Pecan Pie Squares

Much of my cooking/baking inspiration comes from family traditions – most of them centered on holidays. This recipe is no exception. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, my mother’s kitchen becomes a sweet treat factory. From classic chocolate chips to pecan crescents, there is no shortage of diabolically delectable baked goods. But here’s the thing – why should I wait ‘til winter or only enjoy some of my favorite treats if I get a holiday care package? SO, I got my mom to send me her recipes and started preheating my oven.

Second Place is the First Loser

Of all the holiday treats (and there are a lot of them) by far my favorite are my mother’s Pecan Pie Squares. They encompass everything I love about pecan pie in bite-sized form. They feature an ultimate triumvirate of dense, crumbly crust; ooey-gooey filling; and crunchy caramelized pecans. What more do you want!? If you are my co-workers, apparently, you want some pedestrian recipe combining boxed mixes that you found on Pinterest because I was robbed took second place in the annual bake-off.

In any event, here is the recipe for my mom’s Pecan Pie Squares. ENJOY!

Pecan Pie Squares

Ingredients

3 cups flour

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

¾ cup margarine or butter, softened

¾ tsp salt

Filling (below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease jelly roll pan (15.5 x 10.5 x 1 inch).  Beat flour, sugar, butter, and salt in large bowl on medium speed until crumbly (mixture will be dry).  Press firmly in pan.  Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Prepare filling.  Pour over baked layer, spread evenly.  Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes.  Cool.  Cut into 1 ½ inch squares. 

Filling

4 eggs slightly beaten

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups Karo light or dark syrup

3 Tbsp margarine or butter, melted

1 ½ tsp vanilla

2 ½ cups chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients, except pecans, until well blended.  Stir in pecans.

Makes 70 squares

Stocking Stuffer

A Broth of Fresh Air

Onion, celery, jalapeno, carrot, ?, and chicken butts taking a quick bath

Today, I am cleaning out my freezer. Right now it is half full of zip-locks and Tupperware packed with vegetable butts and discarded chicken bones from the past few months. It's definitely an added step to get to potato soup from here, but it always tastes better than the canned/boxed stuff at the store.

Just my two cents - making stock at home from my kitchen scraps helps me feel like I am conserving my waste and squeezing every cent out of the money I spend in the produce section/ farmers market. I am also wringing every drop of flavor out of the awesome bounty that we feasted on this summer. One last taste on the official first day of winter.

If you are looking for a place to use stock for your upcoming holiday meal/s may I suggest checking out my recipe for Oyster Dressing? I used to make it once a year on Thanksgiving, but it is so cheap and delicious (hold the oysters if you must) that I've started making it year round because we just can't get enough.

Happy Eating!

-AW

Tacos Today

I have been known to eat a taco or two in my day and while the specific day of the week never starts or stops me, here I sit on a Tuesday and I am craving TACOS. Hard, soft, flour or corn I can't think of a type of taco I don't enjoy. Unless, that is, if it is a tiny taco. Scratch that, I love taquitos - just bring them to me in bulk. 

Let's Taco 'bout it

So, as I've set a goal to be more productive in my posts, I am going to set aside some time (not restricted to Tuesdays, but I've got to start somewhere) to talk all things taco. I will be sharing some insights, favorite preparations, sides, and salsas. I will also reveal some of my favorite places to chow down when I'm out and about around town. 

BUT - and this is the important part - I want to hear from you too. Chime in and let me know if I hit the nail on the head or if I'm just plain crazy. If you have the best way to do taco night, or know a hidden gem of a taco truck, or just want to let me know you love tacos too put it in the comments and lettuce foster some taco knowledge together!

It is in that spirit which I will now share my obsession over the last year or so ...

Duck, duck, goose

El Pato Jalapeno! 

I found and then promptly fell in love with El Pato green sauce. I put it on everything. Tacos? Check. Eggs? You betcha. Salad? Who needs dressing? I put it on my pancakes. There are a few good reasons why you should try El Pato if you haven't had the joy already:

• The Name - "El Pato" is just plain fun to say.
• It's cheap - At under 2 bucks for 12 oz I've been hard pressed to locate a more reasonably priced sauce. Find it in the "ethnic" aisle or whatever you grocer calls the one with beans and rice in it. There will be cans of their red sauce for even cheaper - good too, but not the same.
• Flavor - Is this the hottest sauce on the market? Far from it, but Pato brings the heat without being presumptuous. There are some sweet notes, and you can definitely taste the peppers. This is a flavor enhancer, not a blow torch. 
• Versatility - As I mentioned above, I use it on everything. That's because it works well in so many applications. Later down the road, I will share a Chicken Verde recipe I developed that uses El Pato as a braising liquid. Watch out!

There you have it. El Pato Jalapeno is my go-to condiment on Taco Tuesday and every day in between.

Is there a hot sauce or accompaniment that you can't live without?

-AW

Surfo Turfo

Ribeye & King Salmon Taco w/ cucumber pico de gallo

Let's Taco 'bout It

As I've mentioned previously, I've been doing a fair amount of cooking, eating, and working around food recently but haven't found the time to document it. To try and buck that trend, I've spent a good portion of this morning sorting my catalog of food-centric photos in the hopes that some organization will make the blogging process smoother. And, of course, the exercise got Professor Tumkins grumbling. 

Lucky for him (and me,) I had leftovers from a catering gig and knew just where to put them - in a tortilla and topped with cucumber pico de gallo. Sometimes it's Friday morning and you deserve Surf &Turf tacos. AMIRIGHT!?

 I may need to move my desk to the kitchen ...

-AW

I've returned to taunt your taste buds

*Has is really been three years!?

