I spent a lot of time thinking about foods to serve at Clara’s party, more than I should probably admit. I went through several drafts of the menu and found myself going back over it even after I swore I was done. I finally had it just the way I wanted when it hit me – what if the kids at the party don’t like any of these foods? Granted, Clara’s party was mostly adults, but I didn’t want to leave our younger guests without any snacks. I had considered hand pies in one of my earlier menu drafts but never decided on a filling and ended up scrapping the idea. As soon as I thought about them being a kid-friendly food, I knew it had to be ham and cheese. After all, that’s a classic combination that most little ones seem to enjoy. The hand pies would be small enough for little hands, and I knew they were the perfect last-minute addition to the menu.
These hand pies are basically homemade Hot Pockets, and they were devoured at the party. Our guests loved these. I mean, really loved them, which makes it kind of weird for me to say these hand pies were literally homemade pie dough, ham and cheese. That’s it! Oh, and a little sprinkling of sea salt just before baking. Making them was super easy since we cooked and froze them ahead of time. We only had to reheat them the day of the party. Score!
These hand pies freeze and reheat wonderfully. If you want to freeze them, bake as directed. Once cool, place the baking sheet of hand pies in the freezer and freeze for about an hour. Pack into storage bags or another airtight container and freeze until needed (probably up to a month). To reheat, place frozen hand pies on a baking sheet and cook in a 375º oven until heated through (12-15 minutes). Ingredients ½ cup cubed ham
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, whisked together with 1 teaspoon water
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions Heat oven to 450º and line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough ¼-inch thick. Using a round cutter (mine was just under 4 inches), cut as many rounds as you can. Re-roll the dough and repeat. Top each circle with 1½ teaspoons of ham and about 2 teaspoons of cheese.
Brush the edges of each round with the egg wash, fold in half and press to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges. Place on prepared baking sheet. Brush each pie with the egg wash and sprinkle the sea salt over the tops. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Serve immediately or enjoy at room temperature. Source 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/04/ham-and-cheese-hand-pies/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
 Today I’m introducing a new series on my blog: Kitchen Fundamentals. I’ve had so many friends (and readers) tell me recently that they wish they could cook or are too scared to try difficult recipes from scratch. What they don’t understand is that I used to be that person. In college, my go-to cake recipe was a box of Funfetti. Seriously. This series will include recipes that I think every home cook, whether beginner or seasoned, should have in their repertoire. If you have any suggestions on recipes you’d like to see in the future, please let me know!
Pie dough is one of those things that tends to intimidate people, but I’m here to tell you it’s not as complicated as it seems. I think everyone should have a go-to pie dough recipe, and this one has certainly become mine (since I made a ton of it for Clara’s first birthday party). Let me start by saying this is not an all butter pie dough (blasphemy!), but I have my reasons for choosing this recipe after trying many others. During Big Summer Potluck last year, Pam Anderson talked about testing recipes for America’s Test Kitchen. I already knew they put each recipe through rigorous testing, but hearing her explain how methodical and detailed these tests were gave me even more faith in ATK. So if they say the combination of butter and shortening will yield the best pie dough, I’m going to believe them. The other reason I chose this recipe is that I knew from prior experience that doughs made with shortening handle much more easily than all butter doughs, and I needed something easy to work with since I was making several recipes with this dough.
This pie dough is perfect in every way. The butter gives the crust that rich flavor that shortening alone can’t achieve, and the shortening makes the crust extremely tender and flaky. You get the ease and texture of a shortening dough with all the flavors of a butter one, which is pretty much the best thing ever. You can make dough several different ways – in the food processor like I did, in a stand mixer or even by hand – and they’ll all yield similar results. Give it a try! I promise you that once you’ve made and tasted homemade pie crust, you’ll never want to use store-bought again.
I’ve included a step-by-step photo of the dough as it changes with each step so that you can have a visual of what to expect the dough to look like as you proceed with the recipe.
PS – Have you entered my Theo Chocolate giveaway? Details are on this post, and the giveaway is open until Friday.
Classic Double Crust Pie Dough
This pie dough can be made up to one month in advance and will keep, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for 1 month in the freezer and 2 days in the refrigerator. Allow to thaw completely before rolling out. Ingredients 2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
12 tablespoons butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
6-8 tablespoons ice water Directions Pulse the flour, sugar and salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Scatter shortening over the top and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter over the top and continue pulsing about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 6 tablespoons of water and pulse just until the dough comes together, adding additional water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. (If you're worried about the food processor overworking your dough, you can always do this step by hand, using your hands or a rubber spatula to press the dough together. My food processor is very efficient and only takes a few pulses to bring the dough together.)
