Growing up it was tradition in our household to have special birthday dinners– whatever the birthday boy or girl wanted they could have.  Now those requests range anywhere from sushi to veal chops, which is a far cry from roast beef and jello cake!  For about six birthdays in my teenage years I kept it very simple by requesting my all time favorite side dish– Corn Pudding.  Of course, the other menu items varied greatly from year to year, but my moms special corn pudding was a constant. 

Each summer the women in my family make freezer corn.  This corn is cut off of the cob and frozen in its peak season, which makes it extra sweet and flavorful.  We use this freezer corn in our corn pudding.  I have come to realize that not every home cook has the luxury of freezer corn, so I made our recipe with canned cream corn.  I had to adjust the sugar a bit and tweek a few things, but overall the recipe is just as tasty. 

With thanksgiving just around the corner you should consider making this recipe a new addition to your menu!

The original recipe calls for the pudding to be baked in a 9x13 inch pan. To change things up a bit I made six individual portions instead. You can choose either option and simply adjust the baking time.

(more…)

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
Ernestine Ulmer

Of all of the recipes I have ever created, my recipe for cheesecake is the one most often requested.  This recipe is simple with rich flavors of cream cheese and tart lemons- and can be made ahead a few days before serving.  I love to pair this recipe with a quick and light berry sauce- you can use whatever is in season or frozen berries work great in a pinch!

Blackberry Cheesecake

2 lbs Cream Cheese, softened
1 ¼ cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Lemon Zest, fine
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

Pour graham cracker crumbs into 9 inch spring for pan. Whip cream cheese in mixer until fluffy, add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Pour cream cheese mixture over crust and gently hit the bottom of the pan on the counter (about 10 times) to let the air bubbles out.  Place pan in baking pan with a high edge and fill pan with water- about 1 inch up the side of the spring form pan.  Bake at 325 degrees until top is lightly golden (about 45 minutes).  If the top begins to crack you are beyond done. 
For Blackberry topping:
1 ½ qt Fresh Blackberries
3 cups Cold Water
1 cup Sugar
1 box Blackberry Jell-O
½ cup Clear Jel
Cook water, sugar and jell-o in medium sauce pan until it boils.  Create a slurry with clear jel with just enough water to make a thick paste.  Pour slurry into boiling mixture and remove from heat.  Allow mixture to cool slightly then fold in berries.  Chill and then spread over cold cheesecake.

~SD

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today as I was sorting through my daily mail that usually consists of junk, bills and the occasional card I came upon something out of the ordinary.  There, addressed to me, was a letter from my alma mater.  This envelope was especially interesting because it looked like the poor person who addressed it had the same terrible hand writing as I have been cursed with!  Upon further inspection I realized that I had, in fact, addressed the envelope… was this some kind of joke?  No, this was a letter that I had written to myself five years ago, in my junior year of high school!  I had completely forgotten about this assignment, but was impressed to see that a younger me had written quite a long letter!

As I read the letter memories flooded back to me… I could picture myself curled up in my overstuffed pink arm chair, surrounded by childhood collectibles writing vigorously every thought that came to mind.  Of course, I wrote about the straight A’s I received on my report card (for the first time ever) and how I should learn to love cleaning my kitchen, but I went a little deeper than that.  I wrote about how important my family was to me and how grateful I was for all of the opportunities I had.  To quote a younger me I said,

“I realize that I am so lucky, my family is one of the few that I know that actually eat supper together every night… I can only imagine what it will be like in five years!”

Five years have past and so much has happened to me since.  I achieved every goal I had set for myself way back then: get scholarships, go to a good culinary school, and become an Executive Chef.  I have maintained certain things that I have always been most important to me, it is still my top priority to feed my family, to cook for others and to be hospitable.  I don’t know where I will be five years from now, but I know that those things will never change.  Thank you Mrs. E. Miller for sending those letters… it was a true joy looking back.

After taking a trip down memory lane I thought I would make something very special.  When I was a junior in high school I made it my quest to create the best apple pie.  I was practicing and planning for a $25,000 scholarship to a very prestigious culinary school- an apple pie baking contest.  For two years I devoted myself to researching apples, crust and pie baking techniques.  I baked over 100 pies and recorded my finding in an “apple pie journal”.  I did not win the competition (which is something I am still bitter about and is another long story) but I did perfect my apple pie recipe!

Pie Crust
Yield: 4, 8 ounce portions

4 cups All-Purpose Flour
¾ cup Shortening
¾ cup Butter, softened
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
½ cup Water, ice cold
1 Egg
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Start by combining the flour, butter, shortening, salt and sugar.  Work together with your hands like this…

(more…)

“The lower the heat… the better the meat!”

Being a chef I am often asked what my favorite food is.  I know that when people ask that question they are expecting my answer to be some fancy food with an unpronounceable French name-it’s not.  Don’t get me wrong, I love pate and foie gras as much as the next person, but the food I crave the most is much simpler.  The food that I missed when I left for Culinary School in North Carolina, the one thing I could never tire of and one of the few dishes that I will EVER eat left over the next day is (this almost deserves a drum roll)… Roast Beef!

This past weekend my mom took a trip to our favorite “club store”-which could mean only one thing-lots and lots of beef!  Oh yes, when my mom makes the 50 minute drive north she comes home with not one, but four HUGE beef roasts.  This may seem over the top for some folks, but not us!  We make all four roasts and freeze whatever we don’t covet the first day.  This beef is so versatile- it can be served over pasta, with brown rice and gravy, in a soup, on a sandwich, for a midnight snack- Oh the possibilities are endless!

The way that my mom prepares our roast beef is the simplest, yet most flavorful way I have ever tried- and like the saying goes “The lower the heat, the better the meat”.  After pan searing the meat is slow cooked until it is melt in your mouth tender.  My mom and I took the time to take step-by-step photos of this process, so I hope when you get a chance to make this recipe you will agree-this is the best food ever!

(more…)

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many chefs frown upon the use and/or consumption of chicken.  Perhaps this is an un-known truth, but to many culinary professionals chicken is thought to be flavorless, bland and worst of all boring.  I, however, disagree.  In doing so I might subject myself to a fair amount of hazing from any self-proclaimed foodie!  I like chicken because it is moderately priced, accessible and can be quiet tasty when prepared correctly.  The following is my recipe (if you can even call it that) for what I consider to be The Perfect Roasted Chicken.  Rather than complicating a simple process I prefer to bring out the natural flavors of the meat.  All you need to prepare this feast for five is one whole 3-4 pound chicken, olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. 

(more…)