Fresh Fig Bruschetta

Let’s talk about simplicity. It can be used to describe so many different facets of life and it’s something I strive for in almost each and every one of them. Simplicity in the way I dress, the overall design and aesthetic of my home, my weekly schedule, and even in my morning routine.

Cheesy Zucchini and Red Onion Flatbread

A weird thing happens when you become involved in the catering business.  You begin to hate, detest, even loathe your own food.  After week in and week out of making the same things over and over, the monotony of it all starts to get to you.  Tasting the same flavors, sniffing the same smells- it can become almost unbearable.  There was a time when I truly felt that if I had to look at even one more crab cake or caramel bar, I might just lose it.

Luckily for me, I’ve been out of the catering grind for almost a year and a half now, and oddly enough, I’ve been finding myself craving some of those dishes that I at one point used to abhor.  Crab cakes are once again becoming desirable.  I enjoyed making that batch of caramel bars a few weeks ago.  As of last week, I even succumbed to my craving for Cheesy Zucchini and Red Onion Flatbread.

Vote For Me!

As was stated, and made rather obvious in my last post, I entered Stonewall Kitchen's Mustard Recipe Contest with my original recipe for Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna on Crispy Rice.  Well, as luck would have it, I have been named a finalist!  But I need your help to win!  Unlike most recipe contests, the judgement here is left up to the general public.  Facebook "likes", Pinterest "repins", "likes" and "comments" and "comments" left on Stonewall Kitchen's blog will be tallied to determine the top 3 contestants.  So although my mother, my boyfriend and I might all think that my recipe is a worthy winner, it's not entirely up to us.  Those three votes will certainly not go to waste, but a vote from you will make my chances of being inducted into the top three that much more likely!

I want this win.  I need this win.  And more importantly, I don't like to lose.  So, please, help a girl out.  Follow the instructions below and vote for my Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna on Crispy Rice.  You can choose one of three ways to vote, or if you really like me, perhaps you'll vote using all three avenues.  I promise it won't be time consuming, and you have until May 25th to do so.  Don't let me down- I'm counting on you!

Vote for Karlie's Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna on Crispy Rice

1. Go to the Stonewall Kitchen Facebook page, navigate to the left hand side where it says "Mustard Recipe Contest Finalist", select the beautiful photo of my Wasabi Seared Tuna and simply click "like"!

2. Go to the Stonewall Kitchen Pinterest page, where they have created a board specifically for the finalists titled "Finalist Stonewall Kitchen Mustard Recipe Contest", select the photo of my Seared Tuna, and either "repin", "like" or make a "comment".  Again, if you really like me, perhaps you'll do all three...

3. Go to Stonewall Kitchen's blog where they have posted all 11 finalists.  At the end of the post, make a comment about my Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna on Crispy Rice.  You can say things like, "The Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna is the clear winner in my book!", or "I think the Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna makes the best use of Stonewall Kitchen's mustard products", or even something as simple as "That Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna looks yummy!"

It's that easy!  So really there is no reason why you shouldn't vote for me... right?  If my instructions aren't easy enough to follow for you, click on the Stonewall Kitchen button below for further directions.

Thanks in advance for your vote!

Wasabi Mustard Seared Tuna on Crispy Rice

It's almost summer time, and the heat is nearly upon us.  I understand that not all of you live in the Phoenix area, so perhaps you can't relate quite yet (we've already hit temperatures of over 100º F), but it will be here soon enough for the rest of you- this I know.  The warmer months always bring about cravings that have been hibernating throughout the winter, unknowingly triggered by that first crank of the AC.  I don't think it's uncommon to frequently yearn for a double scoop of strawberry ice cream, a refreshing cocktail or ceviche during the summer time, just like it's not uncommon to indulge in soups, stews and roasts when it's cooler outside.

So when I was challenged by Stonewall Kitchen (an innovative retailer of incredibly yummy sauces/jams/chutneys/mixes/marinades... you get the idea) to create a recipe inspired by one of their mustards, I pretty much knew that I wanted to create something that could be enjoyed when it was inhumanely hot outside.

