookies recipe. It’s her signature recipe and it’s so popular that I’ve seen it pop up on Twitter and Instagram because her foodie friends are raving about them. I made them just in time for a big BBQ at our house – they were the perfect finish to our evening. This recipe is great, easy to make and yields a ton of cookies. Thank you Ashley for joining me on the blog today!

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies - Be My Guest Audrey's

photo on left: Ashley Rodriguez, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies - Be My Guest Audrey's

photo on left: Ashley Rodriguez, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Be My Guest with Not Without Salt – Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Yield: 5 - 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter (8 oz)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar (2 oz )
  • 1/4 cup Turbinado sugar (2 oz )
  • 1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (12 oz )
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla (1/4 oz)
  • 3 1/2 cup All Purpose flour (1 lb. )
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 lb. chocolate (use the best quality chocolate you can afford. With a serrated knife cut chocolate chunks roughly 1/2 inch)
  • 1/2 teaspoon good quality salt, for sprinkling on top before baking

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and the sugars until very light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes on medium high. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing while adding the eggs one at time. Make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Combine the flour, soda and salt in another bowl. With a whisk to combine. With the machine on low, slowly add the flour. Mix until just combined, taking care not to over mix. With a spatula fold in the chocolate.
  2. If you so choose, and I do recommend that you do, sprinkle a very fine dusting of good quality sea salt. Fleur de Sel or Murray River Pink Salt are my recommendations.
  3. Bake at 360* for 12 minutes. They should be lightly golden on the outside but still look gooey on the inside.

Notes

This recipe can easily be halved but also, the dough freezes beautifully. You can see in Ashley's photos that they also work well to make ice cream sandwiches!

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Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies - Be My Guest Audrey's

photo on left: Ashley Rodriguez, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

 

 

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Be My Guest with Cookie + Kate – Shaved Fennel Salad with Parmesan and Orange Zest /2014/02/24/be-my-guest-with-cookie-kate-shaved-fennel-salad-with-parmesan-and-orange-zest/ Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:41:51 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=2651 Be My Guest Cookie and Kate Audrey's

photo on left: Cookie + Kate, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Today I’m back with a new installment of Be My Guest – the first one for 2014! I am really excited that Kathryne from the blog Cookie and Kate joined me on the blog today. I can’t remember how I found Kathryne’s blog, it might have been through Heidi, but I’ve been following her ever since. Kathryne has clean and bright photos that I really like and all her recipes are vegetarian, so she’s a great source when looking for meatless whole foods. I’ve also loved some of her resource posts, such as how to start a food blog or food photography tips. Plus, for some weird reason I’m fascinated by the fact that she lives in Kansas…I’ve never met anyone from Kansas and I’ve never been there, but maybe Dorothy plays some part in it?

Be My Guest Cookie and Kate Audrey's

Be My Guest Cookie and Kate Audrey's

photos on left: Cookie + Kate, photos on right: Giulia Doyle

But now, let’s get to the recipe! Shaved Fennel Salad with Parmesan and Orange Zest from Melissa Clark’s cookbook, Cook This Now. I don’t often use fennel and I like how this comes together easily. Kathryn mentioned that not having a mandolin left her with thicker slices of fennel than she was hoping for. I used my very basic mandolin and still didn’t get my fennel as thin and feathery as I think the recipe is intended to be. However, I am truly terrified of my mandolin and might not have been using it to it’s full potential. But even with slightly thicker slices, this recipe is easy and tasty.

I let my fennel sit with the dressing a bit, which reduced the anise flavour a little more. We also had some leftovers, which I then combined with shaved cabbage and carrots, which made a great additional salad. Serving this with orange slices like Kathryn shows in her photos would add some extra bulk and colour to the salad. The recipe in the book also offers alternatives, such as leaving off the cheese or adding thinly sliced dates – you can be creative!

Thank you so much Kathryne for joining me on the blog today!

