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.
I think all of the food we made for Clara’s party was well received, but the whoopie pies were the clear favorite. They were popular with everyone, and I got so many “Is this recipe on your blog?” questions that I knew I had to post the recipe right away.
Most people think of whoopie pies as a dessert, but I knew I wanted to make savory ones for Clara’s party. Since Frito Pie was the main dish, I wanted something cornbread-esque to have as a side. I’m not at all surprised at how quickly these whoopies disappeared. I mean, let’s be real here. It’s goat cheese, bacon and chives sandwiched between two slightly spicy cornbread cakes. There’s pretty much no way you can go wrong with that combination.
Jalapeño Cornbread Whoopie Pies with Goat Cheese and Bacon Filling
If you want to make them ahead of time, the cakes can be baked and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature for at least 2 hours before filling. The filling can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour before using. Ingredients For the cakes:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
For the filling:
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives Directions Heat oven to 375º and place rack in center. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a nonstick baking mat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the buttermilk, butter and egg in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until just combined, then increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, or until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and peppers and beat until just combined.
Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cakes begin to brown around the edges, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are baking, make the filling. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese and milk. Beat on low speed until just combined, then increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Reduce speed to low and add the bacon and chives and beat until just combined.
To assemble the whoopie pies, scoop about a tablespoon (we used the same scoop we used to make the cakes) onto half the cakes. Place the remaining cakes onto the filled cakes and press to sandwich them together. Source Adapted from Whoopie Piesby
Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/03/jalapeno-cornbread-whoopie-pies-with-goat-cheese-and-bacon-filling/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
I don’t know how it’s possible, but our little girl turned one last week. I still remember announcing her birth to all of you. Our first year with Clara was magical and filled with moments I will treasure forever. In other ways, though, the year was very long and very difficult. Through it all, Clara has been the light in the dark places. She is our world, and we were elated to celebrate her big day in a big way.
I struggled with deciding on a theme for her party, and I bounced several ideas off some of my best friends. When the pie theme popped into my head, I knew I had to run with it. It seemed fitting for Clara, who we frequently refer to as “Cutie Pie.” The color scheme was easy. I had seen a coral and mint wedding on Pinterest, and I knew those colors were perfect for the vintage-y pie theme. Back in early January, I had no idea those two colors would be everywhere a couple months later. I kind of want to use them all over the house now.
The dishes we used were a mixture of vintage Pyrex and a few new dishes to match the color scheme. I’m so happy with how they came together!
For the food, I wanted a menu that could be made largely in advance. I’m not sure it could have been done any other way, especially considering the exorbitant amount of pie dough I made leading up to the party. We broke it up, making party food each night after dinner, but still ended up doing quite a bit the night before (after my momentary “do we have enough food” freakout). This was the biggest party we’ve ever hosted (we had over 40 people at our house!) but thankfully had plenty of food to go around.
These hand pies were super popular with kids and adults. They’re like Hot Pockets but way, way better.
Our menu for the party included:
Frito Pie
Jalapeño Goat Cheese Whoopie Pies
Pizza Dip and tortilla chips
Ham and Cheese Hand Pies
Key Lime Pie Dip with fruit and graham crackers
Mini Chocolate Pies
Mini Peanut Butter Pies
Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes and Smash Cake
Beer, white wine sangria, and Trader Joe’s French Berry Lemonade soda
Nutella Pie Pops (favors)
I love mason jars as drinking glasses, and I used jute twine and craft paper tags to make these party-worthy. The mint paper straws tied the jars into the party colors.
Eric and I painted these frames (from Michael’s) and used them to display Clara’s monthly pictures. Since our bar was being used for drinks, we lined the frames up on our desk. We also put Clara’s baby book out so that people could flip through it if they wanted.