It seems like this blog has taken a back seat to all of life's twists and turns, yet here I am staring at a blank slate and mostly confounded that it has been so long since my last post. But, just because I haven't been typing things out doesn't mean that I haven't been immersed in the food scene and actually doing some of the most inspired cooking of my life. (More on those things later.)

Ideally, I will be sharing some of those new insights and recipes as well as rehashing some of the old standby specials from the AteUp archives. It may take a few moments to get my legs back beneath me, but trust me when I say -- I have a whole bag of tricks up my sleeve. 

It is in that spirit that I present an  AW Requisite Recipe to add to your stable of staples. 

PORK & BEANS

Finished Product topped with pico and avocado. 

This is a simple, standard recipe that gets used repeatedly in my kitchen. I make a large pot, eat a few servings while fresh, and then batch it out and freeze small portions individually to be used in lieu of canned beans down the road. I will share some of my favorite bean-centric recipes later -- in the meantime amp up your burritos, chili or just eat them as is. This recipe is so easy and delicious you may never buy canned beans again!

What You Need:

Get your mice in place!

3 Large Bone-in Pork Ribs *roughly 1.5 pounds (you can use other cuts, but the operative word is ‘bone-in’)

1 pound dry beans (I prefer red or black)

2 Onions (cut into 1/12^th wedges)

3 Cloves Garlic

1 Jalapeno (Halved) *remove the seeds if you can't stand the heat

Oil (I like a blend of bacon fat and canola)

Salt and Pepper

The Beauty of this recipe is how simple it is. If you have some favorite spices (chile powder, cumin, etc.) don’t hesitate to add them but, trust me, there is really no need. The key is using quality ingredients, treating each with respect and then sitting back and letting them do the talking.

Directions:

*At least 8 hours in advance (ideally overnight)

1.       Rinse, sort and soak the beans. Discard any rocks, halves, or anomalies then cover with cold water a let sit.

2.       Prepare the pork by patting it dry with a paper towel and generously salting all sides. Then place it in the fridge - uncovered.

*In the morning (when you are ready)

1. In a large, deep pot heat oil on medium-high. Pat the meat dry one more time and remove excess salt. Brown both sides (roughly 5 minutes each) and remove from pot.
2. Reduce heat and add onions. Stir them around until they are coated with fat/ oil and any pork bits have been removed from the bottom of the pot and the onions start to get glossy. 
3. Add garlic, jalapeno halves, salt and spices. Stir occasionally until  everything is coated with spices and becomes aromatic. (8-10 minutes)
4. Drain and rinse the beans then add them to the pot. Fill the pot with water until beans are covered by 1 - 1 1/2 inches. Raise heat to medium-high and cover.
5. When the water reaches a boil drop the heat, give everything a stir, add the pork back in (make sure it is situated below the waterline), and replace the lid - leaving it tilted so steam can escape.
6. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans and meat are tender.

**NOTE: If you don't have the time or don't wish to rest your meat overnight, just don't forget to pat it dry and salt it before browning. Also, If you choose not to soak your beans overnight allow for more time to cook them and only add the meat back in (step 5) after the beans have been at a simmer for up to 2 hours. You only want the meat to simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours max. 

Step 1 : Brown the pork.

Step 3: Add jalapeno, garlic, and spices once onions get glossy.

Step 4: Add beans and cover with water

Step 5: Simmer for 2 - 3 hours or until the beans are tender and the meat is jumping into your mouth.

I like to serve my beans with lots of liquid, some shredded meat and topped with fresh pico de gallo (HERE is a pineapple version from way back), avocado, and queso fresco if I’m feeling frisky. Remember to save those leftovers -- we are going to need them later on when we talk pupusas, 5-way chili and one of my all-time favorite Sunday snacks.

Enjoy! - AW 

A Choco-holic's Dream

Yesterday, in my ever evolving search for work, I found myself in new territory. There I was, in a professional kitchen, taking orders from a pastry chef. I had to pinch myself between nibbles. I was honored to be asked into Olympic Provisions - a kitchen renowned for its cured meats. Their bacon is the best and their salamis have been saluted by the likes of The New Yorker. I was at once giddy and nervous. It was my first coming to the Mecca of Meat and I was working with ... chocolate!?

And oh boy what tasty, tasty chocolate. OP's Chocolate Salami is a delicate blend of ganache, nuts and spices that mimics the flavors from their popular meat products. One bite and you will be hooked for life. They are a sweet treat that no one should be deprived of.

My role was simple: weigh, package and label. But, it was great to get a taste of a new field and learn about a dessert I'd never heard of. The perks weren't that bad either ...

Yours in food,

AW

White Chocolate-Macadamia Nut Cookies

When I got my hands on this recipe, I thought they would make the perfect Christmas gifts for my family. They were such a hit that it seems only fare to share. Enjoy y'all, and let me know how the baking goes!

What You Need:

      2    cups flour

      1    tsp. kosher salt

   1/4    tsp. baking soda

1 1/2    cups packed light brown sugar

1 1/2    cups sugar

    16    tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

      2    eggs

      1    tbsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2    lb. roughly chopped white chocolate

      1    lb. roughly chopped roasted and salted 

            macadamia nuts

 1. Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, Beat sugars and butter together on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition until smooth; beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined; stir in chocolate and nuts.

2. Heat oven to 325. Using a 1-oz. ice cream scoop or two spoons, portion and shape dough into balls and place 2" apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown (about 14 minutes.)

They are just that easy. Don't go overboard with the size of the ball, these little guys really spread out. Also, the recipe says it makes roughly 5 dozen so sharing may be in you wasteline's best interest ;)