tiraMOsu

I used to HATE tiramisu. I don't know why, something about soggy espresso soaked cake with cream that just didn't do it for me. When I moved to Rome,  I went from hate to love in 0 to 60 seconds.

I was out to dinner with a group of girls from my study abroad program. Everyone wanted to get some dessert at the end of our meal so they ordered a tiramisu for the table. Because I can't resist a little something sweet after dinner I decided to have a bite despite the fact that I didn't like it. What can I say, I ended up LOVING it. I don't know if I was just embracing all things Italy or if my palate changed but tiramisu tasted like heaven!

From then on, at every restaurant I went to in Italy, and I mean every restaurant, I ordered a tiramisu. It became something of a ritual for me and my roomie Ashley. Any time we went to dinner we'd order a tiramisu to share. Every time it came to the table we were shocked and surprised because no two tiramisu's were alike. We had it in pudding form, in thick almost frozen form, schlop it out of your mama's caserole dish form... you get the idea.

About halfway through our time in Italy a group of classmates and I took a cooking class. For dessert, the man taught us how to make, yep, tiramisu! I learned some key tricks in making the perfect tiramisu and I have to admit, it was VERY tasty. 

Over the years I have tweaked the recipe until I came up with MY perfect tiramisu. It's inspired by all the variations I had while eating in Italy. I took my favorite parts and replicated them. Heavy on the cream, a hint of booze, lots of chocolate and perfectly tender but not soggy lady fingers. I hope you enjoy my tiraMOsu!

tiraMosu

ingredients:

3 T. instant espresso powder

1 ½ c. water

4 T. dark rum

2 - 8 oz containers of mascarpone @ room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

1 c. heavy whipping cream

8 egg yolks*

½ c. granulated sugar

1 T. dark rum

4 T. dark chocolate powder

6 oz dark chocolate

2 boxes (~60) dry biscuit lady fingers**

yields ~9 servings

Boil water and place in a shallow bowl. Add espresso powder and stir to dissolve. Add 4 T. of dark rum (or booze of your choice - see improv options below). Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, beat egg yolks with sugar on high until it becomes light and forms ribbons. Add 1 T. dark rum (or booze) and softened mascarpone and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. In a separate bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to turn it to butter though! A trick for whipping cream faster is to place your bowl and beaters in the freezer before whipping. Gently fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the mascarpone mixture. Then add remaining whipping cream mixture, stir just until incorporated.

You're all set to assemble! I use a 9x9 glass container to put my ingredients into. Start by quickly dipping 1 ladyfinger in the espresso mixture. This is the key to the perfect tiramisu... make sure you don't dip the cookies for too long, they'll get soggy. Literally drop the cookie in, flip it real quick and pull it out. Place them in a single layer in the baking dish. Place layer of cream mixture on top and evenly spread. Lightly dust cream with dark chocolate powder and shave some dark chocolate on the layer. Add another layer of dipped ladyfingers and then another layer of cream, chocolate powder and chocolate shavings. 

Here's where I shock you... this is best if you make it 4 - 5 days in advance. I know, it sounds gross but all the flavors blend together and the texture becomes incredibly rich and thick and decadent. If you can't wait, by all means dive in. But patience is a virtue with this dish and I would make it a few days in advance if you can. 

* note i don't cook my zabaione (the cream, egg, marscapone mixture). you should use the freshest eggs possible to avoid getting sick.

** make sure you get the hard cookies, not the soft ladyfingers found in the freezer or refrigerator sections. They should have the sugar crust on one side and snap when broken in half. 

improv style:

i like my tiramisu heavy on the cream, if you like more of a balance or more cake, halve the cream mixture. if you don't have dark rum, you can substitute it for a brandy, cognac, marsala, kahlua or coffee/chocolate liquor. you can also leave the alcohol out if you're serving it to kids or don't like booze. if you like your tiramisu to be on the wet side, you can pour some of the espresso mixture over the lady fingers so that they get a little soggy. experiment with different techniques and flavor combinations until you make your perfect tiraMEsu!

BACONFEST!!