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

I’ve learned that I need to start prepping for certain holidays weeks in advance for the benefit of this blog.  I would love to feature a dish that would shine during a particular time of year.  I’ve attempted this in the past, but failed rather miserably.  My Christmas Croquembouche was posted Christmas Eve, which didn’t allow near enough time for someone to make their own croquembouche for a Christmas festivity, had they wanted to.   I had planned on making rosy pink macarons for Valentine’s Day… which, as I’m sure you can tell, I did not.   Furthermore, this featured ooey gooey, cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Dip was intended for Super Bowl Sunday.   And if I’m not mistaken, I believe it is now March. Only a month past due.

I can’t beat myself up too much, I guess.   I’ve never been one to be punctual- and you can forget expecting me to be ahead of schedule.   I’d also like to mention that I’m superb at procrastinating or pushing things aside.   Nevertheless, I’m determined to get better.  There is always room for improvement and that’s what I like to think of this blog as: my own personal log of self-advancement. It’s a diary for my growth as an individual.  A place where I can share my thoughts and the current events of my life, as well as tracking the progress I’ve made over time.

For instance, wouldn’t you agree that I’ve improved vastly on my photography skills?   You only need compare my current photos from this post or perhaps this one to the posts when I first began this little blog, with Chicken Milanese or Summer Peach Cupcakes.  I’d also like to think my skills in the kitchen have improved as well.  That’s why I sometimes select recipes that might be a little too involved or over complicated.  I think it’s fun challenging myself to learn a new technique.

So maybe in time for Easter this year I will have posted a stunning leg of lamb recipe for you all to try out in time to serve on Easter Sunday.  After all, recognizing the problem is the first step to self-improvement.

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients:

4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup low fat sour cream

1/4 cup light mayonnaise (preferably Hellman's)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided

1 cup jarred pizza sauce

2-3 oz pepperoni slices (I used a mix of regular and mini- the mini slices are just so cute!)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green pepper

2 tbsp sliced black olives

1/4 cup sliced button mushrooms

1 crusty French baguette

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan together in a small bowl, and spread it evenly across the bottom of a 9" pie pan.

2. Spread the pizza sauce on top then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.  Top with the pepperoni slices, green pepper, black olives and mushrooms.

3. Bake until the cheese is melted, bubbling and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.  Serve with a sliced baguette. Enjoy!

Serves 6-8 (or in my case, just Jon and I :-)

Citrus Marinated Olives- Via Tempe, Arizona

I know what you've been thinking.  Where is she?  Where has she gone?  I know, too, that you've missed me dearly, assuming only that I had abandoned this blog without even so much as a warning or farewell.  Well, that is simply not the case.  I never had the intention of ignoring my small audience of Crumbs followers, and I can only assume that I have pushed some of you away.  But sometimes "life" happens.  It steps in and throws you a curve ball or two, interrupting plans, routines and the way of living one has become accustomed to.  That is certainly what has happened to me.  Luckily, my curve balls have been blessings.  Life, standing unannounced on that pitcher's mound, has thrown me some well deserved (or at least I'd like to think so) opportunities and happiness.

Since my last post (NINE MONTHS AGO!!), I've started a "promising" job, purchased a puppy, fallen in love, quit that job once believed to be promising and moved 1,000 miles away from Dallas to my new home in Tempe, Arizona.  As you can see, I've been a little preoccupied with adjusting to some new life changes.  In the beginning, I was determined to continue with this blog, even expand on it.  All too soon, however, writing a new blog post just became one more thing on my much too long To Do List.  I was feeling stressed, pressured even.  When am I going to find the time to write on my blog?!  Weeks passed and the time that had lapsed became overwhelming.  I felt like a failure.  Why had I let so much time go by without posting to Culinary Crumbs?  The answer: there was simply too much going on in my life at the time.  60+ hour work weeks, taking care of a whimpering puppy at all hours of the night, traveling back and forth from Dallas to Phoenix... I had to consign to the fact that, for the time being, my blog would have to be placed on the back burner until I had figured out how to juggle all the new aspects of my life.

Well I think that time has come.  I'm still trying to find my groove here in Arizona, but maintaining this blog is going to be part of my new routine.  This blog makes me happy and it has become a project that I truly enjoy.  So why would I want to give that up completely?  Before I fill you in on my plans for the future of this blog, let's take a step back in time so I can spill the dirty details on the last 9 months of my life...