Be My Guest Cookie and Kate Audrey's

photo on left: Cookie + Kate, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Shaved Fennel Salad with Parmesan and Orange Zest by Melissa Clark

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2-4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 large fennel bulbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons of freshly grated orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of good quality olive oil
  • 2 ounces of Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Cut each fennel bulb in half lengthwise. Using a mandoline-type tool or very sharp knife, thinly shave the fennel. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the fennel and toss well.
  3. Working over the salad bowl, use a vegetable peeler to shave the cheese into thin curls. Toss the salad gently once more and serve.

Notes

I added a bit of extra orange zest and compensated the acidity of my very strong red wine vinegar with a teaspoon of sugar. Letting the dressed salad sit longer also decreased the anise flavour of the fennel.

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Be My Guest Cookie and Kate Audrey's

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Be My Guest with Frock Files – Chocolate Chip Filled Melting Moments /2013/12/09/be-my-guest-with-frock-files-chocolate-chip-filled-melting-moments/ Mon, 09 Dec 2013 10:56:06 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=2215 Be My Guest Frock Files

photo left: Joy Uyeno , photo right: Giulia Doyle

It’s time for another installment of Be My Guest. This time I have the honour of welcoming Joy from the lifestyle blog Frock Files. Originally from Hawaii, but now living in New England, Joy is an all-round talented blogger that excels at sharing small bits of happiness with her readers – be it fashion, food, crafts or inspirational thoughts. Joy also works as a freelance stylists and photographer. While I’ve never met Joy in person, she gives off the vibe of being the nicest person, and if email communication is an indicator, then she really is. I look forward to meeting in person one day.

Be My Guest Frock Files

photo left: Joy Uyeno , photo right: Giulia Doyle

It being the holiday season, Joy chose these Chocolate Chip Filled Melting Moments:
As the holidays approach, I’m always on the lookout for simple recipes to give as gifts. These meltaways are perfect: impressive to look at (and eat!) but easy to whip up.

I have to agree, they were simple to make and a big hit at our house. The high amount of corn starch called for in the recipe surprised me at first. But after a bit of research I realized that it’s often used to get the fine and crumbly texture of a shortbread or sablé cookie, which is also the reason this recipe calls for cake flour.

Be My Guest Frock Files

photo left: Joy Uyeno , photo right: Giulia Doyle

Thank you Joy for joining me today – this recipe is a perfect edible gift for all the parties you might be invited to. Or make a batch or two for the teachers, school bus drivers and your helpful neighbour!

Be My Guest with Frock Files – Chocolate Chip Filled Melting Moments - from The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook by Elinor Klivans

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 16 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

  • For the cookies:
  • 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the filling:
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. To make the cookies:
  2. Preheat oven to 300°.
  3. Sift both flours, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Scrape sides as needed. Mix in vanilla until blended. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour mixture. Mix just until combined and a smooth dough has formed.
  5. Use about 1/2 tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Roll each into a ball and place about 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Flatten each with a fork to about 1 & 1/4 inches in diameter.
  6. Bake sheets one at a time until the bottoms of the cookies begin to brown, about 25-30 minutes. The tops should not change color. Cool on pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  7. To make the filling:
  8. Stir together butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
  9. Turn half of the cookies over and spread about a teaspoonful of filling on each. Place the remaining cookies on top of the filling. Press gently.

Notes

I replaced the cake flour with regular flour and they turned out just fine. Using cake flour might give you an even finer texture.

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Be My Guest Frock Files

Audrey's Be My Guest

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Be My Guest with Liz & Jewels – Sachertorte /2013/10/14/be-my-guest-with-liz-jewels-sachertorte/ Mon, 14 Oct 2013 09:47:38 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=1869 Sachertorte Audrey's

photo on left: Julia Cawley, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

I am super pleased to share the newest installment of Be My Guest’. Today’s guests are Liz and Jewels. Not only are they my first European guests, they are also the bloggers behind the blog that inspired this feature.

Liz is a designer and cookbook author in Germany and Jewels is a German photographer based in the US. They launched their blog to stay in touch and share wonderful recipes. Each week they challenge each other to a recipe and share it on their blog.

Liz and Jewels are also contributors to Decor8, Liz is the author of 3 cookbooks, which Jewels photographed, and they are hosts of successful food styling and photography workshops in New York and Münster. Quite a list of successes, right?