This weekend I officially had my mind blown by Chicago. They have a festival called Baconfest, yes, BACONFEST! How could I not love my new city when it has a festival devoted entirely to bacon?! To say I love bacon would be an understatement. And while I try not to eat it too often, Baconfest was definitely a great reason to splurge! 


Funny story about bacon... when I was about 8 years old I ate an entire package of bacon with breakfast. My mom joked with me that I was going to die an early death from clogged arteries. Me being stubborn as I am replied "Fine, I'm never eating bacon again!". And I didn't, for about 8 years. I don't know what I was thinking... bacon is too delicious to not eat and life is too short to live without bacon! 


On to the main event, Baconfest details! TONS of famous chefs and restaurants from around Chicago came to share their hog inspired dishes. The most innovative and my personal favorite from the event was the bacon cannoli. It BLEW my mind! Some other highlights were the crispy polenta cake with cheese fondue and bacon ragu, creole bacon sauce over cheesy grits with jalapeno bacon cornbread, maple bourbon ice cream root beer float with bacon jimmies, and bacon soup. I even got to meet Girl and the Goat's Stephanie Izard, Top Chef Season 4 winner - she ROCKS! Her bacon soup for the event was complex and bursting with flavor! Nom nom nom!

In honor of Baconfest, I thought I'd share one of my favorite but simple bacon dishes, enjoy!


Arugula, Bacon + Date Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

ingredients:
for the dressing:
3 T. olive oil 
1 T. dijon mustard
½ T. aged balsamic vinegar 
½ lemon - about 1 T. juice
1 small clove garlic minced
salt + pepper


for the salad:
3 c. arugula
6 slices of crispy bacon
6 dates diced
¼ c. shaved parmesan


For the dressing mix ingredients together with a whisk until it emulsifies. That's a fancy way to say it becomes thick like a salad dressing. I use a 25 year aged balsamic vinegar because i find the flavor to be less harsh and the thickness adds great texture. If you don't have an aged balsamic you can make a reduction of regular balsamic vinegar to achieve similar flavor/consistency.


Throw your greens, bacon, and dates into a bowl and toss with the dressing. Be careful not to add too much dressing, you can always add more. Toss and top with shaved parmesan. Simple, quick, and so tasty! 


improv style:
if you don't have dates, candied pecans would be great as a substitution or in addition. you can do a reduction of regular balsamic vinegar if you don't have aged balsamic. try it with turkey bacon if you're trying to be healthy or leave it out to make it vegetarian. if you're not a fan of arugula i really encourage you to try it in this dish. I don't usually love it either but there's something about the pepperiness that works really well with the salty bacon and sweet dates. If you still aren't buying it, this salad would be great with mixed greens or an italian blend. 

feeling naked

I have some amazing friends. I know everyone thinks that they have great friends, but I'm pretty sure mine are better! 


I've been so busy with getting settled in this new city, with the new job, cooking, and trying to explore the city that I've been VERY good at procrastinating the design and branding of my site. My blog, to say the least has been incredibly naked. 


I wrote one of my amazingly talented friends from AD school telling her that when I finally got around to designing my blog's logo that I would be channeling her. She always had killer designs and ideas (I was always a little jealous of her talent). Seriously, check out her work, she's incredible! 


Well, I sent that email and a month came and went. Guess what I never got around to doing... Friday morning I opened my email and there it was with the subject line: "SURPRISE!". My amazingly talented friend decided to mock up an AWESOME logo idea. 

THANK YOU NICOLE, you made my day! Now I have to actually get down and dirty and lay this site out properly! Maybe I can get to that this weekend? Hopefully another month doesn't come and go before that happens! 


I am so overwhelmed by the love my friends and family have been sending my way. I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the stories and recipes I share here! Now if I can only get you all to post comments on my blog instead of my facebook posts about my blog, haha!


Have a great week everyone! 

boozy brunch

I LOVE brunch. It's my favorite meal of the week! One day I dream of owning a brunch restaurant. I often think of all of the awesome things that would be on my menu. A girl can dream, right?

