Grits Muffins

I've mentioned previously how much I love grits, and this is a great way to use your leftovers.  I used to dread the "recipes" my mom would come up with on her own when I was a kid, because in general they just weren't that good.  (or so I believed at the time and refused to try them).  But, this was one she came up with that I loved.   Using the grits as part of the batter makes the muffins buttery and moist with a bit of texture and density that is surprisingly delicious.  These are a great addition to a full breakfast, or as a side dish with dinner.  It's worth making extra grits on purpose just so you can make these the next day!  I made these with leftovers from our jambalaya.  

 Ingredients: (makes 10... I'll have to figure out adjustments to get it to a full dozen)

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cooked grits
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional) 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Whisk together your wet ingredients (minus the grits).  Mix in all of the dry ingredients next, and finally fold in the grits and cheese if using.  The mixture will be a little lumpy but that's okay.

Pour into a greased muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops have started to brown.   

Let them cool slightly before gently removing.  Serve hot.  (leftovers can be microwaved to reheat but they won't be quite as good)

Corned Beef Hash

With only two of us in the house, we often end up with leftovers.  Even when we have people over, it seems I always make an enormous amount of food so there's enough left over for lunch.  After two days of eating the same thing you can get pretty sick of it no matter how tasty it is.  So, with leftover corned beef and potatoes that weren't going anywhere fast, we decided to turn it into corned beef hash.  We added a diced red pepper, onion, and garlic for some extra flavor.   With a fried egg on top, it is a delicious and savory meal.  A great way to transform your St. Patrick's day dinner leftovers!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped corned beef

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chopped boiled potatoes (about 1/2 inch cubes)

vegetable oil

salt and pepper

eggs for frying

chives, green onion, or parsley for garnish

Directions:

Bring a cast iron or large heavy bottomed pan to medium heat.  Pour in 2 T oil and when the pan is hot, and add the diced onion and bell pepper.  Add 1 t salt to the mixture and stir.  Saute for about 6-8 minutes until they are soft and the onions are turning golden and translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.

Next, add the corned beef and saute for 2 minutes.  Then, add the potatoes to the mixture, stir to combine, and let it sit for a few minutes without touching.  Stir to scrape up the bottom that might have stuck to the pan.  Keep letting it sit for a couple minutes and stirring, to let the potatoes and onions brown.  After about 10-15 minutes it should be turning more of a crispy brown color.  You may need to add more oil if it seems to be sticking too much.

Add lots of freshly ground black pepper to the hash mixture.  Taste for more salt.  In a separate non-stick skillet, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium heat, and fry the eggs with salt and pepper.  Top the corned beef hash with the chopped herbs and fried egg and serve hot.  Delicious for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner!

Bagels!

I've always loved fresh bagels, and bagels in general were a staple for me growing up.  I would eat bagel sandwiches, toasted bagels with American cheese, bagels with peanut butter, with honey-butter, with cream cheese, breakfast bagel sandwiches... the list goes on and on.   I still remember watching a cooking show when I was in high school on PBS (we had about 8 channels) and the chef made bagels from scratch.  I decided at that moment that I would try and make my own bagels.  It did seem a bit complicated though...  About 10 years later I finally accomplished that goal, after being inspired by a recipe on Serious Eats that made it look so easy.   I've made them twice now, and while it takes effort, it is definitely worth the result.  Bagels fresh from the oven, with any topping you want.  This is a great way to impress your guests for brunch, or to enjoy all by yourself!  We had these with some cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, green onion, and sliced shallot.  After a day, they are best toasted. 

Ingredients: (Makes 8 medium sized bagels)   

530g bread flour (3 1/2 cups)

7 g instant dry yeast (2 1/2 t; or 1 envelope active dry)  

43g sugar (2 T) 

16g salt (1 t) 

340g hot water (1 1/2 cups, 120°–130°F)

2 T molasses or malt syrup (for the boiling water)

1 egg beaten with 1 t water (optional, for toppings)

Toppings (such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion or garlic flakes, cinnamon & sugar, or whatever else you would like) 
*NOTE* if you want to make them ahead of time and cook the following day, there is an alternative method, using ice cold water instead of hot water.  Instructions for both methods included. 

Directions:

Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and stir until combined. Slowly add the water, while stirring.  Once all the water has been added and all of the flour is incorporated, begin to knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, until soft and elastic. I had to add a few more teaspoons of flour as I was kneading when it got too sticky.  Alternatively, you could do this in a food processor.  I did it by hand and it worked out fine.  

Transfer dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. For the make-ahead version, you skip this step and form the bagels immediately.  Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.  Between your hands, roll each piece of dough into a thick rope, long enough to wrap into a circle with a hole in the middle of about 1 inch diameter.  Connect the two ends of the rope and pinch the dough together so that it sticks into a circle.  

Place the bagels on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Cover with plastic wrap.  If you did these the night before, place the tray into the fridge until the next day.  If not, leave them out on the counter until your water comes to a boil.

If you formed the bagels the night before, take them out of the fridge to come to room temperature for one and a half hours before you cook them.  They should rise slightly during this time.  

Prepare the boiling water: Add the malt syrup or molasses to 6 quarts of water over high heat and let it come to a boil as the bagels rise for an additional 10 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the bagels into the boiling water, 2 at a time.  Let them boil for 1 minute, and flip them to boil with the other side up for 30 seconds more.  Remove them from the water with a skimmer and set them on a dry kitchen towel while you continue with the next batch. 

After all the bagels have boiled, place them back on the wax paper covered baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.  Sprinkle your toppings over the bagels generously.  We used sesame and poppy seeds this time.  

Place the bagels on a sil-pat covered baking sheet.  (If you don't have a sil-pat, just use a regular baking sheet)  

Bake until golden and shiny, about 20-25 minutes.  If you are using a sil-pat, the bagels will be evenly browned on both the top and the bottom.  If not, you may want to flip the bagels at the 20 minute mark and cook with the opposite side up for an additional 10 minutes.

Let the bagels cool for at least 15 minutes before eating.  Serve with your favorite cream cheese or other goodies such as smoked salmon as seen below.  If you are missing a local bagel shop like our neighborhood is, you should really give these a try!