The Country Trifecta: Fried Catfish, Crispy Homemade Fries, and Blackberry Cobbler

First, let me begin by deeply apologizing for my unintended hiatus. I haven't had the opportunity to update the blog in a while, as I've been caught in the "back to school" rush of a new semester. So I decided to make it up to you with a huge blog post with three calorie-laden recipes: Fried Catfish, Crispy Homemade Fries, and Blackberry Cobbler.

Fried catfish is a particularly favorite dish of mine. Growing up, it was a treat that we feasted upon only on special occasions. Admittedly, I prefer ordering fried fish of any kind at restaurants as opposed to making it at home, mainly because I hate the resulting mess from frying, but I think my homemade fish is pretty good, if I do say so myself. 

And what pairs better with fried catfish than french fries? And yet, it's another dish that is more desirable when purchased as opposed to being prepared at home, as the homemade variety tends to be soggy and floppy. However, I recently discovered the secret to homemade fries that are ACTUALLY crispy! It's a bit of a tedious process with the soaking and double-frying, but it truly does work.

Fried Catfish

Whole catfish*

Cornmeal mix* 

Salt & Pepper

Canola Oil 

*I ALWAYS prefer whole fish to filets. I find the overall flavor and texture to be much better when the fish is still on the bone. 

*You can use plain old straight-up cornmeal if you prefer, but I prefer the texture resulting from using the cornmeal "mix." 

Season the fish generously with salt and pepper. Give the fish a generous coating of cornmeal mix. I recommend re-coating the fish two or three times, just to ensure a hearty crust. 

Heat the canola oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan until it reaches a medium-high heat. You can test the oil by dropping in a few cornmeal crumbs -- if the crumbs start to sizzle, the oil will be hot enough. Gently place the fish in the pan. If you are cooking several fish, I don't recommend cooking more than two fish at once, as the overcrowding will affect the temperature of the oil. 

Fry the fish for five minutes (ha! alliteration!) and then turn it, and cook for five more minutes. Continue this process until the fish has become a golden brown color. Place the fish on a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess grease. Cool for five minutes, and enjoy! 

Crispy Homemade Fries 

Russet potatoes

Salt 

Canola oil

Peel the potatoes and slice as desired. Place the potato cuts into a large bowl and fill with ice water. Allow them to sit for half an hour, then remove them from the water and place them on paper towels to dry. 

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches a medium-high heat. Once the potato cuts are dry, add them to the heated oil a few at a time. Don't overcrowd the pot, as this will affect the temperature of the oil. Once the fries have reached a light golden color, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess grease. Remove the pot from the heat. 

Allow the fries to cool for five minutes, and then re-heat the oil, once again to a medium-high heat. Return the fries to the pot and cook them until they turn a light golden brown color. Remove them from the oil and place them on another plate with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, and enjoy! 

(Southern-fried goodness -- served with ketchup, the Alabama way!)

When it comes to cobbler, there are many different varieties. The cobbler with which I grew up has more of a rich, cake-y topping as opposed to a crust (and I believe this concoction is occasionally referred to as a "buckle"). However, when I make cobbler, I tend to go for the more traditional crust -- mainly because I can never remember the flour-sugar ratio for my mom's "crust." 

My recipe may seem a bit odd, considering I add jelly to the berries. However, I promise you, the results are AMAZING. I discovered this concoction purely on accident a few years ago. I wanted to make a blackberry cobbler, and I wondered how it would taste if I incorporated some of my homemade raspberry jam. So I added the jam to the berries in lieu of sugar, and I discovered that the jam contained just enough sugar to sweeten the berries, and the flavor for the jam melded beautifully with the berries' tartness. Also, the pectin from the jelly or jam helps to thicken the filling, making for a rich and delicious cobbler. 

Tyler's Blackberry Cobbler

1 lb. blackberries, fresh or frozen

1 half-pint jar of jam/jelly/preserves*

*I've found that jam, jelly, and preserves all work well for this recipe, so use whatever is most convenient. Berry-flavored varieties obviously pair well with the blackberries, but you'd be surprised at some unusual-sounding combinations that are quite delicious. Once, in a pinch, I used apricot preserves. Also, for this particular cobbler, I used a jar of homemade vanilla pear jelly, and the results were outstanding!

Crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks cold butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tbs. sugar

Ice water

You'll want to prepare the crust first. In a food processor, add the flour and the butter. Blend together until the butter has fragmented into tiny pieces throughout the flour. Add the salt and sugar. Gradually add ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, and blend until the mixture becomes a workable dough. Remove the dough from the processor and mold into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. 

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the blackberries and jelly on medium-high heat until the mixture reaches a simmer. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. 

Here's where I will digress for a moment. I'm one of those weirdos who likes dumplings in my cobbler. So what I do at this point in the cooking process is pinch a few pieces from the dough and add it to the simmering berries. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out until it's around 1/8"-1/4" thick. Cut to fit your oven-safe baking vessel -- you will likely have excess dough. Then, add the berry mixture to the vessel and top with the cut dough. For a pretty brown crust, you will want to pour a bit of melted butter over the top. Bake for around 45 minutes to an hour, or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool, and enjoy! 

(Ta-dah! Enough to share -- but you won't want to...)

Enjoy, guys! 

 

Slow-Cooker Pear Butter

When I was about 4 or 5, we planted a pear tree in the little orchard beside my house. Over the years, the tree has grown into a magnificent spectacle of arboreal life. While most of the trees in our orchard have sadly withered and died, the pear tree remains strong and vibrant, producing a lush abundance of fruit every summer. 

A few summers ago, I decided to explore the art of canning, and our annual bumper pear crop was going to be one of my test subjects. I honestly can't even remember how many jars of jellies and jams I made over those few months -- pear jelly, vanilla pear jelly, pear jam, pear and cherry jam, and on, and on. All I know is that I had enough jars of pear-y confections to provide everyone I know with a homemade Christmas gift and still have enough left over to satiate myself for the next year. 

Therefore, with our yearly plentiful pear crop, I've begun to experiment with a variety of pear-oriented recipes. I once made a pear and ginger cheesecake that was remarkably delicious. On a separate occasion, I attempted a pear cream pie, which was nothing short of a complete culinary disaster -- however, at the last minute, I decided to pull a Tim Gunn and "made it work," but with an indecent amount of gelatin and gratuitous swearing. 

My favorite recipe, however, has to be pear butter, for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, who doesn't love fruit butters? Everyone loves apple butter! Speaking of which, I swear that the Flying Biscuit in Atlanta must put crack in their cranberry apple butter, because it's beyond addictive. Anyhow, I digress. Another concoction I created during the summer of endless canning was a peach butter that was insanely good. So, long story short, it would probably be immensely difficult to create a fruit butter that doesn't inspire salivation. 

On that last point, another reason I appreciate my pear butter recipe is that creating fruit butters is ridiculously easy. As much as I love jelly, I have to admit, it is a pain in the nether regions to make. If you don't nail the recipe with 100% precision, you will either end up with Jell-O or a runny mess. While making a jam is significantly easier, making a fruit butter is even simpler still, as you don't have to worry about pectin or specific cooking times, and all that jazz. As a matter of fact, I make all my fruit butters in a crock-pot. All you need do is peel and slice your fruit, add sugar and whatever other ingredients you like, and let it roll. Done deal. Seriously, it's completely idiot-proof. 

Now, while I will gladly share with you my recipe for pear butter, if you want to learn how to properly can your finished product, I encourage you to go elsewhere for guidance. I learned my canning techniques from the old school master (a.k.a. my mom), but whenever I've attempted canning, it's been a matter of trial and error. So because I'd rather you not give your friends and family tiny jars of botulism for Christmas, I will recommend any one of the plethora of websites devoted to this culinary art as a research source. 

For this recipe, you will need a standard 5 to 6 quart slow-cooker. Also, in regards to the type of pears to use, I say just use whatever the hell variety you want. Our pear tree produces a variety known as "sand pears" (also frequently called "Asian pears"), so that's what I use. But for the sake of being economic, I encourage you to use whatever is least expensive and more readily available. 

Slow-Cooker Pear Butter

About 5 lbs. peeled and sliced pears*

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tbs. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg 

1 tbs. lemon juice

2 tbs. Amaretto liquer*

Other spices if desired*

*If you don't have a food scale to weigh the sliced pears, I've found that once your pear slices almost completely fill the crock (leaving about an inch or half-inch of space from the top), then you're good to go.

