Cooking with Carli & Company

Banana-Walnut Protein Granola Bars

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 19:41:15 GMT

I don't know about y'all but I never was a big breakfast person (I know, I know, horrible for you). My parents were never big into breakfast themselves so as I got older I just naturally fell into the same bucket of non-breakfast eaters. For me breakfast is a cup of coffee (which I will likely only drink 3 sips of then dispose) and a string cheese.

As I scarfing down my lunch at 10am one day, I really thought I should make a more concerted effort to eat something satisfying in the morning so my snacking habits do not get the best of me (which let's be honest they still do, but hey once a snacker always a snacker). I thought about granola bars but wanted something with a little protein to be able to provide substance to the granola bar. I tested out a couple different variations of this recipe but let me tell you, once you make you will look forward to having one of these at any time during your day!

PRO TIPS:

This recipe can be made a bunch of different ways. Try removing the banana (you will need to add a couple tablespoons more of milk to hold the mix together) if you aren't a fan, incorporate dried fruits (my first batch of dried cherries + walnuts were fire!), switch out the walnuts for pumpkin seeds, almonds, etc or add chocolate chips. The granola bar base is your oyster!
I prefer to use maple syrup in these bars as they tend to make them less sweet, but you can use honey. My FAV new syrup is anything from Runamok , it's worth it for the price.

You will want a ripe banana and when smashing your banana I just use a good ol' fashion fork to get it into small chunks (about pea sized, if you have a couple bigger chunks that's OK!).
Another swap you can make is if you wish to use a milk alternative for the mixture, just use what you like and you do you!
I use vanilla bean paste in all of my baking, I think it just heightens the flavor that much more. If you do too I would use slightly less paste than you would a typical extract.
Let the bars cool before cutting, but not too long otherwise they will crumble (don't you love this part of recipes, like what the heck does that mean?). These also last really well in the fridge for up to a week!

RECIPE:

Serving Size: Approximately 8 bars (sized 4x1)

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup protein powder, vanilla recommended (but I have used chocolate and it is just as delicious)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup almond butter (peanut butter or any other nut butter works too!)
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup maple syrup ( Runamok ) or honey
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F positioning a rack in on the lower middle position. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, protein powder, walnuts, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine.
In another bowl, mash up the banana. Add in the almond butter, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.
Pour wet mixture into the bowl of the dry ingredients. Fold ingredients until full combined. Scrape the batter (I suggest using a rubber spatula for this) into a greased baking pan. Grab a sheet of parchment paper (if none available can just press down with your hands) and press the mixture evenly into pan, using a firm pressure to compress the bars into the desired thickness.
Bake 15 - 18 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown and the center is still soft. Let cool in pan and slice the bars. Snack and enjoy!

Chopped Veggie Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:41:41 GMT

Hey y'all! It's been a minute (life, right?!?) but I am back with one of my favveee salads. This is a take on a salad I learned while I was a link cook and is the perfect substitute to get your veggies in while doing away with the boring old romaine salads (no offense to you romaine, we just need a little variety in our life).

This salad can be modified to substitute any of the veggies for what you have in your fridge (for example radish is a great addition, for you radish fans), you make it your own as the piece de la resistance is the dressing. Dressings can be so easy, and this green goddess incorporated into the salad is the perfect tang to round out the earthiness of your veggies.

PRO TIPS:

Like with most of my recipes which involve corn, always go for the sweet corn if incorporating into your salad.
When blanching multiple vegetables the most efficient way to not have to throw out all your water each time is to get a fine mesh strainer and let that sit in the boiling water (as pictured below). This way you don't have any rogue floaters in your water when you blanch your next veggie (or you can always try to scoop them out though I find that way more time consuming, but you do you!).

Make sure to have a bowl of ice water with ice setup to shock your veggies after boiling them so they don't overcook!
For the cucumber, if you got an English/hot house cucumber you do not need to remove the seeds. If you opted for another type of cucumber you will want to cut the cucumber in quarters, then slide your knife down the center to remove the seeds.
Prior to mixing in your dressing, ALWAYS salt and pepper your lettuce/veggies. This is what makes salads so good when you go out to eat is not only there flavor in the dressing but the salad base also has s + p to balance everything out.
Be generous with this dressing, I am normally a light dressing kind of person but these veggies can use all the dressing to really elevate this into a luxe salad!