My favorite brunch beverage is a bellini. There's nothing better than a champagne flute filled with bubbly and a kiss of peach nectar, mmmm. I had my first bellini in Venice at Harry's bar (where bellini's are said to have originated). It was one of Hemingway's favorite places to sit and write - or so I'm told. Regardless, I was introduced to the bellini and I was forever changed.

When I think of a boozy brunch the first two drinks that come to mind are mimosas and bloody marys. I love an excuse to pop open a little bubbly, and brunch is the perfect excuse! Bloody marys on the other hand aren't my favorite. Yes, I said it, I'm not a fan. To me it tastes like cold spiced tomato soup with vodka, yuck! That being said, I know that it's a favorite among many and making a good bloody mary is a desired skill. I was thinking about how to put a fun twist on brunch when suddenly it hit me... jello shots, BLOODY MARY JELLO SHOTS! No? Sound weird? SO!

To me it sounded like fun and I don't even like bloody marys. I decided to take my wacky idea and run with it. I've seen people make jello shots in orange peels so why not make a breakfast version and do bloody mary jello shots in celery sticks?! Maybe I'm crazy but I think it's fun. I know my sorority sisters would love them, too!

I showed up to brunch at my cousins with these little bite sized shots and my whole family thought I was nuts. The only way to describe them is by saying trippy. I love when a dish can take you to a place you've never been before. Sort of like the first time I had jalapeno chocolate ice cream. It was cold and spicy and it totally confused and excited my taste buds. These jello shots are crunchy but jelly and a little spicy and cold... it's a unique experience!

They're very unique and fun. They take a little time to make but they're worth it for the wow factor. Try them and let me know if you think jello shots belong at the brunch table. They're sure to be the center of conversation among your brunchees.

Bloody Mary Jello Shots

Ingredients:

5 celery sticks

1 c. tomato juice

1 packet knox gelatin

¼ t. lemon juice

¼ t. garlic powder

¼ t. onion powder

¼ t. pepper

¼ t. salt

squirt of worcestershire sauce

squirt of tabasco sauce

¾ c. vodka

Mix all ingredients except the vodka, gelatin, and celery stalks in a pot over medium heat. When liquid is warmed, add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Pull mixture off the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Add vodka and then pour into celery stalks.

I put my celery stalks in a casserole dish so that the liquid wouldn't pour out. See the image below for reference. Some of the mixture will spill out but it's ok... you'll have plenty! I let my mixture sit for 3 minutes before I poured it into the celery stalks.

Place in fridge to set for at least 4 hours. Cut into bite sized pieces and enjoy! WARNING: do not attempt to swallow whole! These jello shots are meant to be chewed.

improv style:

you can use clamato juice or veggie juice instead of tomato. you can add your favorite bloody mary spices... jalapeno or pepperoni sticks would be an interesting twist. you can also make these in different vessels other than celery sticks, like inside of a jalapeno, pepperoncini or cherry tomato. you can also make them in regular cups if you don't have the celery sticks or the patience to make them. if you have a favorite spice style for your bloody mary's, use that instead. This is very flexible aside from the gelatin to liquid ratio... keep that the same. ginger would be a great spice to add in the mix.

lunchtime snoozfest

I try to be good and bring my lunch to work every day. Not only does it keep me healthy but it helps me save a TON of money every month. Ironically, I didn't bring my lunch today. The problem with packing a lunch most days is 1. I don't have a lot of time in the morning and 2. sandwiches, while easy, get boring day after day. My new mission is to come up with some tasty and easy lunches for work.

This recipe is my first solve for the boring sandwich blues. I love this pasta salad, it's easy and quick to make. It fits perfectly into a small tupperware container and I can get it ready the night before aka more time for me to sleep in the mornings! This recipe is packed with flavor and the whole grains fill me up!

Lime Cilantro Pasta Salad

ingredients:

for the dressing:

¼ c. red wine vinegar

¼ c. lime juice + zest

2 T. honey

1 small shallot minced

½ c. cilantro leaves packed

1 clove garlic

salt + pepper

for the salad:

1 c. whole wheat orzo pasta

2 chicken breasts (cooked and thinly sliced)

2 c. chicken broth

2 c. water

1 c. cherry tomatoes halved

cilantro leaves for garnish

yields 2 hearty servings

In a food processor, combine all the dressing ingredients and pulse until garlic, shallots, and cilantro leaves are pulverized (basically until you have your dressing at a consistency you like).