*The Amaretto is purely optional, but I promise you, it adds a whole new dimension of flavor to the finished product. 

*Many people like to include additional spices such as cloves to their fruit butters. If you are one of those people, by all means, indulge! However, I often find such spices overwhelming, so I tend to exclude them from recipes. 

Add all ingredients to the crock and stir, so that the pears are thoroughly coated with sugar, spices, and liquid ingredients. Set the slow-cooker to high, and cook uncovered for roughly 12 hours, or until the mixture is dark brown and has reached a smooth consistency. Make sure to stir the mixture every few hours or so.

I, personally, alternate between leaving the crock-pot covered and uncovered throughout the cooking period. If I'm leaving my apartment for a while or letting the butter cook while I'm asleep, I tend to leave it covered, but otherwise, I leave it uncovered. Also, if the butter isn't reaching your desired consistency, use a potato-masher or similar implement to make it a bit more smooth. 

The finished product yields 4 half-pint jars. You can consume immediately (after a reasonable cooling period, of course), or you may can the finished product however you so choose. 

One of the added benefits to making this recipe is that your home will smell incredible for a couple of days. My roommate even commented, "It smells like a Yankee Candle store in here." -- I chose to take that remark as a complement. 

And here you have the finished product:

 (They may not be the prettiest pears in the world, but they make for some damn good pear butter!)

Enjoy! 

Cod Tacos with Guacamole and Cotija Cheese

I realize that it’s been far too long since my last blog entry, and it’s entirely my fault. My original intention was to post an entry on Beef Enchiladas with Red Mole Sauce. However, when I prepared this recipe, the end result was a disgusting, abominable disaster. I’d never made mole sauce before, and I felt like being adventurous, so I attempted it. I won’t go into extreme detail about the numerous missteps, but I accidentally purchased the wrong peppers, and the recipes I was using as guides both seemed a little… off… So what came of my culinary adventure was a sauce that looked like something that should never be consumed by anything human that was also blow-your-head-off spicy and tasted like what I imagine you would get when mixing Drano with tomato paste and chicken by-product. Yeah.

Well, as a result of this lackluster kitchen endeavor, I now have a huge sack full of corn tortillas sitting in my refrigerator. So tonight I decided to put them to good use and prepared a favorite dish of mine.

Now, for this recipe, you can use any kind of fish you like. I happened to have cod on hand, as it was on sale. One reason I love to use seafood in Mexican-inspired dishes is that so often, Mexican food is considered to be greasy and heavy; however, using seafood provides a lighter twist, making the food more refreshing, I think.

First, let’s start with the guacamole. When it comes to my friends, I’m in the minority when it comes to guacamole (or avocados, in general). I adore it and could eat it by the bowlful. However, if you’re not a fan of the green stuff, this dish would be excellent with homemade salsa or pico de gallo (which I wish I’d thought of making, actually), or sautéed onions and peppers.

I’ve seen pretty elaborate guacamole recipes that incorporate tomatoes, onions, a variety of spices, and what-have-you. I prefer to keep it simple, a) because it’s easier, and b) I’d prefer to appreciate the delicate flavor of the avocado.

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 tbs. lemon or lime juice

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop the “meat” out with a spoon into a large bowl. Once you have prepared all the avocados in this manner, incorporate your salt, pepper, and citrus juice. Mash the avocados with a fork until the mixture has reached the desired consistency.

That’s it. Seriously. You will rarely ever see me put something so simple on the blog. But man, it’s freakin’ good.

Now, onto the cod! 

Mexican-Spiced Cod

1 lb. cod filets*

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. chili powder

1 tbs. olive oil

*When it comes to the cod filets, you may find that all you can locate are several smaller filets, while I ended up with a huge, honkin’ single filet that was over 1 lb. in weight. Whichever you have on hand is irrelevant. You’re going to be cutting up the cod for the tacos anyway, so don’t be overly concerned about presentation.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine all the spices, and reserve. Lay the cod filets on a greased baking sheet, and cover them liberally with the spice blend (preferably on both sides). Drizzle the cod with olive oil, and bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes or until the fish is firm. (NOTE: If you’re using smaller, thinner filets, the cooking time will likely not be as long).

Remove the fish from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Consume as desired. (And in this case, we desire tacos).