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 1 hungry person

2 cups colored cauliflower
1/3 cup snap peas, chopped
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup English cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup sweet corn
1/4 cup diced peeled carrots
2 Tbsp feta cheese
Salt + pepper

Green Goddess Dressing

Get a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
Blanch and shock both the snap peas and the colored cauliflower (I recommend doing the snap peas first as the cauliflower may discolor your water a bit). The cauliflower will take about 1 - 3 minutes to cook (depending on the size) the snap peas about 30 seconds - 1 minute. After par-cooking put the vegetables in the ice water to cool completely. Once you remove, lay on towels to fully dry out the veggies.
Slice/chop your remaining vegetables. For those chopped you are aiming for about 1/2 inch pieces. For the corn just cut off the cob fresh.
Place all the veggies in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add in as much dressing as you dang well please and plate.
Sprinkle with the feta cheese and enjoy!

Green Goddess Dressing

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 16:24:37 GMT

I know, I know, why make a salad dressing when buying it is so much more efficient? Well this dressing can double as a dip for a crudité plate/charcuterie platter/bread + butter board/whatever you dang well want to dip into it. AND because it's not loaded up with preservatives it tastes just that much better.

PRO TIPS:

Typically the dressing calls for lemon juice, which I did not have so I subbed with some key lime juice I had on hand and boy was it delish (though lemon juice is just fine too!).
No need to thoroughly chop the herbs before you put them in the blender, just a rough chop works out perfectly!

Make sure to have a bowl of ice water with ice setup to shock your veggies after boiling them so they don't overcook!
For the cucumber, if you got an English/hot house cucumber you do not need to remove the seeds. If you opted for another type of cucumber you will want to cut the cucumber in quarters, then slide your knife down the center to remove the seeds.
Prior to mixing in your dressing, ALWAYS salt and pepper your lettuce/veggies. This is what makes salads so good when you go out to eat is not only there flavor in the dressing but the salad base also has s + p to balance everything out.
Be generous with this dressing, I am normally a light dressing kind of person but these veggies can use all the dressing to really elevate this into a luxe salad!

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 3 cups

1 garlic clove
3/4 cup mayo
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parsley
1/4 cup tarragon
3 Tbsp chives
2 Tbsp key lime juice
Salt + pepper

Roughly chip the garlic and the herbs.
Place a ll ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.

Elote-Style Dip

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Tue, 09 May 2023 18:02:07 GMT

It's summertime, which means grilling season is upon us (and really that's mostly because our temperatures in the southwest are rising and nobody has time for being in a hot kitchen, standing over an oven, blasting warm oven air into your already warm home). This is my go-to summertime snack as it hits each flavor element -- salty, sweet, spicy, lime-y and downright delicious. I even made this for my mother who swears she is not a 'corn fan' and she couldn't stop eating it!

This is a version of The Defined Dish's mexican-style street corn dip , but with some flair to make this more true to an elote (and who doesn't love mayo...I mean plenty of people, but not around my household).

PRO TIPS:

Use sweet corn! REPEAT, use sweet corn! What's so great about this dip is the surprising sweetness of the corn to balance the salt.
Roast your corn and poblanos on your grill. You want a good char on them but avoid too much burn. Don't have a grill, no problem! You can roast these in your oven on broil but make sure you are like a hawk watching them to avoid burning them.

Not pictured: after roasting your poblanos, place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam (about 10 min). This will help the skin pull away from the meat allowing an easier time to remove the skin.

After mixing everything together you can serve immediately, but I have found for best flavor let the dip refrigerate for at least a couple hours (I have even done it overnight and served the next day!).
Top with chopped cilantro + queso fresco. Personally, I load up on the queso fresco but you do you.

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 4 - 5 people

4 ears of sweet corn, shucked + husked (remove husks + clean thoroughly)
1 poblano, roasted, skins removed
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 - 2 cloves garlic (depending on garlic size + if you are fighting off any vampires), minced
1/2 tsp lime zest
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp chili powder (my favorite is Burlap & Barrel )
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled
Sprinkle of cayenne (optional)
Salt + pepper
Olive oil
Tortilla Chips for serving

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Generously brush each corn with some olive oil then season with salt + pepper. Place the corn and poblano on the grill, and roast about 2 minutes per side (or until a char appears). You may need to take the corn off the grill and turn it up a little higher to roast the poblanos, but do what you need to find a good char.
Set the corn aside to cool. Place the poblano in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the poblano steam for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the skin.
Once the corn is cool, using a knife, carefully remove the kernels from the husk. Chop up the poblano.
In a large bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne, 1/2 the queso fresco and stir to combine.
Add the corn into the sauce and stir until it is well coated. Add in salt + pepper to taste.
Sprinkle with cilantro and the remaining queso fresco, serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Scones

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:27:26 GMT

What is it about a scone that makes you feel just a bit fancier? Possibly it's how delicate they are or how their history can be traced back to the 1500s as component of a cream tea. But anyways, there is just something so light and refreshing about them.