2011 started off with a bang.  At the end of January, I started a new gig working as the Web Manager for an upscale jewelry company based at NorthPark Mall in Dallas.  I had every ounce of energy and creativity sucked out of me over the course of the next 6 months; being ruled over by an evil, bipolar dictator.  However, I somehow managed to find time to raise a delightful, albeit delinquent, puppy, Dexter.

Now, how cute is he?  I wish he still looked like that.  I wish he was still that tiny.  I wish he was simply small enough to take for a leisurely stroll.  You'd be surprised at how strong and how much power an 85 pound puppy can muster up.  At 10 months old, my not so tiny puppy has more energy than I know what to do with sometimes.  He tests my patience and keeps me on my toes on a daily basis, but it's hard to stay angry at something as cute as he is.

Job, puppy... oh, yes.  Boyfriend.  Jonathon and I met on a ski trip sponsored by a mutual friend.  Jessie, a close friend of mine since middle school, had gone to college at Arizona State with Jon and invited a large group of friends from both Plano and Arizona to spend a weekend at her family's house in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  I guess our romance could be summed up with "love at first sight."  I knew almost immediately that this guy was someone special.

Over the next 6 months, Jon and I traveled back and forth from Dallas to Phoenix, and vise versa, visiting each other and getting to know one another.  We opened up Southwest Airlines credit cards and committed to making the long distance thing work for as long as we could.  But, and I'm sure anyone who has been in a long distance relationship can attest, a weekend together here, and weekend together there, can't quite make up for all those weeks and weekends in between spent apart.

So, with the support of family and friends (along with the disapproval from a few others) I packed up my belongings into boxes (a vast majority of them being labeled "kitchen stuff"), crammed them into a Uhaul and drove the 1,000 plus miles from Plano to Tempe, Arizona in mid-August.  I've since settled in, found a temporary job and rediscovered my need to blog.

And so here we are.  At the present.  It's taken me so long to get this blog back up and running but I'm determined to keep it going this time around.  I've learned that it's all about the baby steps when trying to adjust to new surroundings and tackle a daunting To Do List.  Which is exactly why I've selected such an easy recipe to write about for my first time back from my blogging hiatus.  I knew that there would be a plethora of information I would want to share with you regarding my life.  And I knew that I would be a little rusty on the more technical aspects of blogging.  So in order to not overwhelm myself, I chose a simple recipe of marinated olives.  A visually stunning recipe, yes, but a breeze in the kitchen.  Exactly what I was looking for.

You see, I have a plan for this blog.  I plan on starting off somewhat slow: one post per week, with every week of each month being dedicated to a different category of recipes.  Restaurant inspired recipes, sugar centered recipes (ie: desserts, baked goods, perhaps an ice cream), health conscious recipes and, finally, a wild card (read: "whatever the hell I feel like making" recipe).  Of course, there will be some special posts correlating to holidays and travels, but this is the general formula I intend to follow.  Hold me to it, will you?

Citrus Marinated Olives

Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit, September 2011

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed oil-packed olives
1/2 orange, quartered, then thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
1 small red chile (I used two dried chiles, you could use a fresh Fresno chile, halved lengthwise)

Directions:
1. Place the olives in a medium sized bowl with the sliced oranges.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, coriander, bay leaves and red chile.  Cook until fragrant and garlic begins to brown, about 20 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and let steep for 1 hour.

3. Pour oil mixture over olives and stir to coat.  Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours or cover and chill up to 4 days.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 2 cups

Stuffed and Grilled Jalapeño Peppers

I have had my eye on the jalapeño grill rack from Sur La Table for quite awhile now, but never had a real reason to buy it- that is until last weekend. Making stuffed and grilled jalapeños part of my Father's Day Menu gave me the perfect excuse to go out and make the purchase. I love jalapeños. Fried, stuffed, sliced, pickled, on top of a taco, wrapped in bacon, puréed in salsa, you name it. I even have several jalapeño plants growing in my new garden in my backyard. I scoured online for different recipes, but never came across one that appealed to my liking. I knew exactly what I wanted from these particular jalapeños. I wanted a creamy cheese filling and plenty of smoke flavor. The grill would take part of the latter. All I had to do was come up with the perfect cheese filling, which I think I managed to come pretty close to. The beauty of cheese stuffed jalapeños though, however, is that any combination of cheeses can be substituted in this recipe to fit your own personal tastes. Give it a Spanish flair by adding Manchego or perhaps try goat cheese. The possibilities are endless really, just remember to pace yourself. 

