Quick Creamy Cheese Grits

Grits grits grits. This is another staple of the south, and it is mainly consumed in the morning for breakfast. I actually prefer mine with shrimp (not for breakfast) or (if at brunch time) with grillades. I, of course, love the idea of brunch – mimosas, bloody marys, friends, and an assortment of breakfast and lunch foods (preferably on a beautiful patio)…what’s not to love?! This recipe can be whipped up in just a few minutes and is full of flavor!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Quick Creamy Cheese Grits

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded & minced
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup quick grits
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, and add the butter.

Once it is melted, add the garlic and jalapeño. Sauté until they have softened, about 2 minutes.

Next whisk in the milk slowly, and season with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir until all is well combined.

Bring the liquid to a boil, and then slowly whisk in the grits.

Allow the mixture to cook for about 5-8 minutes, or until the grits are tender and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, and add in the shredded cheese. Stir until all is incorporated.

Plate the grits on a plate, and serve with a meaty dish!

Enjoy!!

“Stone-ground grits are wonderful, but because they take so long to cook, I usually go with quick cooking grits, which I also love. But I never make the instant kind, some things a Southerner just won’t do!” – Paula Deen

Caramel Sauce

Homemade caramel sauce is simple and easy to make at home. It can be used to top just about any dessert. It’s always nice to keep a simple recipe like this in your arsenal to add a little pizazz when needed.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Caramel Sauce

Yields about 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream, at room temperature

Directions:

Place the sugar and salt in a large pot over medium-high heat. Allow it to melt and bubble. Once it starts boiling, do not touch until you get to a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. (Make sure you have a watchful eye. It can go from amber to burnt in a matter of seconds.)

Add the butter, and stir it in until fully mixed. Remove the pan from heat. Next, carefully pour in the heavy cream. It will bubble and sputter a bit, so make sure you step back a bit.

Whisk the mixture until you get a smooth sauce. Remove from heat, and allow caramel to cool. Use immediately or place in a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Enjoy!!

“It was an instinct to put the world in order that powered her mending split infinitives and snipping off dangling participles, smoothing away the knots and bumps until the prose before her took on a sheen, like perfect caramel.” – David Leavitt

Mini Rhubarb Strawberry Pies

Pi Day! I made pies for March 14th (π or 3.14) this year. The nerdy heart in me squealed for joy for a mathematic reason to bake. If I have not mentioned it before, I will mention it now: I LOVE rhubarb and strawberry ANYTHING! These pies were the perfect dessert to end pi day with a smile.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Mini Rhubarb Strawberry Pies

Yields 6 Mini Pies

Ingredients for the pie crust:

• 10 tablespoons (1.25 sticks) unsalted butter, diced and very cold
• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2.5 tablespoons shortening
• 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon, ice cold
• 1 large egg

Ingredients for the filling:

• 2/3 cup rhubarb, diced
• 1/3 cup strawberries, diced
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest*
• 1 tablespoon orange juice*
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg

*For the orange zest and juice, I actually just used the zest from a clementine and juiced the entire thing.

Directions:

First take the butter out of the refrigerator and dice it into small squares. (I usually dice each tablespoon into 4 cubes each.) Once the butter is diced, store in the freezer until you need it.

Place the flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor. Pulse it a few times to combine all the ingredients. Next, add the shortening and butter from the freezer. Pulse until the mixture looks like a coarse meal.

Add the 1/4 cup ice cold water one tablespoon at a time through the feed tube of the food processor until the dough comes together. (You want the dough to adhere to itself but not be sticky.)

Turn the dough out to a floured surface, and give it a quick knead until it comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge for at least an hour.

While the dough is chilling, work on the filling. In a small bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, corn starch, orange zest, orange juice, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix ingredients until well combined well. Set aside for later.

Once you have chilled the dough, preheat oven to 350°F, and spray the middle of a standard muffin pan (6 wells) with nonstick cooking spray.

Pull the dough out of the fridge. Roll out pie crust on a well-floured surface or board with a lightly floured rolling pin to about 1/4″ to 1/2″ thickness. Dust off excess flour. With a round cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut 3 to 4-inch diameter circles out of each pie crust. Place each circle into the prepared muffin well.