I’m not going to patronize you by providing instructions on assembling tacos. You’re all adults; you know what to do. I used corn tortillas because that’s what I had on hand, but I suspect that flour tortillas would likely be tastier. But before we conclude, I do want to briefly explain the one ingredient that puts this recipe over-the-top: Cotija cheese.

If you’ve never had Cotija cheese before, think of it as somewhat of a Mexican version of feta. It has a similar flavor and consistency. It can be rather expensive, but because of its intense flavor, a little bit goes a LONG way, so you get your money’s worth. This cheese is great crumbled on top of any Mexican dish, and would even be delicious in a salad.

Aaaaaaaand time for the big reveal: 

(It's so pretty you almost don't want to eat it -- but you do anyway, because it's freakin' awesome, and we don't waste food around here.)

Pimento Cheese & Sausage Pizza

I grew up adamantly disgusted by pimento cheese. This bland-yet-salty neon orange concoction always perplexed me, and I never could figure out why it was considered a Southern culinary staple. It wasn't until years later that I realized that the kind of pimento cheese one typically finds in the dairy case at the grocery store isn't honest-to-God pimento cheese. In actuality, it's little more than cottage cheese pumped full of food coloring and chemicals. Seriously, have you ever looked at the ingredients list on the side of a container of store-bought pimento cheese? It's a mile long! That's pretty scary for something so seemingly innocuous. 

I can't remember when I tried authentic pimento cheese as an adult, but it was truly love at first bite. When visiting my pal Thee in Atlanta, I noticed that pimento cheese had thoroughly permeated hipster-foodie culture, which was something that fascinated me (...because I'm weird like that...). I began to sample different varieties and eventually concocted my own recipe, which, to be frank, has become my favorite. I think the flavors are well-balanced, and the consistency is rich and creamy, as it should be. 

Remember a few blog entries ago when I did the write-up about the frozen red peppers? This was one of those instances I was glad to have those on hand, as they are certainly a necessary component to this recipe. "But wait, hold up!" you may be thinking. "I thought you had to use pimento peppers!" OK, you got me there. However, I do have a reason for using basic red bell peppers. First and foremost, I don't like to use the jarred pimento peppers, because I find them very bland and weak in flavor. Fresh peppers have significantly more flavor. Also, fresh pimento peppers can be pretty difficult to track down, unless you live near a fantastic farmers' market or grow them yourself. Therefore, I opt for red bell peppers. Honestly, the flavor is nearly identical, so don't make a big deal over it, for pete's sake. 

Tyler's Pimento Cheese

1 red bell pepper, diced 

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise* 

2 cups grated cheddar cheese*

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Dash of hot sauce*

*For the mayonnaise, I always use olive oil-based, just because it's my personal preference. However, let me assure you that for a recipe like this one, the olive oil-based variety makes a world of difference in the overall flavor. 

*You can use any variety of cheddar you like, but if you want real "old school" pimento cheese, I'd go with sharp cheddar. 

*Even if you have an aversion to spicy food, just trust me on this one. There's absolutely no heat present once the hot sauce is incorporated (thanks to the gratuitous amount of dairy in the recipe), and it definitely enhances the overall flavor.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and blend together until you get something that looks somewhat like this: 

 (As Giada de Laurentiis would say, "Isn't it PREETTY?")

Now my favorite way to consume this treat is simply smeared on two slices of bread and topped with slices of freshly-picked tomato, or on a warm, fluffy biscuit with deli-sliced ham, or on a grilled burger with sliced dill pickles and onion... and I could keep on going, but I'm going to stop there... 

However, you can eat it any way you want. It's great as a basic appetizer with crackers and veggie sticks, or as a condiment for sandwiches, hot dogs, or burgers. It's your call. 

But tonight, I was in the mood to make homemade pizza, something I haven't done in quite a while. I adore homemade pizza because you can customize it in any way you like and make whatever insane creation you desire! My favorites that I've made previously are my Japanese-style chicken curry pizza, and my butternut squash + sausage + mozzarella + parmesan + garlic oil pizza that I make every autumn. 

Now, I've never seen a pimento cheese pizza, but being a lover of this Southern delicacy, I figured that it should most definitely be "a thing." So I concocted my pimento cheese and sausage pizza. And man, it was AWESOME. It's very rich, so be warned, it may not be for the faint of heart, but if you want a pizza that's truly Southern to the core, you'll definitely want to try this one! 

