In Honor of Deb {White Bean Soup}

I haven't cooked with my gals at I Heart Cooking Clubs in almost a year.  But when I found out about this special get together, I had to get back to it.

This week, IHCC is holding a virtual potluck in honor of Deb from Kahakai Kitchen.  Deb recently lost her mother, so we're all getting together to offer our support.

It's well known that Deb loves soup.  After reading Deb's tribute to her mother, I found out that her mom loved soup too.  So I chose to bring White Bean Soup from Rick Bayless topped with Mustard Croutons from Yotam Ottolenghi (which I've made before).

The soup was thick and creamy from the pureed beans.  Hot sauce was a nice finishing touch.
The recipe can be found HERE.  I used celery instead of celeriac, Louisiana Hot Sauce instead of a Mexican brand, and parsley instead of cilantro.

My condolences, Deb.

I Heart Cooking Clubs

Linking with:

Adios, Rick

It's our final round with Rick Bayless at I Heart Cooking Clubs.

Ending with dessert seemed fitting, especially since I don't think I tried a single Bayless dessert recipe.

That's Rick's Chocolate Birthday Cake.
Well, it was actually my chocolate birthday cake.  Rick didn't have any.

The Husband made this for me several weeks ago.  It was absolutely perfect for a chocolate lover like myself.  The cake was moist and the flavor hinted at Red Velvet Cake (I imagine due to the buttermilk).  The frosting was the bomb.  And I hardly ever say that.  It has chocolate AND coffee...my two favorite things to stuff down my face.

And you better believe I did.


Recap time.  Cue the sappy "looking back" music if needed.

Some of my favorites from Rick Bayless:

The Simplest Fried Beans.
Everyone in the house is just crazy for these beans.

Potatoes with Mexican Sausage (Papas y Chorizo).
The guys didn't care for this, but it's definitely in my top 3.  I could eat this for breakfast every day.

Lazy Salsa.
Could very well be the best salsa I've ever had.

Avocado Dressed Shrimp.
Such a perfect summer recipe.  Served chilled.  No cooking if you play your cards right.  And beautiful on the plate.  (Though it's kinda messy and may end up on your lap.)

Chicken In Mustard Sauce.
I didn't know Bayless cooked non-Mexican food, but I'm glad he does.

Quick-Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic (Camarones al Mojo de Ajo).
Mojo de Ajo is genius.

French Warm Goat Cheese Salad.
Crunchy exterior-creamy interior gets me every time.

Printer Friendly

Rick’s Favorite Chocolate Birthday Cake
from Rick & Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures by Rick Bayless

¼ c vegetable oil, plus a little extra for greasing pans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 c dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c flour plus extra for cake pans
a scant tsp baking soda
½ c cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
1 c hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 round 9” cake pans.

In a mixing bowl, combine the vegetable oil, melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat with mixer on med-high speed until homogeneous and fluffy.  Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.  With mixer on medium-low, scoop in 1/3 of the flour mixture. When mostly incorporated, add 1/3 of the buttermilk.  Continue with two more additions of flour mixture and buttermilk.  Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute more.  Remove bowl from mixer and pour hot coffee over batter.  Stir to combine.
Divide batter between the prepared pans.  Slide into the oven and bake until cakes have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (about 25 minutes).  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Then turn cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


For the frosting:
1 lb bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 ¼ c heavy cream
1/3 c corn syrup
¼ cup espresso, very strong coffee, or hot water

While cake is baking, place chocolate pieces in a food processor and chop with 1 sec pulses until no piece is larger than a pea (skip this step if using chocolate chips).  Place chocolate in a heat safe bowl.  In a small saucepan, combine the cream, corn syrup, and espresso, coffee, or hot water.  Heat over medium, stirring regularly until steaming.  Pour over the chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted.

Place in refrigerator and stir every 15 minutes until spreadable (about 1 ½ hours)

Use about ¼ of the frosting between the layers.  Then spread ½ of what is left on the sides and the rest on the top.

Featured at:

Also linking with:

IHCC: What's In Your Lunchbox?

When I was in school, what was on your lunchbox was usually more important than what was in it.

No one cared if mom had packed a thermos of soup or a bologna sandwich.  But God forbid you have an orange vinyl Ziggy "Munch"box

image from design crave

when E. T. was so very clearly the way to go.

I don't pack a lunch anymore.  Since I live just blocks away from work, I come home. When Fall hits, sometimes I even walk.  It's getting to be that time.

To all those brats who teased me about Ziggy...
How's that rushed burger on your lunch hour treating ya?

French Warm Goat Cheese Salad from Rick Bayless:
Fantastic!  We all loved this salad.  Of course, the goat cheese is the star.  Panko gives it an extra crunchy coating--which is an amazing contrast to the warm creamy interior.  The creaminess of the goat cheese also contrasts nicely with the dressing, which is tart...and made with things you probably have on hand.

* Make sure your goat cheese is super cold.  The way the recipe is written, you cut the disks, make the dressing, coat the disks in the bread crumbs, plate the salad, then broil the cheese.  Mine started to soften too much under the broiler.  I would  get your dressing and salad ready, keeping the goat cheese chilled.  Then, remove from the fridge and work with it (quickly).

I Heart Cooking Clubs is featuring "What's In Your Lunchbox?" recipes from Rick Bayless all week.


Printer Friendly

French Warm Goat Cheese Salad
from Rick & Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures by Rick Bayless

1 log goat cheese
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp French style mustard, smooth or coarse
1 tsp vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
salt
1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs
6 cups loosely packed young salad greens

Cut cold log of goat cheese into 8 disks.
Preheat broiler.

Combine 1/4 c oil, pepper, mustard, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small jar.  Lid and shake thoroughly.

In a small bowl, drizzle 1 Tbsp oil over the bread crumbs.  Use fingers to work oil evenly into crumbs.  Spread crumbs onto a plate.  Lay goat cheese disks in a single layer over the crumbs.  Sprinkle crumbs over the top.  One by one, pat crumbs into the disks on all sides, then lay disks on a baking sheet.

Place salad greens in a large bowl.  Shake the dressing again, then drizzle over greens (you may not need it all).  Toss to coat evenly.  Divide on four salad plates.

Set cheese under broiler.  Cook--watch very carefully and don't walk away--until crumbs are browned and cheese is soft (about 1 minute).  Use a spatula to turn cheese disks over.  Broil until browned.  Transfer two disks to each plate.