Baconfest Chicago 2011

Apr 152011
 
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I apologize for being so late on this post. What a week I have had as a mom. Does anyone have any advice on science projects? I am digressing. Okay, back to Baconfest.

Imagine this… 56 top chefs creating and serving up their own unique bacon dishes.  Baconfest Chicago sold out in minutes. Getting voted into Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats Amateur Cook Off as a finalist was my way of getting into this event of 1600 people strong on April 9 at 12:30. The VIP people had even paid extra to get to go in an hour early to beat the crowds to the chefs tables. It is a charity event that raised $25,000 for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Well done!

When my niece, Jenna, and I arrived at 11:45 there was already a long line out front. We checked into the front saying I was one of the six contestants for the cookoff. We were ushered immediately into the green room in the back. Loved by passing that huge line. We could leave our belongings and food in the green room and start out early in the exhibit hall to sample all the bacon goodies.

But before I went to any table, I had to find Chef Brian Polcyn at Forest Grill restaurant (Birmingham, MI) table. This is the MAN. He was written about in the Soul of a Chef, by Micheal Ruhlman. He co-authored Charcuterie  with Micheal Ruhlman. He was featured on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain while he was teaching at School Craft Culinary School in Livonia, MI. But right now, he is the rock star of the food blogging sensation Charcutepalooza! It was just a thrill.

Of course, Chef Brian made a homemade sausage with a potato salad. I wish my pictures had turned out. Super delish! He seems to be quite stunned about the Charcutepalooza phenomenon. I never even asked about how he got to this Chicago event. We did find out we have some things in common, though. First, he worked for my grandfather at his West Bloomfield, MI restaurant. I loved that!  His mentor is Chef Milos who happens to be a master chef and has hunted on my family farm for years. He taught my brother how to properly butcher deer and other game.  This Czech chef  deserves his own post… someday soon.

We decided to go try some other foods before getting back to the prep my meatloaf for the judges. I am sorry that my pictures did not turn out well, but there was some seriously good food. Some of my favorites were bacon & foie gras moon pie by Paul Frehribach of Big Jones and Banh Mi from Chris Pandel the Bristol. Stephanie Izard from Girl & the Goat made a soup. I have to admit that I was very underwhelmed by it. My first reaction was… a soup, really? Then I thought, I think that she won a lot on Top Chef with soups. Hey, she was one of the winners of the Golden Rashers( Award for best in show), so what do I know?  The one that I didn’t get to try was Naha’s pork belly. Everyone was talking about it. David Burke’s Primehouse gave out bacon caramels wrapped up like a lollipop. This was great because I put it in my purse and ate it the next day. It was definitely a sport eating event.

Now back to the green room to prep my tasting plates for the judges. We were told to bring 20 servings and that Padma from Top Chef could be one of our judges. Well, we really only needed to 3 plates for judging and we are going to be judged by a Nueske’s Bacon executive, one of the Baconfest organizers and a new host of a new Foodnetwork show called, Crave. His name is Troy. It does seem like baconfest and my bacon country meatloaf will be appearing on  the opening show of Crave on June 12! When I know more, I will share it

So I lost to Tyler Hall‘s Lavender Vanilla Caramel Candied Bacon Cheesecake. I did get a chance to taste it and it was fabulous. Jenna said that she heard them discussing it being between mine and the cheesecake. So I am going with it. LOL.

I went in feeling good and confident and left feeling the same way. I had a great time. Food is so subjective. No worries about losing. The only moment I had of being pensive is when I took a plate of my meatloaf over to Brian Polcyn to try… he was very kind, saying he liked it and it reminded him of a terrine. Phew!

I am so grateful that everyone voted to help me get into the event as a finalist. I had such a great time. Looks like my food is going to make it to the food network. I met lots of great people. Tasted great food, but most of all had a fabulous day with my niece. Jenna and her bo(He’s a chef) are the next generation of foodies and it was introducing me to new people and telling me about all the people that she knew in the industry. It was really fun to see.