Meanwhile, heat chicken stock and water in a saucepan for the orzo. Cook orzo until al dente, drain pasta. Add lime cilantro dressing to the warm pasta. It will absorb more flavor this way. Combine chicken slices, tomatoes and cilantro leaves with the pasta. It's that easy! If you like, you can double the dressing recipe and marinade your chicken in it to add even more flavor.

improv style:

for the dressing you can substitute honey for agave nectar or a pinch of sugar instead. Also, you can make this with basil instead of cilantro and add mini mozzarella balls and tomatoes for an italian spin on the dish (think caprese salad)! the recipe isn't set in stone so substitute the herbs and veggies for ingredients you have on hand. don't have orzo? use a different pasta or even a quinoa or cous cous and make it gluten free! you can add some pine nuts or almonds for a bit of crunch too.

luck o' the italian?

The other night I made a spinach + basil risotto. It was the most gorgeous green color and was really tasty too. In true morgan fashion, I made way too much and had a TON of leftovers. I get that from my mom. My dad always teases her saying "what are you feeding an army?!". So I cooked to feed an army and I wanted to do something different with the leftovers than heating them up in the microwave. That's when it hit me...

I remembered my first day living in Rome. I flew to Italy a week before my study abroad program started and met up with my best friend from high school who happened to be doing a semester there as well. Meg picked me up at the train station in Rome and boy was she surprised to see me with all my luggage in tow. I packed 3 GIANT bags and had a carry on sized suitcase. I don't know what I was thinking because I alone could not carry all these bags. It was quite comical towing 2 bags a few feet, going back, grabbing the other two and so on and so forth. I will never make that mistake again! Thank god Meg was there to help me! Back to the food, there was a point to all this! Before we even got to Meg's apartment, she insisted we stop into this deli and get a little rice ball stuffed with mozzarella. We lugged all my bags into this shop, and got 2 "aranchini", my first taste of italy. It was a tomato based risotto ball stuffed with a mozzarella ball and breaded and deep fried, HELLO! Hot gooey mozzarella, risotto, fried, heaven could not make a more perfect combination!

Remembering that first sweet taste of Italy I decided why not make spinach + basil flavored aranchini? So that's what I did. They were gorgeous and green and perfect as a St. Patty's themed dish. No, the ingredients aren't irish but it's bright green... that counts, right?

Make these aranchini for St. Patricks day this year and you won't even miss the guinness and jameson and cabbage and whatever traditional fare people eat for the Irish holiday. Although, you could definitely serve these with a green beer. In fact, I highly recommend it!

Aranchini

ingredients:

2 c. cooked risotto (see recipe below)

2 eggs

2 T. parmesan cheese

2 c. + 4 T. bread crumbs

5 oz mozzarella diced

4 c. olive oil or vegetable oil

yields 16 - 20 balls

Preheat oven to 225º. In a mixing bowl, combine risotto, eggs, parmesan, and 4 T. bread crumbs. Combine until mixed. On a plate, place remaining 2 c. bread crumbs. I made mine with both panko and regular bread crumbs. Both worked great but I preferred the crunch of the panko. Cut mozzarella slices into small chunks about the size of a quarter. I used the fresh mozzarella mini balls and cut them in half. It was the perfect size! Next take 1 mozzarella chunk and a teaspoon full of the rice mixture and roll together to form a ball. Mine ended up being a little bigger than a golf ball. You need just enough rice to cover your cheese. Then roll in the bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you're out of rice. Place in the fridge and let chill for 20 min.

Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium - medium high heat depending on your stove. You know the oil is hot and ready when you toss in A drop of water and it pops. You can also test with a SMALL pinch of flour, it will do the same thing. Fry up 3 - 4 aranchini at a time. Pull out and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towel. Place in the oven between batches. Once the frying is all done, let last batch heat in the oven for 5 minutes with the rest of the balls. This will let the oil drain and the cheese get extra gooey.