I was inspired to make this recipe are perusing a cookbook published in the '60s which is from my Granny's house. So thank you to the great Fannie Merritt Farmer and the Boston Cooking School Cookbook for the foundational recipe, now let's add our fun to it!

PRO TIPS:

Since I wanted this to have a little sweetness (and was craving chocolate) I added in some chopped Pike Place Espresso chocolate from Seattle Chocolate . Not only is this chocolate AMAZING, their mission and inspirational quotes throughout the packaging is just everything.

To keep the scones thicker just roll out the dough a little less, you may need to cook 1 - 2 extra minutes.
These scones are made in a generation of non-overly sweetened pastries so if you want to elevate the flavors, serve with some jam (homemade is my jam) or slater in butter (everything is better with butter!) to give the scone a little extra sweetness.
Also, the recipe below is written as it did in the recipe book, and I love it!

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 10 - 12 scones

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and sift into a mixing bowl

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Using finger tips, a pastry mixer or a fork, work in

4 Tbsp butter

Into another bowl, break

2 eggs

Reserve a small amount of the egg white for the topping. Beat the rest and add to the flour mixture with

1/2 cup cream or milk

Add a little more cream or milk if needed to make the dough just firm enough to handle but still work. Turn onto a floured board and knead 1/2 minutes. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll into an oblong about 3/4 inch thick. Cut in diamonds by making diagonal cuts with a long sharp knife. Brust with the reserved egg white diluted with

1 tsp water

Sprinkle with

Coarse sugar

Bake 15 minutes at 450.

Go-To Grilled Chicken

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 19:03:53 GMT

There are just some things that remind us of home and for me it is roasted chicken on Sundays. It's a running joke in our family ("Oh it's Sunday, Dad must be making chicken for dinner") but in all honesty making chicken on Sunday is great as then you may have some leftovers for the rest of the week.

This go-to marinade makes the most moist (say that 10x fast) and flavorful chicken. What's great is you can make the marinade early in the day then just let it sit for as long as you need (even overnight if you wanted).

PRO TIPS:

Invest in good spices! I can not say this enough, but investing in spices makes all the difference. My favorite are from Burlap & Barrel (not to mention their higher mission of supporting smallholder farms and redefining sustainability).

The recipe calls for pieces of chicken, but you can use this marinade on a whole chicken just the same (just rotate the chicken throughout the marinade process to ensure equal distribution).

When we grill the chicken we do the 'beer can' method by standing the chicken on a beer can in the grill to help cook the chicken evenly from the inside out. If you have some extra lemon laying around, instead of making lemonade out of them, put them in the chicken to help evoke more flavor.

Keep your grill low and slow as this chicken will take up all the time to get a crunchy crust and moist meat.

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 10 to 12 servings

1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dried oregano
3 Tbsp sweet paprika
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp thyme leaves
Salt + pepper
1 can light beer
1/2 lemon, sliced
Whole chicken (or chicken in parts)

In a bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, paprika, chile powder, curry, thyme and a couple tablespoons of salt. Arrange your chicken in a bowl or shallow dish and pour the marinade over the chicken, rubbing it all over the birds. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat your grill to medium-low with only the outside burners on and the inside burners off.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and set the marinade aside (do not throw away).
Pour out at least a quarter of the beer and place the chicken on top of the open side of the beer. Transfer the chicken to the center of the grill and close the lid.
The chicken will take approximately 1 hour on the grill (depending on your chicken size and grill heat) but I would temp your chicken at that hour to see if it is at 160 (the chicken will continue cooking off the grill, your desired final temp should be 165).
Remove from the grill and let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.
Serve with a chimichurri to spice things up!