Sachertorte Audrey's

photo on left: Lisa Nieschlag, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

So today the cook-off is between the three of us and showcases an amazing Sachertorte – you know, that wonderfully dense Austrian chocolate cake with apricot jam and chocolate ganache icing?

It’s my birthday tomorrow, so Liz and Jewels kindly chose to bake me a birthday cake – isn’t that sweet? And they picked an amazing one – simple to make, very tasty and tastes great a few days after baking, which is the best treat a few days after celebrating.

This cake takes me right back to a European Cafe. It was great to go back to a traditional cake recipe, but to still make it in layers the way I like it. I always forget how easily a beautiful shiny ganache comes together and that a cake can be iced much faster that way than with frosting. I’ll be doing it more often now.

Thank you Liz and Jewels for joining me today and for sending me virtual birthday cakes with candles!

Be My Guest with Liz & Jewels – Sachertorte - from BBC Food

Ingredients

  • 140g/5oz plain chocolate
  • 140g/5oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 115g/4oz caster sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 free-range eggs, separated
  • 85g/3oz ground almonds
  • 55g/2oz plain flour, sieved
  • For the topping and the icing
  • 6 tbsp apricot jam, sieved
  • 140g/5oz plain chocolate
  • 200ml/7fl oz double cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a deep 23cm/9in round cake tin then line the base with greaseproof paper.
  2. Break the chocolate into pieces, melt gently in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally, then cool slightly. Beat the butter in a bowl until really soft, then gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate and the vanilla extract and beat again. Add the egg yolks, then fold in the ground almonds and sieved flour. The mixture will be quite thick at this stage.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Add about one-third to the chocolate mixture and stir in vigorously. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
  4. Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until well risen at the top and the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the paper and finish cooling on a wire rack.
  5. To make the topping, heat the apricot jam in a small pan and then brush evenly over the top and sides of the cold cake. Allow to set.
  6. Make the icing by breaking the plain chocolate into pieces. Heat the cream until piping hot, remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted, then cool till a coating consistency. Then pour the icing on to the centre of the cake. Spread it gently over the top and down the sides, and leave to set.

Notes

Liz and I decided to make the cake in layers, which works well and allows for a little more jam. Feel free to use dark chocolate or milk chocolate and any jam you like - I used apricot because it's one of my favourites, but Jewels used cherry jam.

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Be My Guest with Liz and Jewels

Sachertorte Audrey's

Photo top left: Julia Cawley, photo top right: Lisa Nieschlag, bottom photo: Giulia Doyle

Audrey's Be My Guest

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Be my Guest with Christelle is Flabbergasting – Lentil “Meatballs” with Lemon Pesto /2013/09/09/be-my-guest-with-christelle-is-flabbergasting-lentil-meatballs-with-lemon-pesto/ Mon, 09 Sep 2013 09:58:38 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=1741 Lentil Meatballs Audrey's

photo on left: Christelle, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Welcome to the next installment of Be My Guest! Today we have Christelle is Flabbergasting – my first Canadian guest! I met Christelle last year at Aran’s workshop in Montreal. Christelle is actually French and moved to Montreal about four years ago. She’s an art director by trade and freelances as a food photographer and food stylist. Not only does she run her beautiful food blog in her limited spare time, she also has a weekly food column in La Presse and does some amazing travel (which she documents beautifully with her photography).

Lentil Meatballs Audrey's

photo on left: Christelle, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Today we are sharing Lentil ‘Meatballs’ with Lemon Pesto, courtesy of the Sprouted Kitchen. Christelle fell in love with Sarah’s cookbook and among many recipes she bookmarked, this was the first one she tried. It turned out beautifully, so I had to try it as well. I have Sarah’s cookbook and was very pleased to try another recipe – tasty meatless options are not on our regular rotation, so I welcome recipes that take me out of my usual cooking routine.