Weigh the dough, if desired, then divide into two equal pieces. Pat each piece into a disk about 4 inches across and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before rolling dough, allow it to sit out for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly.
Roll the dough, on a lightly floured work surface, into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fold the dough over the rolling pin and gently unroll it into a 9-inch pie plate, allowing the excess to hang over the edge. Press the dough into place.
Trim all but about ½-inch of dough from the edge of the pie plate. Tuck overhang under itself and crimp the dough with your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes before baking.
Proceed with baking as directed in your recipe. Source 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/04/kitchen-fundamentals-classic-double-crust-pie-dough/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
Clara still doesn’t really understand holidays, but that hasn’t stopped us from celebrating them with her. The truth is – Eric and I love doing special little things for Clara, holiday or not. There’s such a fine balance, it seems, between celebrating a holiday and going completely over the top. What works for one family obviously isn’t the same as what works for another, but Eric and I like to keep things simple and fun. Clara’s getting a few new books, an adorable cloth diaper and some fruit and veggie pouches and snacks in her basket this year. If there’s any way we do go overboard, though, it would probably be food. Even though it’s just the three of us celebrating, there’s no reason we can’t have a nicer-than-usual meal. I hope Clara will remember us cooking and eating together when she grows up. After all, she won’t be getting Easter baskets forever, but we can make sure she has wonderful holiday memories even after she’s outgrown the Easter Bunny stage.
This cake is for the serious chocolate lover. I’m usually all for lighter Easter desserts (like this lemon loaf cake), but this intensely chocolaty cake cannot be beat. The cake is an ultra rich chocolate cake filled and frosted with whipped chocolate ganache and then completely covered with more chocolate ganache. Oh, then the whole thing is topped with homemade chocolate truffle eggs. The cake may seem labor intensive, but you can break it up into steps over a couple days to make it more manageable. I promise you, the end result is well worth it. Seriously, people, you need to make this cake this weekend. You absolutely will not regret it.
Even though I’m sure some of you will have more chocolate than you know what to do with after Sunday, I thought I’d give you the chance to get even more. :) Theo Chocolate is one of my favorite companies. They’re all about organic, Fair Trade, non-GMO chocolate. Additionally, they’ve got a special line of Congolese chocolate that helps out the Eastern Congo Initiative. Basically, I love their chocolate and everything they stand for, and they’ve agreed to send a sampler pack to one of you lucky readers! Just head on over to the giveaway page to enter.
Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting and Chocolate Truffle Easter Eggs
Ingredients For the chocolate eggs:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
Food coloring and luster dust (optional)
For the cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
½ cup cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
¾ cup water
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
For the glaze:
¾ cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons corn syrup Directions To make the eggs, combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a small bowl set over a small pot of simmering water. Using a rubber spatula, stir until smooth and melted. Whisk in the butter until melted and combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm but pliable, about 2 hours.
Using a small scoop or tablespoon, scoop out balls of dough. Mold them into egg shapes, refrigerating as needed if the chocolate gets too warm. Once the shapes are formed, place them on a parchment lined plate and freeze for 1 hour.
When you are ready to dip the truffles, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl. If desired, tint with food coloring. Use a fork to dip each truffle center in the white chocolate and gently shake to remove excess. Return to the parchment lined plate and refrigerate until ready to serve. To apply luster dust, use a clean paint brush to gently brush it on.
To make the cakes, heat oven to 350º. Butter the bottom and sides of 2 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment, and then butter the parchment. Dust the pans with cocoa powder and tap out the excess.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the cocoa powder, espresso powder and water until dissolved. Add the sugar and continue whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Combine the chocolate and cream in a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Using a rubber spatula, stir until smooth and melted. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has stiffened to the texture of cream cheese. Using an electric mixer, whisk the ganache until smooth, fluffy and sightly lightened in color.
Level each cake if needed. Place one cake, cut side up, on a wire cooling rack and spread ½ cup of frosting over it. Top with the second cake, cut side down, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
While the cake is chilling, make the ganache glaze. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering. Place the chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl and pour the cream over the top. Allow to sit for a minute, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Place the chilled cake on a wire rack over a piece of parchment, then pour the glaze over the top. Use an offset spatula to cover any bare spots. Refrigerate the cake until set, about 15 minutes. (Don't make the mistake I did and decide to smooth the ganache as it was starting to set up. Oops.)