As far as the crust is concerned, I always make mine from scratch, because I hate the store-bought variety, and the recipe I use always makes the most delicious crust. If you want to use store-bought, go right ahead... don't let me stop you... wuss... But if you'd like to give the homemade variety a go, I promise you, it's not as difficult as you may think, and it's worth the effort you put into it. I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com, and it has never once failed me. 

Quick & Easy Pizza Crust 

1 .25 oz. packet of active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups bread flour*

2 tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. salt 

*Sorry guys, but you really have to use bread flour (not all-purpose) for this recipe.

Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a bowl, and stir until the dry ingredients have dissolved. Let stand for 10 minutes. 

Combine the flour, salt, and oil in a separate bowl, and then add the liquid mixture, and blend together until a smooth dough forms. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. After it has rested, spread the dough out on a greased baking sheet. 

And now, for the pizza itself! 

Pimento Cheese & Sausage Pizza

Prepared pimento cheese (see recipe)

Prepared crust (see recipe) 

1 lb. package ground sausage 

2 cloves garlic, minced*

*You can leave the garlic out if you wish, as it's certainly not essential to the recipe, but the flavor really puts this pizza over the top! If you don't have fresh garlic, just nix it altogether, as garlic powder just doesn't have the same effect as fresh garlic. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brown the ground sausage in a skillet, and once it is thoroughly cooked-through, allow it to drain, removing the excess grease -- (I just pour it onto a plate covered in paper towels, but feel free to use a strainer or colander). Once the grease has been drained off, pour the crumbled sausage directly onto the prepared pizza crust. Then, sprinkle the minced garlic over the sausage. Finally, add your pimento cheese mixture to the top. The mixture will be thick and difficult to spread over the sausage, so just try to dollop it evenly over the pizza. 

Bake the pizza for around 10-15 minutes or until the edge of the crust has browned and the cheese has melted. Allow the pizza to cool for at least 5 minutes (so you don't end up with a big, gooey mess), cut, and serve. 

And behold, the finished product: 

(LOOK AT IT. LOOK AT IT AND BEHOLD ITS MAGNIFICENT GLORY.)

For variations on this pizza, if you're not such a fan of the sausage, this would be great with salami, chopped ham, or crumbled bacon on top of the cheese. If you're feeling guilty about consuming something so rich, some wilted spinach on top would likely be pretty delicious. Also, a layer of scrambled eggs between the cheese and sausage would make this a fantastic breakfast pizza! 

Lemon Meringue Pie Bars

An entry or two ago, I posted a review of The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl and Griffith Day along with a brief treatise professing my love for their amazing Drunk Blondies. Earlier this week, I was compelled to sample another recipe from this compendium of earthly delights. 

The recipe presented by the Day Duo is Lemon Pie Bars. I, however, decided to make a few alterations and kick it up a notch, and in the process, I created Lemon Meringue Pie Bars. If you're an avid lover of the Old School of Southern Cookery, then you should find this recipe a delightful update to the classic pie. Be warned, however: it makes a LOT. I mean, a LOT LOT. I made this on Sunday evening, gave a hearty portion to a friend, have eaten some myself every day, and I still have a chunk of it sitting in my refrigerator. Not that I'm complaining or anything...

Lemon Meringue Pie Bars

Crust:

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 sticks of butter 

2 tbs. sugar

Filling:

1 cup milk

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh* lemon juice

2 14 oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk

6 egg yolks

*I hate juicing lemons with a burning passion, but seriously, using fresh-squeezed juice makes a world of difference. 

Meringue:

6 egg whites

sugar*

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

*I will explain why there's no measurement for the sugar momentarily. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To prepare the crust, melt the butter and combine with the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Press the mixture evenly into a greased 9x13 inch pan, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool, and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

To prepare the filling, whisk together the milk, lemon zest, juice, condensed milk, and egg yolks until evenly combined, and then pour over the cooled crust. Next, place the pan into a larger pan, and add water to the bigger vessel (just eyeball it -- you want enough to be substantial but not so much that it will run over). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set (if it jiggles, it's not ready). Remove the pan from the water-bath and allow to cool while you prepare the meringue. 

Now, my mother taught me how make meringue, and in the Trimm household, we eyeball practically everything when cooking, so if you want a more precise recipe for meringue, you're going to have to look elsewhere. 

