Raspberry Buckle

Ingredients
2 cups and 1-2 Tbsp of sifted, all purpose flour separated
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups raspberries

Topping ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch pan (or 9x9). Set aside.

Sift together the 2 cups of flour, the baking powder and the salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk. Toss the berries with the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour (to separate and scatter evenly throughout the batter) and fold in. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set aside.

Combine ingredients for topping with a fork to make crumbly mixture. Sprinkle this over the batter.

Bake for one hour, then test by gently inserting a fork. If it does not come out clean, give the cake another 5 to 10 minutes to bake.

Best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Midtown Memphis Cuisine

So, I haven't really been cooking at all. Between not really having my kitchen set up to my standards (until this weekend) and not feeling like being on my feet, I've been relying on my mom's great cooking and all the fantastic restaurants within a mile or two of our new house. Here are three of the restaurants you'll have to try when you come to visit us!

Huey's

Huey's is our local burger joint. In my opinion, it's better than the Feve. They also have great potato soup, salads, and other sandwiches. You have to shoot your toothpick frills into the ceiling using your straw while you're there. And don't forget to graffiti the walls so everyone knows you were there!

Central BBQ

Central BBQ is classic Memphis barbecue. We're famous for "dry rub" ribs, but you can also get wet ribs or slather on sauce afterwards. They have delicious homemade barbecue chips and a great big porch for outdoor sitting.

Soul Fish
Mississippi Delta catfish, anyone? Soul Fish has the best hush puppies ever! They also have fabulous Southern veggies and amazing desserts.

Nathan's Hummus

A few weeks ago when Christina and I had lunch, she had a container or hummus from the grocery store and I had just finished making hummus for my lunch. After tasting the homemade stuff and realizing how simple it was to make, I think I sold her on Nathan's recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas
1/3 cup sesame butter (tahini)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T olive oil

Optional additions--zatar spice, or cumin or hot sauce.

Blend in the food processor until smooth. Serve with pita and crudite!

Mama Dee's Saurkraut

Well, ladies, the saurkraut is cooking away in my crockpot as I type this - and it smells like heaven! This recipe is not for the fermentation of the cabbage; it is a "doctoring up" of purchased saurkraut. My mom has worked for years to make it just right for our family, so I hope you like it (otherwise, feel free to modify it to suit your taste).

Ingredients
2 bags of refridgerated saurkraut
2 pork chops - bone in
1 baking potato
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 bay leaves
1 cup water (use the saurkraut bags)

Directions
1 - Roast the pork chops in the oven at 325 degrees for an hour or until they are cooked through.
2 - While the pork is roasting, pull out your trusty crockpot.
3 - Add both bags of saurkraut, the brown sugar, and the bay leaves to the crockpot and start cooking it on low. Also add one cup of water to keep things juicy (I used this as an opportunity to get every last shred of tasty kraut out of the bags).
4 - Thoroughly scrub the potato (this will remove some but not all of the skin) and then shred it (I used my food processor). Add the shredded potato to the crockpot.
5 - When the pork is cooked; remove it from the oven and allow to cool enough to be handled. Remove fatty portions and bone. Shred the meat and add it to the crockpot. Stir thoroughly
6 - Cook on high for two hours and stir occassionally to make sure that it is not browning on the bottom.
7 - Remove bay leaves before serving.

Pasta Sauce

Ladies, I don't know about you, but this chilly, rainy weather has driven me to the kitchen to try to create tasty creations that warm from the inside. One thing that we have been enjoying a lot of lately is simple homemade spaghetti sauce. It's flavor is as uncomplicated as the recipe, but it is so fresh and tasty. Plus, because it all goes through the food processor there is no need to really chop things up too much.

Ingredients
4-5 fresh tomatoes (I cut the "meat" off and toss away the seeds and liquid)
1 large can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic
Fresh basil
Fresh thyme
Fresh sage
The following to taste:
Chipotle powder
Cumin powder
Cayenne pepper
Ground cinnamon
Salt
Pepper
Sugar

Directions
Combine all ingredients except olive oil and balsamic in food processor. Process until still a bit chunky, drizzle oil and balsamic through processor feed tube and continue processing until almost smooth (or whatever consistency you enjoy). Serve over pasta with grated cheese.

PS - Mr. "I Love Prego" has actually been requesting this - maybe I've converted him from a processed food. Could it be true?

Tres Leches Cake

For Ann's baby shower today I brought along this easy but delicious cake to share with the ladies. Courtney did a great job with all of the wonderful foods she prepared! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 12 oz. evaporated milk
5 oz. whipping cream

[Variation--Bananas Tres Leches Cake--additional ingredients 3 oz. banana liquor & 3 ripe bananas)

1. Bake and prepare cake according to package directions. When done, set aside.
2. Combine milks, cream (and liquor). Using a wooden toothpick poke holes all over the cake--the more the better.
3. While cake is still warm, pour the liquid mixture over the cake and allow it to set at room temperature for no more than an hour. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill overnight or for at least 2 hours until liquid is absorbed and cake is soft and soggy.
4. Serve in footed goblets spooning some of the sauce from the bottom of the pan on top of the cake. Optional--top with sliced bananas and fresh whipped cream.

Shower for Little Baby P

Courtney hosted a beautiful baby shower tea today for Ann and little baby P. It was beautiful and I am sure she'll post a few of her delicious recipes here (esp. the ginger lemon tea - delish!). Here are some pictures I took. I love the first one of Courtney and Ann - they both look great (and so does the food).

Mama-to-Be and the Hostess with the Mostess

The last (?) Fearless Foodies pic? (IN OBERLIN!)