Comfort Foods and Indulgences

31 Days Of Pie, Day 26: Macadamia Nut Pie

Day 26 of 31 Days Of Pie is a Macadamia Nut Pie

Macadamia Nut Pie If you’ve noticed a theme here (other than pies), you’ll notice a love for the nuts+pie combo. Perhaps it’s a contrasting textural thang, or maybe it’s a way of rationalizing eating so many pies (i.e. nuts are healthy, right?) At any rate, this pie is a tropical breeze in a pie shell, using macadamias for crunch on top of sweet vanilla pie filling. It’s a good one from Epicurious. Enjoy!

Macadamia Nut Pie

Ingredients
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 frozen 9-inch deep-dish pie crust
2 cups roasted unsalted macadamia nuts
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Baked Crab & Almond Dip

Even though dip season is officially over (I designate Halloween to Super Bowl official dip season), there is no reason to miss out on something really yummy. Who doesn't love an easy appetizer to throw together, especially one as rich and creamy as this one.

Let's face it, dip is an essential source of pre-dinner sustenance for hungry guests. And while I made this dip using white wine, it also pairs beautifully with red wine too.

While fat adds richness, not to mention deliciousness to food, fat can also put up a barrier to wine. Fat coats the taste buds, making it difficult to perceive delicate flavors. Rich fatty foods need wines with enough acidity to cut through the fat and announce themselves. Wines with good acidity, such as ours, can cut through fat like a squeeze of lemon on fried fish, making the food feel less rich and heavy. When wine doesn't have enough acidity, the combination collapses under its own weight. Just by knowing how fat and acidity combine will help you make choices with food and wine that work more often than not.

Banh Mi Dogs

bahnmidogs Who doesn't love a hot dog? They're an iconic American food and are a fixture at backyard barbecues. German immigrants brought hot dogs to America and made them famous by selling from stands at ball parks. Ever since, Americans have had a love affair with the frankfurter, as they were called then, and franks as we call them now. Summer grilling wouldn't be complete without hot dogs. It's always easy to throw some dogs on the grill—you have a crowd-pleasing outdoor dinner in no time.

When it comes to hot dog condiments there are those who prefer ketchup and those who swear by mustard. As a kid I drowned my hot dogs in ketchup. But now as an adult I have the mature taste buds to appreciate tangy mustard (preferably spicy brown) and a little sauerkraut. The toppings debate won't be decided upon anytime soon, but I'm always up for a twist on tradition with a new kind of topping that's sure to pique everyone's interest.

World's Best Grilled Cheese

bestgrilledcheese I don’t know who creates these things, but apparently April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Holiday or not, grilled cheese sandwiches seem to appeal to everyone. It’s one of my favorite lunchtime treats –especially when there almost nothing left in the refrigerator – there’s always cheese and bread. Comté cheese, with its complex, nutty, caramelized flavor pairs perfectly with the sharp cheddar. If you can’t find it, you can use all cheddar. Choose high quality sandwich bread – white, wheat or sourdough all work well. Serve on its own, with mixed greens, or my favorite – creamy tomato soup.

3 tablespoons butter, melted
4 thick slices white, wheat, or sourdough bread
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces Comté cheese, grated

Heat a heavy 12-inch cast iron skillet over low to medium-low heat. Meanwhile, spread ½ teaspoon of mustard on the two bottom slices of bread and then sprinkle evenly with the grated cheeses. Top each with a remaining bread slice, pressing down gently to set.

Brush sandwich tops completely with half the melted butter; place each sandwich, buttered side down, in skillet. Brush remaining side of each sandwich completely with remaining butter. Cook until crisp and deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes per side, flipping sandwiches back to first side to re-heat and crisp, about 15 seconds. Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and slice in half with a knife. Serve warm. For two.

– Recipe courtesy of Cook Like James

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes

Last night I made one of the most requested meals at my house, Sliders. However, I was in the mood for the whole burger and a milkshake experience.

I recently saw this recipe for Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes and I knew I had to try it. Let's not mention there was a bag of marshmallows burning a whole in my pantry.

And honestly, I think this was the best milkshake I've ever had. It's very sweet but the flavor is incredible and authentically toasted marshmallow. The family could not believe I was serving dessert with dinner. Hey, it was one of those kind of nights.

Comfort Foods and Indulgences