Gorgonzola, Caramelized Onion and Thyme Quiche

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 21:51:07 GMT

I don't know about y'all but I did not discover the delicousness of quiche until I was in college. Maybe it was the affordability of the dish or the fact my BFF college/post-college roommate made a killer quiche for us to survive off of. But geez, do I feel like I missed out on something good.

In walks in an elevated version of a quiche to really take this dish to the next level (though don't get me wrong, I won't turn down my BFF Tiffany's quiche any day!).

PRO TIPS:

A lot of this dish is about the crust, be careful not to overwork and you want the butter/dough to be nice and cold.

Don't have pie weights? Use beans or rice to par-bake the dough and throw back into a container after use (you'll see I used both below.

Caramelized onions can be a fickle thing but what you want is to cook the onions low and slow so they release their sugars allowing them to do just that, caramelize. A trick of the trade is to add a little water (1 tsp - 1 Tbsp at a time) if you notice certain onions getting browner than others as this will help distribute the fat in the pan allowing even cooking.
Sub out the ingredients if you wish (goat cheese for blue cheese, add bacon, remove the thyme, the sky is the limit) as what is beautiful about quiche is it adapts well to whatever you fancy.
I will warn this recipe is on the smaller side for the filling, so if you wanted more eggy-goodness add a couple eggs with a splash more of milk and heavy cream.

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 8 servings

1 recipe Flaky Pastry Crust

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 medium sweet onion, cut into thin slices
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt + pepper

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously flour a work surface (I used parchment paper) and place chilled dough disk on the flour. Dust the top of the dough and rolling pin with flour.
Roll dough, turning and flipping the dough until rolled out into a circle and it measures about 14 inches wide.
Once rolled out, starting at one edge roll the dough around the rolling pin and lay it gently into your pan. Unroll the dough and adjust as need so dough circle is centered over the pan. Carefully lift the edges of the dough and allow it to fall into the pan, pressing the dough gently into the corners. Trim excess dough flush to the top of the pan, reserving excess dough. Chill unbaked crust for at least 30 minutes before baking.
To bake the quiche crust, line the chilled crust with aluminum foil pressing the foil firmly into the corners. Fill the pan with pie weights and bake the shell for 20 to 25 minutes. You will want the foil to pull easily away from the dough.
Remove the pan from the oven and carefully life out the foil (and weights) from the shell.
Return the pan to the oven and continue baking the crust for another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and check for cracks in the crust. Patch cracks as needed with a small amount of reserved dough.
Return the pan to the oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until crust is golden brown. Transfer pan to a rack and cool the crust slightly.

For the quiche filling:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Caramelize onions, heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are deep golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Take onions off the heat and allow to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper.
In the baked crust, scatter half the onion, half the crumbled cheese and thyme leaves. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the crust, gently stir evenly to distribute. Scatter the remaining onion and cheese in areas to keep filling ingredients as equal as possible.
Set the quiche on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a pairing knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let quiche cool for 10 minutes and serve warm, or allow quiche to cool completely and serve at room temperature.
Slice up the quiche and serve with a simple salad or crispy hashbrowns (or both!).

Flaky Pastry Crust

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:10:01 GMT

There is just something so special about a crust. Whether it's pizza, pie or beef wellington, the crust is the part I look most forward to as the vessel to carry all the deliciousness you are about to enjoy. What's amazing is that making a crust is not hard, which begs me to wonder why for years I was buying pre-made pie crusts (other than for the time-saving piece ooorrrr the fact I was a broke/recently graduated college student and pot pie was what my roommates and I could afford when we wanted to have a homemade meal). Anyways, this crust recipe can be used to make savory pies, sweet tarts or anything you need to crust (this would be what Michael Scott calls a 'win-win-win').

You can make this dough ahead of time, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to two days or freeze for one month.

PRO TIPS:

In an ideal world, you would have a pastry cutter to blend the flour + butter but since life is not always ideal, one or two forks work great as well and give you a chance to shape those forearm muscles.
You may have read recipes which say to use your fingers to rub the butter, while definitely do-able not what I would advise as the natural heat from your fingers will melt the butter leading to a not so flaky crust.

If you want to make this process quicker, you can make the dough in the food processor by placing the four and cold butter in the processor bowl and pulsing to cut the butter into the flour. Then transfer to a large mixing bowl and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
After mixing in the water, to test the dough pick up about 1/4 cup and test for moisture. If clumps hold transfer to a work surface and continue adding tablespoons of ice water and stirring.
Be careful not to overwork your dough as this could not only melt the butter but make a really dense crust.

