EATS! Belgian Waffles for Christmas Brunch...

Belgian Waffles

1 package active dry yeast, (.25 ounce)

¼ cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 egg yolks

2 ¾ cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

¾ cup butter, melted and cooled to

½ cup white sugar

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

3 egg whites

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the warm milk and the melted butter. Stir in the yeast mixture, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk alternately with the flour, ending with the flour. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks; fold into the batter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Preheat the waffle iron. Brush with oil and spoon about 1/2 cup (or as recommended by manufacturer) onto center of iron. Close the lid and bake until it stops steaming and the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately or keep warm in 200 degree oven.

After the hour in a warm spot you get somethin' looking like this...

And it smells like heaven and is light as air...

If it tells you anything, this bowl was less than half full when the hour began...

That's the original recipe up above, but I find in my Belgian waffle maker (deeper than a regular waffle iron), I use a full cup of batter at least...

and...

Tah DAHHHHHH!

Usually we have our ducks in a row and have some fresh whipped cream and strawberries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. But trust me when I say, these'll do. These'll do.

Just do NOT forget the Vermont maple syrup. REAL. and good butter. REAL.

Yay for waffles!

A Snowy Christmas Morn.

The many faces of Christmas morning:

intent focus

slight impatience

mild confusion

moderate confusion

mild frustration

intense frustration

and finally...

simple satisfaction

a h h .

Happy Holidays with love from our family to yours.

Fa La La la La...

So here's a little sneak peek...

Not winning any races for first tree up, but this big mother has taken some creativity on how to fill it up (our traditional tree is going downstairs with all of our family ornaments and the little train around the base).

Is "mother" acceptable when describing a Christmas tree?

Ah, well. Tis the season.

Will get some photos up when this big mother is done!

Merry Christmas all! Happy Holidays! YAY!

EATS! Shrimp Bisque. Oooo la la.

First snowfall this is what we make. My shrimp bisque. Please ignore the fat, ignore the alcohol (but you could just use a little more shrimp stock), and try this decadent soup.

Rich, warm, filling, and possibly a little intoxicating as I now read down the ingredient list.

Hee.

The canned soups, which I usually avoid, do give it more stability. Which is a good thing around this three ring circus. No worries on this breaking in the fridge after - it reheats beautifully!

Sourdough bread bowls courtesy of Panera, got to mention that. Hey. I'm not a masochist. the bisque is work enough. Just pinch out some bread to hollow slightly before toasting lightly in the oven. This soup makes people really happy. Promise.

Michelle's Shrimp Bisque

2 bags shrimp/crab boil

4 pounds deveined shrimp (can use peeled)

1 ½ tablespoons salt

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 stick butter

2 cups white wine

½ cup brandy

2 cans cream of celery soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 pints heavy cream

3 tablespoons tomato paste, more as needed

1 tablespoon dried chives

2 large bay leaves, whole

1 tablespoon dried parsley

ground white pepper, to taste

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

Boil 4 qts water with 2 bags crab boil, turn heat off. Add shrimp and let sit, subtracting a minute or two of cooking time. RESERVING 3-4 CUPS OF LIQUID, drain shrimp. Cool shrimp completely.

Meanwhile, melt butter in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot and saute onions and carrots over low until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes or more. Add garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and brandy. Boil 2 or more minutes, until alcohol is evaporated. RESERVING CREAM, add remaining ingredients, whisking until well combined. Remove from heat, Whisk in about 2 cups of reserved shrimp stock and return to low heat.

Peel the shrimp if necessary, then chop 1/2 the shrimp, adding the other 1/2 (whole shrimp) to the bisque. Remove and reserve bay leaves and blend the soup in batches until texture is as desired (bisque consistency). Blender stick is the way to go, but if necessary you can do batches in the blender.

Return to heat, add cream and remaining shrimp, return bay leaves and adjust seasoning. BE VERY careful not to let simmer or boil. If the consistency is too thick, add more cream or shrimp stock. Remove bay leaves right before serving.

Try it, you'll like it!

Into the Trees.

The trees are all but bare now; but wow, what a gorgeously phenomenal, exceptionally amazing, spectacularly fantastic fall we've had. Even after the leaves...well, leave, I love the trees in the Ozarks.

I feel neked without trees. I know what I said.

But that's a whole other can of worms, ya'll.

Hi Sophie-Jo. Best dog ever.

Mushrooms. I have a theory our small acreage is situated on the world's second largest organism - another fungi. They're bleedin'everywhere. We enjoy watching them come and go. Fairy magic, Greybee thinks.

I must concur. Her logic is infallible.

Hi Greybee Baby. Best baby ever.

Don't touch the mushrooms.

Hope all you Ozarkers enjoyed the leaves; hope all you transplanted Ozarkers enjoyed the photos.

EATS! Ham steak breakfast. Yummmm.

Ready? Okay. 

Fried ham steaks w/red eye gravy, butter grits, onion roasted potatoes, and buttermilk biscuits. Amen.

If you have a Southern bone in your body, anywhere, this will make your soul sing...

I couldn't decide on the angle, so I gave you both photos. 

I love food, can you tell?

Can you see the BUTTER melting on the grits? Its...its...its divine. 

Let's get cooking.

• Ham Steaks & Red Eye Gravy
• 2 large ham steaks, thick cut
• ½ medium onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup flour, heaping
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cups coffee
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped

In a large, hot cast-iron skillet add 2 T bacon grease. It should be starting to smoke, add ham and fry until nicely browned about 2-3 minutes, turning once. When fried, remove ham to a warm plate, tent with foil to keep warm. 