It was just a great time, everyone.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Gabriel turns 7

Mar 212011
 
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This picture was taken the last 10 minutes Gabriel was six years old. Never again will he be 6. I check on him every night before I go to bed. Where has the time gone? Look at how peaceful he is? How did this happen so quickly? It is such a short time that they are in your care, but ohhh… what an important time it is.

I was so happy and scared out of my mind the first night that Gabriel  was home from the hospital. What I could of never predicted that first night I stared down at my sleeping child is how deep and bountiful the joy and love that would be coming to me these last seven years.

Gabriel’s birthday breakfast request was 8 slices of bacon and apple juice. No pancakes, no fruit, just bacon. I gladly made it for him. He is a great eater, so he can indulge today. He was silent through the entire breakfast. Just humming as he ate his beloved bacon.

We picked up Gabe’s buddy, Ben, for lunch and ice cream cones. Drew’s Eatery for soy ice cream by the scoop.  There was lots of discussion about jedi warriors, baseball, and things I know nothing about.

I could sit here and write to you all the reasons that I cook and prepare meals for my family and friends…
How I spend time teaching my son how to cook, so he can learn to feed himself in a healthy way someday…
How we learn about different cultures, math and science while we prepare our evenings meals…
How I share my own personal history and traditions every time I put a meal out for others to eat…
How when I cook a good meal families and friends come together to enjoy and will always remember…
How I have a more sustainable home because of choosing to cook from scratch…

But in the end, the real reason that I shop, prepare, and cook meals for my loved ones is for that moment. The moment when all chaos is tamed. When time is a little slower and we are sharing our meal together, sharing our day.
It is my way of slowing down time.

Pull up a chair and let me slow it down just a bit, Elizabeth

Sheep’s Milk Ricotta & Sausage Pizza

Mar 182011
 
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 Are any of you making your own pizza? Once I got my technique down, I find it easy to do. I make it healthier then the stuff I order. I can tailor each pizza to every one’s individual tastes and most importantly, I save sooo much money.

I typically make pizza when Gabriel has a friend over. I figure that a six year old will usually enjoy pizza that he can put all the toppings on himself versus the cassoulet or some other funky dish I have made. Gabriel is used to this, but most of his friends are not. He does have one friend, Paddy, that will try anything with gusto that I put in front of him. He then declares if he likes it or it is not really his style. He wins my heart every time. Gabriel can make his with his soy cheese and is just like his friend. I can not tell you how many “pizza parties” Gabe can not participate in because of his allergy to dairy. We are good at finding solutions, but I tell on his face it bugs him a little every time.

I am blessed to have a great local source for such a beautiful product. Sheep’s milk ricotta. It is the same source that I get pecorino romano(which is made from sheep’s milk as well). I came up with this pizza because it is the perfect way to show off these amazing ingredients. Every bite of this pizza is perfectly balanced. Feel free to buy ricotta at the grocery store for this, but make sure it is whole milk ricotta. It tastes so much better then the low fat or fat free versions. They are horrible tasting. Matter of fact, they are worse then horrible. Just don’t do it. You could also use Parmesan cheese instead of the romano. I have made my own pizza dough, but have also used Trader Joe’s brand of fresh dough.  Which ever works for you.

Serves 5
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage, mild or hot
  • 1 cup sheep’s milk ricotta
  • 1 cup pecorino romano, finely grated
  • 3 gloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 pound pizza dough, traditional or whole wheat
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces baby arugula, washed
  • 1 lemon, juice of
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • anchovy fillets, optional

  1. Put pizza stone on the middle rack of oven. Preheat oven to 500F.

  2. Remove sausage from casing and brown crumbles until cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Note: I like to have the mild sausage when I am having the more traditional crust. Everything is light and airy. When I chose the whole wheat crust, I like the hot sausage with it for more of a rustic taste. Your call. I like both.

  3. In a bowl, mix ricotta, pecorino romano, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

  4. I place the cup of cornmeal at the top of my work surface, so I can add it to my work surface easily. Divide dough into five equal parts. Generously flour work surface with cornmeal and roll out dough, rolling the cornmeal into the dough as you make it super thin. I go for a sorta circular shape and call it rustic. I can never seem to be able to make it circular, so rustic it is.