Lentil Meatballs Audrey's

photo on left: Christelle, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

I made a double batch of these because I had a lot of lentils. I needed to add a bit more breadcrumbs in order for mine to stick – but these lentil ‘meatballs’ are wonderful. They are great warm, great cold and amazing on a bed of greens with crunchy cucumbers. The pesto is a little more tart than my usual and complements the flavours beautifully. Thank you Christelle for joining me today – this recipe was another winner in my books.

Lentil “Meatballs” with Lemon Pesto - from the Sprouted Kitchen cookbook

Yield: 18 small

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Cooked Lentils
  • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 Cup Ricotta
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Large Clove Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. Fennel Seed, crushed
  • 2 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley
  • Hefty Pinch of Dried or Fresh Thyme
  • 1 tsp. Each Sea Salt and Pepper
  • 2/3 Cup Breadcrumbs (fresh or panko, preferably)
  • Lemon Pesto Sauce:
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 1/4 Cup Pinenuts
  • Zest and Juice of one Meyer Lemon
  • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 1 Cup Packed Basil Leaves
  • 1/4 - 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan
  • 2 Tbsp. Water to thin

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulverize the lentils into mush. Put them in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the beaten eggs, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, fennel seed, parlsey, thyme, salt and pepper and stir to mix well. Stir in the breadcrumbs and let the mix sit for 20 minutes.
  3. For the pesto sauce, put the garlic, nuts, lemon zest and juice and salt in a food processor or blender and run until smooth. Add in the basil leaves and olive oil until you get a smooth, sauce-like consistency. Add water, oil or lemon juice to thin as desired. Stir in the parmesan and set aside. The sauce will keep covered in the fridge for about a week.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400'. Check the lentil mix by rolling a 1'' round ball between your palms, it should hold together fairly well. If it seems pretty wet and it falling apart, stir in another Tbsp. or two of breadcrumbs until the ball with stay together.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the mix into balls and line them up on a baking sheet (they don't need lots of space between, they won't spread). If you like a bit more of a crust, brush them with olive oil.
  6. Bake on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown, gently turning the balls over halfway through baking. Remove to cool slightly.

Notes

Serve with your favorite noodles, on a bed of sauteed greens, or simply on their own with a nice drizzle of the pesto sauce.

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Lentil Meatballs Audrey's

photo by Giulia Doyle

Audrey's Be My Guest

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Be My Guest with Cannelle et Vanille – Vanilla Bean and Cardamom Yogurt Pops /2013/07/22/be-my-guest-with-canelle-et-vanille-and-her-vanilla-and-cardamom-yogurt-pops-with-summer-berry-consomme/ Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:49:37 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=844 Yogurt Pops - Be my Guest- Audrey's

photo on left: Aran Goyoaga, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

I am super excited to share my next installment of Be my Guest. Today the lovely Aran, from Cannelle et Vanille is visiting the blog. Aran is not only a super talented food photographer and chef, she is also the author of the successful gluten-free cookbook Small Plates and Sweet Treats. She teaches photography and food styling at different workshops in the US, Canada and Europe, which she documents on her amazing blog. I met Aran last summer and she is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met – so talented and so happy to teach and share. I am so pleased she agreed to share her Yogurt Pops recipe, which you can also find on page 270 of her book.

Yogurt Pops - Be my Guest- Audrey's

photo on left: Aran Goyoaga, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

Aran’s style of photography is mostly light, bright and airy, with playful sprigs of ingredients, amazing light and floral patterns. Although I try to go into these posts with as little comparison as possible, I knew her photos would be reflective of her signature style and I also knew that an icy cold treat like this would have me hard pressed not to shoot my own photos in a light and airy fashion.

Aran chose this recipe because it’s July and we all could use a little icy treat. She also likes to make these yogurt pops with her kids, as they are relatively easy to assemble. Every recipe that Aran shares has an elegant twist, something that elevates it from the ordinary to something special and unusual. This recipe calls for Cardamom. Cardamom was available in two varieties at my regular grocery store. Don’t omit it – it takes these yogurt pops to the next level – the added smokiness is amazing – it adds depth and a bit of a surprise to the cool treat.