For the meringue, make sure you mix it in a metal or glass bowl. This is important, as using a plastic bowl will keep the egg whites from "fluffing." You can also whisk meringue by hand if you want enormous biceps (because this takes a while), but I recommend using an electric mixer. Pour your egg whites into the bowl and whisk vigorously until they begin to appear slightly fluffy. At this point, add your cream of tartar, and continue whisking until they begin to grow fluffier and larger in volume. Then, add your sugar. I ended up using somewhere around 1/4 of a cup, so we'll go with that. Then continue to whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks. 

Pour the meringue over the cooled filling and bake at 325 until the meringue is just ever so slightly browned. This won't take very long (we're talking around 5 minutes), so just keep an eye on it. 

Allow the bars to cool in the refrigerator overnight, and enjoy! 

 (The finished product! Isn't this freakin' gorgeous? Looking at this makes me feel like a domestic god. Watch out, Esther Summerson -- I'ma snatch yo keys!)

(An individual slice, served up on a plate from my new set of dishes, graciously given to me by Karen Howell!)

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille with Creamy Polenta

So in between introducing undergrads to poetry analysis, grading research papers, and sending out promotional e-mails to magazine editors, I somehow found the time to make dinner from scratch and write a new blog post. Imagine that! [insert sound of delirious laughter]

I made a quick trip home this weekend, and before I left, my mom gave me a sack full of yellow squash grown by some of our close family friends. I wasn’t sure what to do with all of it, but the current sale on produce at my local grocery store helped me solve that conundrum. Big, gorgeous eggplants were on sale for 88 cents/pound, and red peppers were a miraculous $1/each. That settled the matter: I would make ratatouille. 

But first, allow me to digress for a moment. Being a red pepper junkie, the usual price of this scarlet treasure-trove of flavor usual leaves me unable to indulge as much as I would like. I’ve seen them as much as $2/each. So whenever they go on sale, I stock up and freeze them. The process is very simple. Just slice your peppers into strips (or however you want to, for that matter), and place them on a metal baking sheet. Then allow them to set in the freezer for an hour or two. The direct contact with the baking sheet allows them to freeze more quickly, which helps them maintain their crispness. Then, place them in plastic storage bags, and you’re set for future recipes! I personally love using them for pimento cheese when fresh pimentos aren’t readily available. 

 (Sweet mother of red pepper-y goodness.)

Back to the ratatouille, my friend Matt made this exact same dish when we were living together a while back, and I simply couldn’t believe that a vegetarian recipe could be so decadent. However, this ratatouille is hearty and full of flavor, and the creamy polenta adds a whole new layer of richness to the dish. For those unfamiliar with polenta, think of it as Italian-style grits. If you’re unable to locate polenta in your local store, just make up a batch of down-home style cheese grits instead – it’ll be just as good.

I adapted the ratatouille recipe somewhat to accommodate what I had in my kitchen. Granted, traditional ratatouille doesn’t include yellow squash, but living in the Deep South in the summer, yellow squash is hard to avoid – and freshly picked, it’s also pretty freakin’ good. Feel free to make additions or substitutions as you wish.

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille

Olive oil (you’ll need a good bit)

2 red peppers

1 onion, chopped

3-4 large cloves of garlic

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. Herbes de Provence

Salt and pepper

1 large eggplant

2 lbs. (estimated) yellow squash and zucchini

After removing the cores, slice the red peppers into strips and place on a baking sheet, lightly tossing with 2 tbs. of olive oil. Roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender. Reserve.

In a large pot, add 2 tbs. of olive oil along with the chopped onion, and set the temperature to medium. Smash your garlic cloves* and add to the pot, and allow the aromatics to cook until tender (about 10-15 minutes or so). Then add the reserved red peppers, crushed tomatoes, and herbs. Just eyeball the salt and pepper, or add later to your own tastes (I usually go with 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper). Cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Then puree the mixture (either a hand blender or regular blender will do). Reserve.

*I HATE chopping garlic with an unearthly passion, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. Since the sauce is going to be pureed anyway, just smash the cloves with the back of your knife to make life easier on yourself.

Next, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Chop the yellow squash and zucchini into ½ inch cubes, and place on a baking sheet. Toss with 2 tbs. of olive oil and roast until slightly browned on the bottom and the edges. Then, give the eggplant the exact same treatment*, cutting into ½ inch cubes, tossing with 2 tbs. of olive oil, and roasting until browned.