  5. On a upside down baking sheet, I place more cornmeal, then place on the rolled out dough. Now I start assembling. Ricotta mixture spread out over dough, then sausage crumbles and finish with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

  6. With the help of a spatula to guide you, your assembled dough should just slide right onto the stone in the oven. It takes about 3-5 minutes. I always look for that bottom of my pizza to be crispy and golden. I also like it when it gets a few brown edges. Pull it out when it looks just right to you.

  7. As the pizza is cooling a bit, (Okay, how many times have you gotten a upper mouth burn from trying to eat your pizza too soon?) mix your arugula with a squeeze of lemon, drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to your taste in a small bowl. Toss together and place on top of pizza.

  8. I enjoy putting an anchovy fillet on the top, but I am rare in my group of friends. Now my siblings would all ask for the anchovy… enjoy.

My friend, Elizabeth, is a fabulous cook and food blogger. She makes pizza for her husband, Larry, every Friday night. What a simple, comforting way to spend the evening. I hope to someday join them out in San Diego on one of their Friday nights. Meanwhile, I am starting my own traditions.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Happy Holidays to you all!

Dec 232010
 
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Happy Holidays everyone from my family to yours. It has been a great year and I have had so much fun sharing my food memories, recipes, and family with you all.

I am honored with your own stories that you have share with me.  I love all feedback. Thank you so much for the support.

I will be back posting in the New Year and I have a lot of ideas dancing in my head to share.

I also want to give a special “shout out” to Joe Hallissey that helped make my site a lot more manageable to view. I have no computer savvy and Joe has this great way of making it all make sense. He has been invaluable to me and I thank him. Everyone should have someone like Joe in their life.

http://joehallissey.com

http://joe.hallissey.me

He can help you with web design, online marketing, and social media strategy.

Most of all, I want to thank my family and friends who are my biggest supporters. Your belief in me means the world. Also, a special thanks and love to my father, Hans Schuler, for his support of my endeavors this last year.  My cup is overflowing.

Pull up a chair from all of my family, Elizabeth, Andrew, and Gabriel

Quick Drop Biscuits

Dec 202010
 
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Biscuits always have a place at the table. Everyone loves them, but people hardly ever have them. I wholeheartedly believe if people knew how fast and easy it was to make a drop biscuit, no one would ever buy that stuff in a can. The canned biscuit has this  metallic aftertaste to it that I can not bear as well.

They go with a variety of different food. I will serve biscuits for breakfast with sausage and gravy or eggs. I will serve biscuits at lunch with a brothy soup. I have served biscuits for afternoon tea with homemade preserves. I serve biscuits for dinner with any homey meat dish or summer salad.

Every time I place the biscuits on the table, I get the same reaction.” Ohhhh, homemade biscuits.” It sets the tone for the rest of the meal.  With my son’s allergy to dairy and eggs, I have switched it up a bit with vegan shortening and rice milk and no one is the wiser.  I will also make them with whole wheat pastry flour.

Gabriel loves them so much that one time when they were being passed around the table, he took three on his plate. We all laughed as I told him he had to put two of them back. He said, “But they will eat them all.”


Quick Drop Biscuits (Variation from Joy of Cooking)

Makes about 12

Preheat  oven 450F

1 3/4 cup sifted all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 t. salt
1 T. double acting baking powder
6 T. chilled butter or shortening
1 cup milk / rice or soy milk

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in a large bowl.
2. Cut butter or shortening into dry ingredients until the consistency of cornmeal.
3. Add milk and stir in gently. Only about 10 turns.
4. Drop biscuits on ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Variety in biscuits:  I have added roasted garlic and chives to the flour mixture before the milk is added. I have also added blue and cheddar cheese. Both are delicious.

Vegan shortening: I prefer Earth Balance sticks. It is a cholesterol-free shortening that works well in baking. I have used in pie dough as well.

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Pumpkin Ginger Scones (Vegan version)

Nov 232010
 

Scones… I have to admit that I have love/hate relationship with them. Oh, they look so appealing to me. Maybe it is because I know that they have tons of creme and butter in them. That usually gets me every time, but then I take a bite of a scone and they are just too dry and crumbly. Scones are just the wrong texture for me. Okay, I am admitting it. I love the idea of something made specifically made to go with the perfect cup of coffee or tea. Something of substance that I can even dip in my mug. So I set out to create a scone that I would love to eat.