Push it up the sides of the well to make sure all of it is covered. Reserve extra dough for the top crusts. You can either re-roll the dough and cut more circles to top them off or lattice the crust. (As you will see, I prefer the lattice top.) Just be sure to cut slits in the top of the crust if you cover it completely.

Evenly distribute the filling into each of the 6 muffin wells, and then top with the chosen crusts.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of water and egg. Brush the tops of the pies with this egg wash.

Place the pan into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Be sure to check the pies around 20 minutes to see if the tops are over browning. If they are, you can tent some foil over them to keep them from burning. Once baked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes until you remove them from the pan.

Serve alone, with whipped cream, or with ice cream!

Enjoy!!

“The man for me is the cherry on the pie. But I’m the pie and my pie is good all by itself. Even if I don’t have a cherry.” – Halle Berry

Cajun Potatoes

Potatoes. My favorite starch! This yummy side dish is perfect for a little fish dish.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Cajun Potatoes

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4 red potatoes, washed, dried, and quartered
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

Put the potatoes in a pot large enough for them to be covered by water. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a simmer. Make sure the water doesn’t boil over. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them back into the pot.

Add the butter and seasonings. Using a wooden spoon, stir to incorporate the butter and seasonings. Smash the potatoes to your preference, but not mashed.

Serve warm on the side of a yummy main dish.

Enjoy!!

“Comedy just pokes at problems, rarely confronts them squarely. Drama is like a plate of meat and potatoes, comedy is rather the dessert, a bit like meringue.” – Woody Allen

Baby Baklava Cheesecakes

Baklava + Cheesecake = AMAZING! This recipe puts these two favorite desserts together. They are even baby sized to make it easier to serve. I hope you love this combo of flavors as much as I do!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Baby Baklava Cheesecakes

Yields 12-18 baby cheesecakes

Ingredients for the cheesecake:

• 16 ounces (2 blocks) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs

Ingredients for the baklava:

• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
• 1 package fillo dough, thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brandy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F, and spray the a muffin pan (12 count, standard size) with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, place the cream cheese and honey. Using a hand mixer or paddle attachment, beat until smooth. Next add the orange zest,  lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after the addition. Set the cheesecake mixture aside for assembly.

Next start on the baklava. Place walnuts, white sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg in the bowl of a mini food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and incorporated. Set nut mixture aside for assembly.

Unroll the filo dough onto a clean, flat surface, and cover the dough with a lightly damp towel.

Take 1 sheet of the filo dough, and brush 1/2 of the sheet with the melted butter. Fold un-buttered half on top of the buttered half, and brush with butter. Next, sprinkle with 1 – 2 tablespoons (estimations are fine! go with it!) of the nut mixture. Cover it with another sheet of filo with the excess dough out to the left. Brush the half that is on top of the first sheet with butter. Fold the extended half over the top, and spread with more butter.

Take the layers, and fit into a muffin hole in the prepared pan.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the cheesecake mixture into the center, and gently fold the corners of the filo over the top. (I used an ice cream scoop for the cheesecake filling.) Brush the folded top with butter.

Repeat with the remaining filo dough, nut mixture, cheesecake mixture, and butter until everything is used.

Place the muffin pan in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden.

While the cheesecakes are in the oven, work on the syrup topping. Place the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, honey, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Place this pan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Add the brandy, reduce heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Once the cheesecakes have baked, remove from oven. Brush cheesecakes with honey syrup immediately, and set aside to cool.

Enjoy!!

“Hello ladies, fresh baklava!”
– Nick Portokalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Honey Maple Butter

Compound butters…easy to make and super satisfying. This is one of my favorite ones to make for pancakes and waffles. Of course it would also be nommy on some cornbread and biscuits as well!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Honey Maple Butter

2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons good quality maple syrup
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 1 piece parchment paper

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the paddle attachment.

Add the maple syrup and honey. Mix until well blended.

Roll it up in the parchment paper, like a tube and twist the ends (like an over sized tootsie roll).

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

Enjoy!!

“Tart words makes no friends; a spoon full of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar.” – Benjamin Franklin