*I always peel my eggplant, because I don’t like the bitterness of the peel, but you can leave it on if you so wish.

Then, add the roasted vegetables to the reserved tomato-red pepper sauce and allow the mix to simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Then, it’s ready to serve.

Creamy Polenta

(This is where the recipe gets kinda unhealthy-ish. But hey, you’re going vegetarian, so don’t worry. Treat yourself!)

1 cup of quick-cooking polenta

4 cups water

1 tsp. salt

4 tbs. butter

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese

In a pot, combine the water and salt and bring to a boil. Add the polenta and remove the pot from the heat, whisking the mixture vigorously until creamy. Add butter and cream cheese and blend the mixture together.

When ready to eat, serve the polenta in a bowl with a hearty helping of ratatouille on top. This is truly summertime decadence at its finest. 

Drunk Blondies + Cookbook Review: The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook

A few weeks ago, just to brighten up my day, one of my best friends, Thee (also known as Theodore or Theo, depending on who you are), purchased a cookbook for me that I had saved to my Amazon wishlist a while back (and admittedly forgotten about). All I knew about this particular cookbook was that it was a baking cookbook and contained a foreword written by Paula Deen. Carbs? Sugar? Butter? Y'ALL? Sign this boy up, pronto. 

Once the cookbook arrived, and I started leafing through it, my heart melted like a stick of the aforementioned butter. What I discovered was a plethora of tried-and-true old-fashioned recipes for cakes, cookies, pies, and so much more. 

The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook was written by Cheryl and Griffith Day, founders of the Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, GA which has received national acclaim for their decadent delights. And after reading this cookbook and preparing some of the recipes, I can understand why. Each recipe in this book is influenced by the kind of Southern charm that calls to mind so many precious childhood memories, like baking cookies with mama on Saturday afternoon, or watching the family matriarchs bustle around the kitchen in a frenzy to get Christmas dinner on the table. 

One of the most appealing features of this book is the variety of recipes contained within. Individual chapters are devoted to breakfast, coffee cakes & quick breads, cupcakes & cakes, pies & cobblers, cookies, brownies & bars, puddings & custards, assorted confections, and even savory dishes. There are even chapters covering baking tips, suggested baking tools, and spice cabinet recommendations. Long story short, the Days have covered ALL the bases. 

So far, I have prepared three recipes from this cookbook. The first was the Brown Sugar Bundt Cake with Butterscotch Glaze. Picture, if you will, a dense, buttery cake, rich with the warm flavors of cardamom and brown sugar. If that's not enough, imagine this cake topped with a gooey butterscotch glaze, oozing down its rippled sides like a thick, creamy syrup. Oh yeah -- it's freakin' good. What amazed me most about this cake is that it tasted like an honest-to-God creation from grandma's kitchen, a slice of the past (so to speak). Needless to say, the cake didn't last very long. 

Those who know me well know my insatiable lust for chocolate chip cookies. I don't know what it is, but I have yet to find any sweet treat that hits the spot quite like this all-American classic. So to test the Days' mettle, I prepared their Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. The recipe was simple enough, and seemed only slightly different from other recipes I'd tried. However, the final product was mind-blowing. These cookies have a perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness and are chock-full of buttery, chocolatey goodness. Therefore, I have made this recipe my go-to for chocolate chip cookies.

Tonight, I was feeling adventurous, so I decided to try their recipe for Drunk Blondies -- simply because I liked the name. Also, you can't really go wrong with butter, brown sugar, and bourbon. I didn't have all the ingredients (namely pecans, coconut, or mini chocolate chips), so I pulled a Tim Gunn and "made it work" with half a bag of white chocolate chips. What came of this alteration was a rich, fudgy, buttery blondie laced through with the faint sweetness of bourbon and gooey white chocolate. I will definitely be making these again.

Again, excuse my amateurish, homegrown photography skills. Yeah, my pictures could look all cool and vintage if I had Instagram like the rest of you hipsters. Get off my damn back! 

If you're a baking enthusiast or a lover of Southern cuisine -- or hell, if you just like good desserts -- I strongly encourage you to check out this delightful cookbook. Open your heart, and let the buttery, carbohydrate-filled goodness touch you.