I absolutely love the idea of edible favors, and these Nutella Pie Pops were a huge hit. I made the paper hearts using my Silhouette and tied them on using baker’s twine. The paper was leftover from making the cupcake stand. The pail was a clearance find at Target after Valentine’s Day. I know it’s not coral, but it was too cute to pass up.These stamped forks were one of my favorite DIY touches. I found the stamp and ink at Michael’s. It’s hard to capture on camera, but these looked seriously cute in person. This was definitely the easiest DIY of all the party projects.
I made the invitations and food labels myself in Photoshop and had them printed locally. I was really proud of how they came out.Sadly, I didn’t get a great picture of Clara’s cake (this is a phone picture with an Instagram filter). I made it to look like a pie, and I was mostly happy with how it came out. This cake was my inspiration. I used Wilton Buttercup Yellow gel coloring to achieve the pie dough color I wanted for the fondant. Once Clara smashed the cake, we peeled back the fondant so she could dig right into the cake and frosting.
Clara looked adorable the entire time, and I’m beyond thrilled with how her dress came out. I’m so glad I decided to make it for her. The felt bow headband was also made by me.
Though the day started on the rough side since Clara didn’t nap at all before the party, things went surprisingly well (thanks to a few extra helping hands). Clara ate her cake like a champ (no surprise there), and we had a fabulous time. Our time spent with Clara has been the most wonderful time, and we’re excited to watch her grow and change over the next year.
Many of the recipes from the party will be posted in the coming weeks. If you want to see my inspiration for the party, you can check out the pinboard I created for Clara’s party.
Vendors:
Paper straws and twine for favors- TalkingTwineandTrim on Etsy
Paper food trays – ThePinkPicker on Etsy
Baking cups – CakeWithLove on Etsy
Invitations and food tents/labels – Designed by me and printed locally at Print1
Felt balls for garland – AnnyMay and Handbehg Felts on Etsy
Coral cake stand and bowl – Threshold line at Target
Felt ball and tissue paper garlands – Made by me
Clara’s dress and bow – Made by me, fabric is Verona Rouge Stripe by Riley Blake
I hate this time of year. The weather goes back and forth between winter and spring. It’s such a tease to get a taste of warmer weather only to have slushy snow the next day. I’m ready for longer days, farmers markets and sunshine. I look forward to winter every year, something about snow and scarves and cold nights by the fire is romantic, but I’m kind of over it four months later. Sadly, the last days of winter seem to be keeping spring at bay just a little longer. The one thing that’s made this season easier for me is soup. It’s my ultimate cold (rainy, slushy, snowy) weather comfort food, so I’m taking this opportunity to share a new favorite with you before it warms up for good (or, you know, until fall gets here again).
Lasagna is not something I ever thought about in soup form, but now that I’ve tried it I can’t help but wonder why. This soup has all the components of lasagna – pasta, Italian sausage, fire roasted tomatoes and lots of cheese – without any of the work. The soup would be delicious on its own and sort of reminded me of this soup, but the cheese mixture makes this soup truly crave-worthy. It’s hearty, comforting and easy to make, and I imagine we’ll be having it again before the cold weather disappears.
This hearty soup has all the components of lasagna - pasta, Italian sausage and plenty of cheese - without any of the work. Ingredients For the soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1½ pounds Italian sausage, casings removed
2 medium onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
8 ounces fusili, mafalda gemelli or other curly pasta
⅓ cup finely chopped basil
For topping:
8 ounces ricotta (Part-skim is fine.)
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (Part-skim is fine.)
Freshly ground black pepper Directions Heat the oil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break it up, and cook until browned. Add the onions and continue cooking until softened, 6-7 minutes. Add in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, chicken broth and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. While the pasta is cooking, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed, then remove from heat and stir in the basil. To serve the soup, ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with a (heaping) spoonful of the cheese mixture. Alternately, you can add the cheese mixture to the bowl first and ladle the soup on top. Source 2.2 http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2013/02/lasagna-soup/ Cook Like a Champion | All images and content are copyright protected.
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