My son’s food allergies has definitely pushed me to work with different ingredients and strive for food that is something everyone will want to eat.  The delightful surprise is the delicious food that is usually a great deal healthier. I just think about it is just one more way that my son has pushed me in a direction that I had not expected, but with a joyful outcome since he has entered the world.

So for this holiday of thanks, I offer up a cake like scone in honor of my delight, my son, Gabriel.

Makes 10-12 scones

Preheat oven to 425F

½ cup sugar
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 ½ bread flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
½ cup earth balance (vegan butter)
2 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Cut in butter with pastry cutter.
3. Add in ginger and pumpkin. Combine well.
4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead dough a few times.
5. Push into a circle or rectangle and cut pieces.
6. Place on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
7. Let cool completely before icing.

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon maple syrup
1-2 tablespoon rice or soy milk

1. Whisk together ingredients. Drizzle over scones.

Enjoy!

Pull up a chair, Elizabeth

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Feb 242010
 

Okay, okay, okay… I know whole wheat muffins are usually horrible, but I think that I found a recipe that I actually like and will make again. It started when I was reading Mark Bittman’s recipe for whole wheat muffins and my son said that he had never had a muffin in his entire life. I thought, of course, he hadn’t with severe dairy and egg allergies. Well, I converted Mark’s recipe to a vegan one, so my son could eat it.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (I use beet juice sugar, which drops the calories and glycemic index)
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 cup mashed or pureed banana, sweet potato, apple, zucchini, pear, etc.
1 1/2 t. egg replacer (available at Whole Foods)
1/2 cup + 2T. soy milk (vanilla)
2 T. vegetable oil

1. Mix dry ingredient first, then add wet. I used mashed pear for my fruit and a handful of blueberries tossed in flour after everything was mixed.
2. Baked for about 20 minutes at 375F.

This recipe made 14 cupcakes making every muffin about 100 calories, when I did the nutritional breakdown on it. Better yet, my son loved his first muffin. He actually requested I put some in his lunch box.

Fun with Bread Machines.

Sep 062009
 
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I can not tell you what made me first buy a bread machine, but I had my doubts. I knew that I did not want to spend a lot of money. I heard a lot of people say that they used it for a little while, then never used it again. So I went to Craig’s list and found a brand new one for $20. Yes, you heard me right, $20. I looked everyday for a week and a bride that had gotten a bread machine for a wedding present was willing to barter. She had never even opened the box. That was three years ago.

The fanciest thing that I make in the machine is the sticky cinnamon apple buns that are above. I make whole wheat bread, pumpernickel bread, oatmeal bread. The key is to use the book that comes with the machine. It will guide you through it all. They also sell cookbooks for breadmachines.
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I make hot dog and hamburger buns and save so much money. I went through a couple of 5 lbs. bags of bread flour for five dollars and decided to go for the fifty pound bag at Costco that sells for $15. I just put it in a new tall plastic garbage can that fits perfectly in my pantry. I also bought a huge bag of yeast for $3 at costco instead of the packets for approximently the same price from the grocery store. This brought my cost down per loaf of bread to about .25. Now I usually pay $2 to $4 per loaf in the grocery store. I love saving that kind of money, especially on a better fresher product.

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This grilled flat bread is pizza dough that has been brushed with chimichurri sauce before I put it on a hot grill pan. I make pizza all the time for my son and his friends. I let them make their own individual pizzas and it has proven to be a big hit. I love that it does not cost me a lot.

I just think that having homemade bread for your family and quests is something unexpected and special. The house fills with the wonderful smell of fresh baking bread and you feel cared for immediately. Consider pulling your machine out or buying one and you will not regret it. You will save money, have a better piece of bread, and it will not have to make that last minute run to the store for bread.

Note: On bread storage… fresh bread gets hard in a day. Whatever I do not use, I put in the freezer the day I bake it. It should not go in the fridge! If you want day old bread for certain dishes or to dry it out for bread crumbs, it should be done at room tempurature.

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