Yogurt Pops - Be my Guest- Audrey's

photo on left: Aran Goyoaga, photo on right: Giulia Doyle

I followed Aran’s recipe and added a couple of stray blackberries I had lying around. I also made mine in basic Popsicle molds because I don’t own shot glasses. I had enough of the berry puree left over at the end, so I decided not to make the berry consommé the recipe calls for. You can see it in the last image that Aran provided – the clear jewel tone is amazing!

This recipe was perfect – a fun cooking activity with the kids that resulted in a great summer treat. Thank you Aran for joining me today!

Vanilla Bean and Cardamom Yogurt Pops - from Small Plates and Sweet Treats Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scrapped
  • 4 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 cup whole-milk Greek-style yogurt

Instructions

  1. Place six shot glasses in the freezer to chill. In a small saucepan, toss together the strawberries, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the lemon juice. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the strawberries start to release their juices. Bring the saucepan to the stove and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender and strain it into a clean bowl. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  2. Pour small amounts of the chilled strawberry puree along the insides of the frozen shot glasses. Return to freezer.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and cardamom pods. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup steep for 15 minutes. Strain the syrup and discard the cardamom and vanilla bean.
  4. Whisk the yogurt into the syrup and refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes. When chilled, carefully pour the yogurt mixture into the frozen shot glasses. Return the shot glasses to the freezer for 15 minutes, then insert Popsicle sticks and freeze until solid.

Notes

I used strawberries, raspberries and blackberries for my berry puree. I also used popsicle molds instead of shot glasses, but followed the same directions.

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Yogurt Pops - Be my Guest- Audrey's

photo: Giulia Doyle

Audrey's Be My Guest

 

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Be My Guest with FoodieCrush – Michelada /2013/06/10/be-my-guest-with-foodiecrush-bloody-beer/ Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:00:59 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=1048 Audrey's Be My Guest Michelada

photo on left: Giulia Doyle, photo on right: Heidi Larsen

I am excited to share my second installment of Be My Guest . Today’s guest is Heidi from FoodieCrush. Heidi is incredibly talented – she doesn’t only keep up with an enormous amount of food posts each week, she also publishes FoodieCrush magazine, where she shares her love for food bloggers, their photos and their recipes. What I admire about Heidi is her talent and dedication to scour the web to find and highlight food bloggers all over the world. She does this every week and I’m not sure how she does all of that work and manages to cook and photograph all of her own food as well. Her own work is always bright, clean and cheerful – she makes the food her star – and if you like cheese, you should visit her blog regularly!

Audrey's Be My Guest Michelada

photo on left: Giulia Doyle, photo on right: Heidi Larsen

This week we’re venturing into beverage territory and Heidi suggested making this Bloody Beer, otherwise known as Michelada. Here’s her story:

One of my favorite times to enjoy a Bloody Beer is for brunch on a hot, sunny morning while house boating on the amazing Lake Powell.

Lake Powell is a cult favorite among Utahns. It’s like nature’s Disneyland and is a must do if you’re a water enthusiast, fisherman or simply crave water adventure. Straddling the borders of Utah and Arizona, Lake Powell has more coastline than the entire west coast, thanks to its meandering canyons and tributaries alongside the most amazing natural rock formations like Rainbow Bridge.

With temperatures that rise into the 100’s during the height of summer, ice-filled coolers loaded with beer are an essential ingredient for a successful trip. Nothing tastes better than a cold beer on the water to wet the whistle.

My friend Krista introduced me to the concept of a bloody beer after a few days of house boating in Lake Powell. While our lakeside versions were simply tomato juice and beer, the addition of the makings for a bloody mary makes for a tasty adaptation for breakfast or pre-lunch sipping for any summertime lazy day.

Audrey's Be My Guest Michelada

photo on left: Giulia Doyle, photo on right: Heidi Larsen

I find photographing drinks incredibly hard – I’m never quite sure what angle is best, how to treat the background, how far away to move…so this was the perfect challenge. This drink made me think of outdoors and summer, so I set up on the deck. We’ve had challenging weather lately, it was raining minutes before I took the photos. A little hard to get into the Michelada spirit, especially when referring to Heidi’s story above. But I think it all turned out OK. Did I like the drink? I thought it was quite pleasant. I really like tomato juice, but I’m not sure if I prefer a Bloody Mary, or if the proportions are a little too acidic for me. I think next time I’ll add more tomato, or switch to a V8 for less acidity. My husband liked it a lot though, but he made sure to add a little more spice. Both Heidi and I adapted the original recipe from Food52 and you can see our adaptations in the recipe below. Thank you Heidi for joining me today!