Stuffed and Grilled Jalapeño Peppers

Ingredients:

18 large jalapeño peppers
6 oz cream cheese, softened
¾ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced green onions
1 clove garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste

Optional Add-ins:
cooked ground spicy sausage
chopped and sautéed bacon
1/2 cup corn kernels

Directions:

1. Cut ¼- inch off the top of each jalapeño; reserve the tops. Using a thin knife, small melon baller, or pepper corer, hollow out the centers of the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs; do not cut through the flesh.

2. Prepare a grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat.

3. In a bowl, stir together the cream cheese, Monterey jack, cheddar, green onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the center of each pepper with 1-2 tbsp of the cheese mixture, filling to within 1/8-inch from the top. Place the filled peppers upright in a jalapeño pepper roaster and set the tops back on the peppers.

4. Place the pepper roaster on the grill over indirect heat and cover the grill. Roast the peppers until they are tender and the cheese in melted, about 25-30 minutes.

5. Transfer the peppers to a platter and serve immediately.

Catering Menu Part 2

Ok, so I'm trying really hard to make additions to my so called catering menu, however, I only have two to add at the moment. I've actually been busy putting my current menu to work, as well as offering up some other dishes on the fly. Come to think of it, I don't believe I've left my kitchen in well over a week now. When I'm not busy making something for someone else, I'm most likely making something for myself or my family to indulge in. I've been doing some advance preparations for a little segment I'm doing for the holidays, "12 Days of Goodies", starting this Sunday, and counting down to Christmas Eve. So tune in December 13th for that! (A little preview: I'll be kicking it off by sharing my homemade marshmallows!) But back to my catering additions, I've got one sweet and one savory item, but both equally delicious.

Tomato-Cheddar Tartlets

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Catering Menu Part 1

Since moving back from New York a matter of weeks ago, I decided, somewhat on a whim, that the impending holidays provided a good opportunity for me to try my hand at catering. I mean, if I could perhaps score a couple bucks while doing what I love, well, I can't imagine anything much better than that. It would certainly beat the days that I served as an office drone, staring blankly into a computer screen for more hours than I care to admit. However, with those days behind me, I welcome the challenge. I've started working on a menu of appetizers and desserts, but of course I would never be willing to sell anything that hasn't been painstakingly tested and approved. I'm slowly, but surely, trying out new ideas and recipes, and will be making additions to my catering menu every week, so be sure to check back often! Below are the current items on offer, so if you live in the Dallas area, and need someone to help you throw a tasty soirée, please keep me in mind and feel free to contact me via email: karliesk@gmail.com

Chicken Marsala Bites

Cheesy Zucchini and Onion Flatbread

Spicy Cheddar Cheese Straws

Fig-Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizzettes

Beef and Gorgonzola Crostinis

Pesto Rubbed Steak Skewers with Blue Cheese Fondue

Mini Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Skewers

Chocolate-Espresso Caramel Bars

Mini Crab Cakes

I know that it seems my commitment to this blog has been lacking as of late, but moving half way across the country is hard work, not to mention time consuming! Trust me, I would much rather have been baking and blogging than packing and driving 1,500 miles in a cramped car. But the good news is that I'm back and ready to hit the ground running! I've got more time and resources at my disposal, including a much bigger kitchen and people to actually help me eat all the food I plan on cooking. My mom and dad will be serving as my taste testing guinea pigs for the upcoming months. (Yes, I have moved back in with my parents. Not my proudest moment, but what's a broke, unemployed person to do?)

I've officially been back in Texas for a week now (my, how I've missed this weather!) and close to being completely settled in. But I could no longer focus on unloading box after box (after box, after box...) because I was itching to get back in the kitchen! My mom had a couple friends over this week, so it was the perfect excuse to dig out my culinary gadgets from the dark abyss of moving boxes. It was also a good opportunity to start testing some appetizers I have in mind to make for one of my very best, and oldest friend's wedding shower I will be hosting come spring time. I pretty much planned out the entire menu within an hour of hearing about her engagement- I love a good reason to throw a party. But this party in particular has me more excited than usual because it's a wedding shower, meaning lots of fun and frilly finger foods and centerpieces.