Add onions. When they've started to brown, toss in the butter and when melted, whisk in the flour. Whisk mixture until flour is toasty and just starting to brown (important for correct flavor). Whisk in coffee, stock, and sugar. Let reduce until desired consistency, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper and adjust to taste. This gravy is thinner than bacon or sausage gravy - more the consistency of a brown gravy.

Five minutes before serving, return ham, drizzle cream, and sprinkle with green onions. I serve the ham just like this, with a healthy sprinkle of black pepper, or you can whisk to combine (just not as pretty). Serve ladled over grits and fried potatoes.

Lordy.

When we're really going all-out, I make these bad boys:

• Buttermilk "Angel" Biscuits
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, can sub 2 c with cake flour for extra tenderness
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup shortening, chilled
• 1 package active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Pour some flour for sprinkling and flouring the biscuit cutter in a small bowl.

Sift together flour, sugar, soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in chiled shortening. VERY GENTLY add warm buttermilk and dissolved yeast. Store dough, covered, in the fridge until ready to use.

Gently roll out on a lightly floured surface or shape into balls--these do not need to rise. I use a HUGE biscuit cutter to make "cat's head" biscuits - a real treat, but mostly just use a large biscuit cutter (don't twist and use a sharp cutter for the best rise). Place on ungreased cookie sheet w/sides touching. Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Quickly brush with melted butter. Bake for 5-15 minutes more depending on size and appearance. Brush again with melted butter before serving. YUM.

Those are called "angel" or "bride's" biscuits because of the yeast-mixture addition. You can take those to the bank - they always turn out. I also love the added flavor and little extra oomph to the rise this gives them. They're so yummy.

But mostly - I make Pioneer baking mix biscuits - 3 cups Pioneer + 1 cup milk = instant fabulosity. I don't know anyone that would know they weren't from scratch. Just please. Please avoid Bisquick.  Whoever is in that factory dumping in the baking soda needs a swift kick in the ass. Just. Yuck.

Und now for the potatoes. My FAVORITE.  There's real magic in the combination of onion-roasted potatoes and red eye gravy. I don't claim to understand it; I just enjoy it.

Oven at 425 (I usually fudge it a little so I can do the biscuits and the potatoes together - just put the potatoes on the bottom rack, making sure there is plenty of space between the two cooking racks). 

• Onion Roasted Potatoes, Simple
• 2 pounds baby red potatoes, quartered
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 package Lipton onion soup mix
• black pepper, to taste

Toss ingredients together, roast in 425 degree oven about 30-35 minutes, turning once. 

I try to make sure the cut sides are down and there is plenty of seasoning on the bottom - crunchy and flavorful!

Also: if you're allergic or just opposed to MSG; or if you're just like me and sometimes run out of it - here's an easy alternative to Lipton's Onion Soup Mix:

8 teaspoons instant minced onion
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 teaspoons beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

I usually double this and give it one quick zing in the food processor to make it more powdery like Lipton's. If I'm feelin' frisky.

Frisky. Ha. Love that word.

And now for the ultimate Southern comfort food: butter grits. Please, if you're a Yank and you've never had anything but that mushy monstrosity called "instant grits", please DO YOURSELF A FAVOR and try these. Outside of the South, you may have to order them. Bob's Red Mill makes a good grind. The label reads, "polenta", as well. See note below.

Grits are a wondrous thing, but these are what they ARE NOT:

They are not instant. They take 30 minutes to cook.

They are not cornmeal. 

They are not hominy.

They are not really polenta. But they are very similar. Very similar. (I find most polenta is a finer grind)

They are not bland. 

They are not sweetened. (though a drizzle of good SORGHUM molasses is very acceptable)

After that admonishment, we may now move forward and enjoy some good grits together:

• Butter Grits
• 4 ½ cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grits, yellow
• 4 tablespoons butter (I don't skimp, peeps)
• 
  
• Bring SALTED water to a rapid boil. Slowly shake in grits with one hand while whisking vigorously with the other. Continue whisking and lower to the heat to where just the occasional bubble breaks the surface. Cook for 30 minutes or so (different stoves), stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally to prevent scorching. Drop in the butter just before serving. 
• Adding some really good cheddar is perfectly acceptable, just not traditional for breakfast.
  

Notes:

NOTES : For fried grits, spread leftovers in a pan to about 1 1/2" thickness. Bake in a 250 oven for 30-45 minutes until slightly dry. Let cool for 45 minutes before refrigerating or slicing into 4 inch squares and panfrying in hot grease until golden on each side, 12 minutes total or so. Polenta is often served this way as well.

I'll make some Shrimp n' Grits sometime for ya'll. Make you wanna slap yo' Momma.

Now. 

Pile your plate as high as you dare; have your cardiologist and your personal trainer on speed dial, and go ahead and DIG IN. Larrapin' good, I say. Larrapin'.

Welcome to South of the Mason Dixon. 

At least for a couple plate-fulls.

Grits-Lover’s Prayer

From Martha White’s Southern Sampler

Our Father, watchin’ my kitchen,

Please help me understand

Why some folks just don’t take to grits

Like I know you planned.

Perhaps it’s ’cause they missed out—

Through no fault of their own,

Their mamas served ’em oatmeal

’Til they were nearly grown.

For that I cannot blame them

And since it’s not too late,

I pray some good soul finds them

And puts grits upon their plate.

I’m sure there are grits in heaven

And angels are eatin’ right.

But there are no grits below us

’Cept those burned black as night.