Be My Guest with FoodieCrush – Michelada - Adapted from Food 52

Yield: Serves 2 pint sizes

Ingredients

  • lime wedges, for garnish
  • celery salt and kosher salt, to rim glasses (I used paprika and kosher salt)
  • 2 6oz cans tomato juice chilled (I used 1 can, but would increase to 2 next time)
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt (I used paprika)
  • a few dashes of Chohula or Tabasco hot sauce (I used Louisiana hot sauce)
  • 2 12-ounce bottles or cans of cold Mexican beer

Instructions

  1. Prepare the glasses: rub the rims of two tall glasses with the lime wedges then coat the rims with either celery salt mixture or paprika mixture.
  2. Combine the tomato juice, lime juice, celery salt (or paprika), hot sauce of choice and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  3. Divide the tomato juice mixture between the two glasses and add one beer to each glass then garnish with a lime wedge or two.

Notes

I opted for Paprika in the recipe to add a bit of smokiness. Both of us opted not to serve this with ice.

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Audrey's Be My Guest

Audrey's Be My Guest Michelada

photo: Giulia Doyle

 

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Be my Guest with House of Brinson – Shrimp and Grits /2013/04/29/be-my-guest-with-house-of-brinson-shrimp-and-grits/ Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:27:58 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=753 Shrimp and Grits - Audrey''s and House of Brinson

Photo on left: Giulia Doyle, Photo on right: William Brinson

I’m super giddy to share this post with you today! It’s a new regular feature, and I am ecstatic that House of Brinson joined me to kick-off this series. In this new feature, called ‘Be my Guest’ I invite photographers and food bloggers to join me on the blog. Every six weeks the ‘guest’ will choose the recipe and both of us will cook and photograph it. Both of us will probably have a slightly different take on the food and our images will be different. I’m running this series to challenge me to try new recipes and to improve my photography and styling skills.

I was so pleased when Susan and William agreed to join me. I admire their work immensely, and once they agreed I started to freak out. William and Susan are pros, this is what they do for a living. William has had his photographs featured in national magazines – what the heck was I thinking? But I did it! I decided to plow on through – I wrote down the type of image I was going for, the props I was going to use and then I made sure to photograph it before I got William’s photo – I didn’t want to be influenced by their take on things.

Shrimp and Grits - Audrey's and House of Brinson

Photo on left: Giulia Doyle, Photo on right: William Brinson

Susan and William chose a great Shrimp and Grits recipe – something William says he often ate in his Southern home. I had never made it, so I was excited to try something different. It’s a great recipe. It’s flavourful, pretty simple to make and very filling. You can see adjustments we both made on it in the notes section below.

This collaboration has been a great experience and I already learned some key things from William critiquing my photo. It’s taking me outside of my comfort zone and pushing me to new levels – there’s always so much to learn. I hope you enjoy this regular feature. My next guest is all lined-up to cook with me in a couple of weeks!

* This feature is inspired by Liz and Jewels. Original Recipe: Tyler Florence for the FoodNetwork

Shrimp and Grits with House of Brinson - adapted from Tyler Florence for the FoodNetwork

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4-8 servings

Ingredients

  • Grits:
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Shrimp:
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pound spicy sausage, cut in chunks
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 green onion, white and green part, chopped

Instructions

  1. To make the grits, place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal.
  2. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and butter, season with salt and pepper.
  3. To make the shrimp, place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes to soften. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Toss in the bay leaf. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp. Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick.
  4. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

Notes

Both Susan and I added one cup of additional liquid to the grits, since it seized up rapidly. Susan replaced the heavy cream with coconut milk.

I had to replace the white cornmeal with yellow cornmeal and I added mild sausage instead of the spicy sausage.

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Audrey's Shrimp and Grits

 

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