Serve with marinara sauce or ranch. You can serve them with your favorite dipping sauce but I actually prefer them plain.

improv style:

the risotto is where you can get really playful in this dish. instead of spinach + basil, try a more traditional tomato based rice. You can put your favorite flavors into the rice. The second area you can improvise is the breading. If you can't find panko or don't have any on hand use the traditional bread crumb or even the italian flavored kind. Don't have any bread crumbs? Put 2-3 slices of bread in the food processor and make your own! Add some cayenne or other seasonings to give your bread crumbs a kick of flavor! You can make this gluten free by substituting the bread crumbs with rice flour. They're not quite as crispy on the outside but they're still tasty!

Spinach + Basil Risotto

ingredients:

1 clove garlic

1 shallot

1 c. arborio risotto

1 34 oz box of good quality chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics)

3 c. spinach leaves slightly packed (one big bag)

2 c. basil leaves loosely packed

¼ c. white wine (I like Kendall Jackson Chardonnay)

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

½ c. parmesan cheese

yields 4 hearty servings

In a food processor, combine the basil and spinach leaves. I pulsed mine until it was very fine but if you like a bit of texture, you can play with the coarseness.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken stock to a mild simmer. Dice shallot and place in a deep medium sized skillet or sauce pan and saute with olive oil for 2 minutes. Peel garlic and give it a whack and place smashed clove (do not chop) in pan with shallots. Add arborio rice and brown for 1-2 minutes. This gives the rice a great flavor and is an important step in the risotto making process!

Next add wine to the pan, give it a good stir. Then slowly, 1-2 ladles full at a time, add the warmed chicken stock to the rice mixture, just enough to cover the top of the rice. Constantly stir the rice and continue to add chicken stock as its absorbed by the rice. You'll start to notice that the rice expands. You want to cook arborio al dente so be sure not to add too much liquid. You can always add more, but you can't take liquid out. Not sure if your rice is done? Take a spoon and try a few grains. You want it to be firm but chewy, not hard and not mushy. When the rice is done, stir in spinach + basil mixture, butter, and ¼ c. parmesan cheese. Stir until it's incorporated.

improv style:

don't have shallots? use onions instead. you can substitute the basil for any herb you love. mint or italian parsley would be great. just don't go overboard on the mint, it's a powerful herb! you can leave the wine out if you don't have any or don't want to open a bottle. i just love the flavor it adds to the dish!

simplicity

There was a point in time when I thought more was more, especially when cooking. I'd add all sorts of ingredients to the dishes I made. Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. The more I cook, the more I've come to realize that most of the time, the simpler the dish, the better.

I was shopping at Trader Joe's the other day and stumbled upon the cutest little potatoes. I immediately grabbed them, not knowing what I was going to do with them. For me, inspiration usually comes from ingredients, not from recipes. I decided to keep it simple and let the "teeny tiny potatoes" be the star. I pan roasted them with a little garlic, butter + olive oil. I had some fresh thyme leftover from the coq au vin I made a few nights before so I finished the potatoes with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, salt + pepper. Simple, yes, but they were so fabulous!

In honor of keeping it simple, I'll let the recipe and photos speak for itself... enjoy!

Pan Roasted Teeny Tiny Potatoes

ingredients:

1 lb (16 oz) teeny tiny potatoes

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 T. fresh thyme leaves

salt + pepper

yields 3 - 4 servings

In a heavy bottomed skillet heat oil and butter. Once the oil is hot, drop in your potatoes and 2 smashed garlic cloves. Place a lid on for about 15 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes). Give the pan a few good shakes throughout the cooking process to ensure they brown on all sides. Poke potato with fork to check doneness. In the last minute of cooking add thyme, salt + pepper.

improv style:

This recipe can be done with pretty much any vegetable/herb combination. It would be great with sweet potatoes or butternut squash and onions. Try making it with chives and fresh parsley for a burst of freshness. For recipes like this, simple is the key! Don't try to throw in too many flavors. A splash of lemon juice with a hint of lemon zest would be nice too.