However, the dilemma I face is this: I want the food to be impressive while remaining simplistic in the overall preparation. I want everything to be lovely and delicious, but I also want to enjoy myself at the party rather than fretting over the food. I already had crab cakes in mind when planning the shower's menu, so when I ran across this recipe for miniature crab cakes that are baked in batches, well, it seemed like the perfect solution to my simple yet impressive dilemma. And I have to say, I was extremely pleased with the results. The mini cakes were surprisingly crisp and crunchy on the outside, and had some nice citrus notes (a result from the combination of both orange and lemon peel). I actually think they were every bit as good as the full fat versions that are often fried in butter or oil, except these are sooo much easier to make! With (only) 6 months left to plan the wedding shower, this recipe has most definitely won a permanent place on the menu!

Mini Crab Cakes

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
8 ounces fresh lump crabmeat (picked over for pieces of shell) patted dry and shredded
1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans
Fresh chives, cuts into pieces for garnish

Directions:
1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus peels, 4 teaspoons chopped chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter 2 mini muffin pans. Toss Panko, 3/4 cup Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons chopped chives in a small bowl. Drizzle melted butter over Panko mixture, tossing with fork until evenly moistened. Press a spoonful of Panko mixture into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup, forming crust. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle about a 1/2 tablespoon of Panko mixture over each (some may be left over).

3. Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Run knife around each cake and gently lift out of pan. Arrange crab cakes on a serving platter and sprinkle with chive pieces. Serve with Remoulade Sauce (recipe follows).

Makes 24 mini crab cakes

Note: Crab mixture can be made 1 day ahead then covered and chilled. Crab cakes can be baked 2 hours prior to serving, then rewarmed on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.

Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups light mayo
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons creole mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
1. Stir together all the ingredients until well blended. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

Gougères

Gougères... how can I describe these? To the eye, they appear to be some kind of dinner roll, but once they are torn into, that resemblance disappears. The inside of a gougère (pronounced goo-jhair) is impossibly airy and light, yet rich and full of flavor. One might could call them portable souffles, but I guess that's kind of a stretch. Honestly, I only just heard of these for the first time a couple of months ago. Bon Appétit did an article on them last spring and the author described them in such an eloquent way and had such a beautiful story to explain her love affair with them, that of course I just had to try them. She had discovered them in a small boulangerie while vacationing with her mom in the French countryside. They feasted on them daily while driving around and stopping off at all the local vineyards. I wish I could say my first experience with gougères had the same romantic appeal, unfortunately, that is not the case. Instead, my first time tasting one was at Artisanal, a well known French restaurant here in NYC. They were good- nothing to shout from the roof tops about, but still- they were delicate, with a crisp exterior and wispy center- the mark of a good gougère.

From my experience, making any type of edible item that is identified by a light and airy texture, requires lots of time and patience... and room for error. Well fear not my friends. Gougères are extremely easy to make, almost ridiculously so. It literally took all of 10 minutes to throw them together, and all of the ingredients, with the exception of the gruyere, I already had on hand. The process of making this rich, eggy dough (proper name: pâte à choux) may sound a little unusual, however, it's the same technique used to make profiteroles and eclairs. In fact, the only difference between a gougère and an eclair is that cheese (and a little salt and pepper) is added to the pâte à choux (pronounced shoe) at the very end. So feel free to follow the recipe below (eliminating the cheese) should you have the sudden urge to bake up a batch of homemade profiteroles. However, I prefer my pâte à choux on the savory side, shot through with a healthy helping of gruyere.

Classic Gougères

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

Ingredients:
1 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
4 large eggs, chilled
1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Position one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring 1 cup water, butter, and salt to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking until butter melts. Add flour; stir rapidly with wooden spoon until flour absorbs liquid and forms a ball, pulling away from the sides of the pan. Stir vigorously until film forms on bottom of pan and dough is no longer sticky, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat; cool dough 2 to 3 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in cheese and pepper.

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart. Using a damp fingertip, press down any peaks of dough.

Bake gougères until golden brown, about 30 minutes, reversing position of pans halfway through baking. Using a small, sharp knife, pry open 1 gougère to check for doneness (center should be slightly eggy and moist). Serve hot or warm. They can also be made 3 hours ahead and rewarmed in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen 1 1/2 inch gougères