Top cake with truffle eggs and serve immediately. Source 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/03/chocolate-cake-with-ganache-frosting-chocolate-truffle-easter-eggs/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
When I was planning the menu for Clara’s first birthday party, I had my heart set on serving mini chicken pot pies as the main course. They were the main dish at my baby shower, and I thought it would be fun to incorporate a savory pie into the menu. However, once I really started thinking about it, I realized I would have to buy over 50 of the ramekins to bake the pies in and then I’d have no use for them after the party. When my friend Annie suggested Frito Pie, I knew she was onto something. It would be much easier to make and serve, something that is definitely a plus when it comes to party food.
When I mentioned making Frito Pie for the party, I got a glazed over look from so many people. I thought it was a common food all over the country, but apparently I was wrong. For those of you not in the know, it’s basically chili served over Fritos. I thought it was a fun play on the pie theme, and it was a big hit with everyone that tried it. I kept it simple with toppings, serving it with cheese, sour cream and green onions. If you want to go all out, add sliced (fresh or pickled) jalapeños, red onions and cilantro. We scaled back the heat some since we wanted the kiddos to enjoy this too, but I’ve included the original amount below. Like all of the party food, this dish was well received (especially with the cornbread whoopie pies) and will definitely be making an appearance on our menu again soon.
This recipe is easily doubled to serve a crowd. It can also be made ahead of time and reheated when needed, which makes it perfect for a party. Feel free to adjust the amounts of cayenne and chili powder to increase or decrease the level of spiciness. Ingredients 2 ½ pounds ground beef
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1¼ tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1½ cups water or beef broth
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 10.5-ounce bag Fritos-brand corn chips
Freshly shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, minced red onion, sliced green onions and finely chopped cilantro, for serving Directions Add the beef to a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, working in batches if needed. Cook, stirring until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and return the pot to the stove.
Heat the oil, then add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is browned and starting to caramelize, 12-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and slightly softened. Add salt, cumin, chili powder, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and bay leaves. Stir until the mixture is fragrant and smooth, about 1 minute.
Add reserved beef, water or beef broth and tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili has thickened to your liking. Add additional water or beef broth as needed to thin the chili to your desired consistency.
To serve, place chips in serving bowls and ladle chili over the top. Sprinkle on the cheese and top with other garnishes, if desired. Source 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/03/frito-pie/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
I’m so ready for spring weather that it’s not even funny. I put my boots in the back of the closet and have been wearing flats out of sheer stubbornness because I’m so over cold weather. This is problematic on days like today when I woke up to snow. We’re more than halfway through March! It’s officially spring, but apparently someone missed the memo. I love the longer days and warmer temperatures that spring brings, and I also love the return of the farmers market and spring foods. We haven’t quite made it there yet, but I’m not making any more cold weather food. From here on out, it’s all spring foods no matter what the temperature is like outside.
This snack cake is perfect for this time of year, especially with Easter coming up. It’s light, sweet and can be served for breakfast, brunch or dessert. Personally, I love the idea of cake for breakfast. Plus, this has blueberries and fruit automatically makes it okay for breakfast, right? Right. This cake is slightly sweet and gets a wonderful texture from the cornmeal. It’s a little delicate and feels like it would be best served with tea or coffee, in the morning or afternoon, on weekends or weeknights. Basically this cake is good whenever, wherever and with whatever. The only minor change I would make is to reduce the amount of streusel topping slightly, but that’s just for my personal tastes. If you love streusel, by all means use the full amount listed. Also, I found that I needed to bake the cake a while longer than the recipe called for, and one of my friends that made it before me (thanks for getting me hooked on this, Rebecca!) had the same issue, so I’m including a range of time in the directions. I will most definitely be making this again soon, and I’ll go ahead and warn you now that it can be highly addictive. If I hadn’t given half of it to our neighbors, I probably would have devoured the entire thing.
Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake
This cake is studded with blueberries and topped with a sweet, crumbly streusel topping. Enjoy it for breakfast or dessert. Ingredients For the cake:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup all-purprose flour, plus more for pan
½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
⅓ cup sour cream
2 cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
For the streusel:
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of table salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces Directions Heat oven to 350º. Line an 8-inch square cake pan with a piece of parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides of the pan. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of the pan, or lightly coat them with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat until combined. Add a third of the flour mixture, all of the sour cream and then another third of the flour, beating until just combined. Toss the blueberries with the remaining flour (this will prevent the blueberries from sinking). Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the blueberry-flour mixture into the cake batter.
Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Whisk together the sugar, flour, cornmeal and cinnamon in the medium bowl from earlier, then use a fork or your fingertips to work in the butter pieces. Scatter the streusel over the cake batter.
Bake the cake until the top is golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-55 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then use the parchment handles to lift it out of the pan and onto a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting (if you can wait that long!). Source 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/03/blueberry-cornmeal-butter-cake/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
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