RECIPE:

Yield: 1, 9" pie crust

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 to 1/3 cup ice water

Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Using a pastry cutter (or a fork), cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are the size of peas.
Sprinkle ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, over the flour mixture. Stir and fluff the flour mixture with a fork until shaggy clumps form.
Test your dough for its moisture level.
Gather the clumps of dough together on a work surface. If the butter feels soft, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 min before proceeding. If the butter still feels cold, knead the dough gently 4 or 5 times. If the dough falls apart return it to the mixing bowl and sprinkle teaspoons of ice water and mix with a fork until dough holds together when squeezed.
Flatten the dough into a disk about 6-inches wide, cover tight in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Restaurant-Style Spinach & Artichoke Dip

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:38:16 GMT

Is there ever a bad time for spinach artichoke dip? Per my husband, that's a no as he sings 'when I dip, you dip, we dip'. Spinach artichoke dip in the winter, yes! Spinach artichoke dip in the summer, yes! Spring, fall, yes and yes. So the answer (in my humble opinion) is put your hand up on your hip and do the dip.

I have tried countless of spinach artichoke recipes and have never found how restaurants get it chunky but also creamy and easily dippable as well. Early sorry to my lactose-intolerant friends as this recipe has all the diary to keep it oozy and give it that massive cheese pull.

PRO TIPS:

There is only one this go around, after you sauté the items together and it has combined place 1/3 of the dip in your processor and blend. Mix it back into the dip to give some more dip body!

This is great with toasted bread, crackers, veggies, you own the board and do what you want (but live a little and throw some Lays or Ruffles, you and your guests will thank you).

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 4 cups (depending on how hungry you are 1 - 4 people)

1 Tbsp shallot, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1/2 pkg frozen artichoke hearts (approx. 4 oz.), thawed
1/2 bag of baby spinach
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 lb cream cheese
2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup jack cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Any accruements you want to serve your delicious dip with

Heat up olive oil over medium-low heat, sauté garlic and shallot in the pan.
Cut artichokes into quarters or smaller, add to pan.
Add in the spinach and cook down until all the moisture has released.
Add the cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream, keep stirring until everything is combined and melted.
When everything has melted, add the jack and parmesan cheese.
Cook on a low simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, constantly stirring so the bottom of the dip does not burn.
Take 1/4 of the dip and place in your food processor, mix it up until mixture is processed and doesn't have major chunks in the artichokes.
Place mixture back into the rest of the dip, stir until fully combined.
Serve hot or let cool and refrigerate until you are ready to get your dip on!

Burrata Caprese with Crispy Prosciutto + Croutons

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:12:13 GMT

Is it just me or could you also eat a caprese salad (pretty much) everyday? Just me, OK I will take it! I think caprese is the perfect salad to serve at a party with an Italian entrée or just roasted chicken since it has so many pure flavors it pairs well with a lot. OR just inhale after you teach Pure Barre in the morning for your lunch at 10:30 am, you do you!

This burrata caprese has a couple tricks up its sleeve to elevate the flavors and bring some different textures to the dish.

RECIPE TRICKS:

Swap out the boring fresh mozzarella (don't be mad at me mozz!) for some creamy burrata which adds a really luxurious taste to the dish.
The crispy prosciutto is a must!
After crisping up the prosciutto, use the same sheet pan + roasting rack to toast up your croutons (don't judge my sheet pans, they are welllll loved).

The best croutons are from sourdough bread or your local artisan's country loaf (my favorite is Noble Bread ).
Don't have a mason jar in your pantry left over from your grandma's Christmas preserves she gifted you to shake up the dressing, no problem, just use a Tupperware container (but make sure the top is on tight).
Just use a small clove of garlic for the dressing (also does it irk anyone else that recipes don't have the size of the garlic, not all garlic are created equal).
ENJOY!

RECIPE:

Serving Size: Approx. 1 - 4 people

1 ball burrata
1 heirloom tomato, thick slices
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 - 5 pieces of prosciutto
3 cups arugula
3 - 4 leaves of basil
1 1/2 cups thick-cut croutons
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (I use fig balsamic to add a little sweetness)
Salt + pepper (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 350 and lay your prosciutto out on a roasting rack.
Cook the prosciutto for about 12 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the prosciutto. After the prosciutto is crispy, remove and pop your bread on the roasting rack. Sprinkle bread with olive oil and salt, toast for about 10 minutes.
Start assembling your salad, s lice your tomatoes and red onions. Lay a couple tomato slices down on your plate and center your arugula, layer on a couple more slices of tomato and sprinkle with red onion.
Remove burrata from container and dry on paper towel so there is no excess moisture on the plate. Place your burrata in the center of the plate.
Roughly break up the prosciutto and scatter around your plate.
Mix your olive oil, vinegar, chopped garlic, salt + pepper into your container of choice, and shake it up.
Pour dressing on top of your salad and top with your croutons.
Tear apart the basil into chunks and sprinkle on top of your plate (if you want to be fancy, you can chiffonade your basil). Serve and dive in!

Julia Child's Mousseline au Chocolat

cookingwithcarliandco@gmail.com (Carli Anderson) — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 11:56:21 GMT

Welcome y'all! In full transparency this is a bit of a nerve-wrecking step but we are here, and what better way to start off Carli & Company's blogging journey than paying homage to one of the G.O.A.T.s

Julia Child.

This mousseline au chocolat (chocolate mousse) is to die for . Rich, creamy, decadent, glutinous, all the descriptors with a little hint of cognac and orange (compliments of our friend Grand Marnier). It's also a fairly easy recipe to make, so great for making ahead for a dinner party, holiday or just for yourself to look forward to at any point in your day (because you are a queen and can enjoy chocolate whenever you please).

A couple tips most recipes won't fill you in on which I will because we want to set you up for success (and it's what I learned in culinary school + working in professional kitchens).

PRO TIPS:

When putting the egg mixture over water (aka a double boiler) the level of water and heat (simmering vs. not-quite-simmering) depend on the bowl in which you have the egg mixture in. Use a glass bowl, you will want the water simmering as the thickness does not allow the heat to penetrate as quickly. Use a porcelain or stainless steel mixing bowl, you will want the water not-quite-simmering.
For a double boiler, you do not want the water to touch the bottom of the bowl as this could burn/scorch the bottom of your mixture.
After beating the egg mixture over the cold water, you will want the consistency to be thick like the consistency of mayonnaise (Julia said it, not I). But think homemade mayonnaise (a little thinner) since that is the way Julia would make it and not the overly-processed (although delicious) mayo we get in the stores today.

Overwhipping your egg whites is a thing. Below is a picture of egg whites whipped to soft peaks, stiff peaks will be able to stand up on their own after you pull your whisk out of the bowl.

Folding the whipped egg whites into your chocolate mixture is one of the most important parts of this recipe (that's what gives this mousse it's texture), DO NOT overfold. Just incorporate until you do not see any chunks of egg whites in your mixture.

After you fold you may see specks of white, that's OK!

Before chilling, scoop your mousse into the serving vessel you intend to serve it with. This way you won't disturb any of the mousse texture by transferring to/from different bowls.
Mix in a little extra Grand Marnier into your whipped cream to enhance the flavor!
ENJOY!

RECIPE:

Serving Size: 5 cups (approx. 6 - 8 people)

4 eggs (yolks + whites separated)
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp instant sugar (I used granulated, you will just need to warm longer in double boiler)
1/4 cup orange liqueur (Grand Marnier works great too!)
6 oz semisweet chocolate
4 Tbsp strong coffee
1 1/2 sticks softened unsalted butter
Salt

Beat the egg yolks + sugar together until the mixture is thick, pale yellow, and falls back upon itself forming a slowly dissolving ribbon.
Beat in the orange liqueur.
Set your egg mixture over your simmering/not-quite-simmering water and continue beating until the mixture is foamy and too hot for your finger (timing is dependent on what kind of bowl you are using, see PRO TIPS above).
Beat the egg mixture over cold water until the mix is cool and again forms the dissolving ribbon, it will have a consistency almost like mayonnaise.
Melt the chocolate with coffee over your simmering/not-quite-simmering water.
Remove from heat and beat in the butter a bit at a time to make a smooth cream.
Beat the chocolate into the egg mixture.
Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks are formed, sprinkle in the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
Stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture (can mix this well). Fold in the rest.
Scoop into serving dish, dessert cups or petits pots (I mean, how Julia right?). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make some lightly whipped cream (1 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla + 2 Tbsp of powdered sugar) and top the mousse before serving or allow your guests to serve themselves!