After 5 1/2 weeks of many hours and lots of labor, our sweet new home is coming together into our forever dream.
Of course, when you have twenty-seven years of magazine articles in a notebook and Pinterest boards detailing home and garden plans it does come together rather quickly, much to Audley’s chagrin.
Even though we have been crazy busy around here, we have still managed to welcome spring and celebrate all the little things from Easter to birthdays and tomorrow, we will be hosting Mother’s Day here at our new home.
When deciding what I should prepare, I went way back into my archive of hand-written recipes that I began back in college and pulled out one of my favorites; a cheesy poundcake from Southern Living around 1994.
It’s probably one of my favorite pound cake recipes as well as one that is so versitle. With ingredients like sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, all the butter and real vanilla this pairs well with coffee, berries, a chocolate sauce, a lemon cream, or cranberries soaked in a sweet red wine.
My favorite way to enjoy this cake though, is still warm from the oven, with fresh plain strawberries and slightly sweetened homemade whipped cream. The flavors pair so well together and with all the sugar in the cake (it IS a pound cake after all), you don’t need to add any more.
So let’s gather some ingredients.
You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of butter, 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, 3 cups of sugar, 6 large eggs, 3 cups all-purpose flour, salt, 2 cups finely shredded cheese (this recipe is SO much better if you shred it yourself. Trust me), and 1 Tablespoon high quality vanilla.
{I never said this recipe was healthy.}
While baking this recipe in a Bundt pan is perfectly fine and definitely less work in the kitchen, I used a flower cakelet pan from Williams Sonoma for my pound cakes just for aesthetics and a cuteness factor.
After baking, I trimmed the bottoms so that the cakes would set flat. That is Audley’s favorite part of baking, because he is a crust kinda guy. As I said my favorite way to enjoy this cake is with strawberries, so that is definitely the way we’ll be serving it up!
I’ll add the entire recipe in just a sec., but I would love to hear your Mother’s Day plans!
Check out this rich and scrumptious recipe below and have a fabulous weekend!
March has arrived and so have all the beginning signs of spring, at least here in North Georgia! One of my favorite things to do in the spring/summer/fall month is hit up our local Saturday market to shop from area farmers and support local vendors. It’s so much healthier than big box stores and great for the local economy! One particular vendor has become my favorite stop on market Saturdays: Sugas Pimento Cheese.
Created by Chef Stacey West (a graduate of Atlanta’s Le Cordon Bleu College) these delicious flavors of pimento cheese have become high demand items at the Cartersville Market as well as other metro-Atlanta markets and retail stores. If you want to grab your favorite flavor of pimento cheese on Saturdays, you have to go early because they will sell out! They’re that good!
Already a huge fan of Chef Stacey, I was excited to learn that she has opened a restaurant in Powder Springs, Georgia that features many of her pimento cheese flavors in classic, mostly Southern dishes. Recently Audley and I ventured out to find this new eatery and indulge in a unique and delicious luncheon!
Suga’s Cheese Shoppe and Cafe was a concept born from having customers asking for creative ways to pair Chef Stacey’s pimento cheeses or use in recipes. This sweet little restaurant seats on a first come, first serve basis, and on the Saturday we visited it was quite obvious that word is already spreading about how scrumptious the dishes are. We were chatting with some ladies while waiting on our table, one of which drove across Atlanta for lunch with a friend because they had heard how wonderful everything was!
Before I continue you should know, Audley is very picky about cheese. In fact, he doesn’t eat any cold cheeses unless they are paired with flavorful fruits or spreads on a charcuterie board or melted on a sandwich. Pimento cheese does not fit into either of these categories. I felt like I was dragging a puppy into the vet as we walked in.
Once the menu hit our hands, I saw a spark in Audley’s eyes.
I heard a “hmmmm” escape his mouth and wondered what was going on in his head.
He gave me a snarl when I ordered Smoked Gouda Mac Balls as he dislikes most all pasta even more than cheese. They arrived piping hot to the table and I hear “well those smell good!”
I told him I wasn’t sharing, but Audley grabbed a fork, cut into one of the mac balls and swiped it through the thick marinara sauce on the plate.
He ate two of the three served with our appetizer.
The gouda mac balls are made with gouda and pimento mac n’ cheese, with a deep-fried panko crust and served with the previously mentioned marinara sauce. The outside was crispy while the inside was creamy and rich. They really were absolutely delicious!
We each chose something different off of the menu for our main entree; I ordered Shrimp Scampi after hearing it was Chef Stacey’s favorite dish, and Audley ordered a crispy chicken sandwich.
We both made really great choices!
The shrimp scampi is made with pesto and feta pimento cheese (which is spectacular) with a creamy white wine garlic sauce on a bed of thin angel hair pasta. Audley needed a second, third and fourth taste to decide it really was quite delectable.
Audley’s chicken sandwich had the largest chicken breast I have ever seen on a sandwich with lettuce, pickled red onions, house sauce and of course pimento cheese. Served with fries, there was no way someone would leave without being full.
And Audley LOVED it, pimento cheese and all.
In fact, he didn’t want to share.
After all of that, what is a couple stuffed full to do?
We ordered dessert of course…. something we could share.
Chef Stacey did not disappoint.
Somehow, we found a little more room to take in a slice of pimento cheese cheesecake.
More specifically Pimento Cheese Cheesecake topped with whipped cream and strawberries.
We ate it and Audley proclaimed it better than a certain commercial cheesecake restaurant.
All of a sudden, my skeptical husband was sold on pimento cheese in recipes.
Amazing how these things happen.
Even more amazing is that Audley has picked several other things off of the menu he wants to try, and soon. This especially includes the Black Truffle Pimento Cheesesteak and Oreo pimento cheesecake.
Take time to add Suga’s Cheese Shoppe and Cafe to your weekend ramblings this spring and summer. Not only will you enjoy a whole new culinary experience, but you’ll be also supporting a small local restaurant and that is a huge reward in itself!
We are just a day away from Thanksgiving 2021 and I am so looking forward to enjoying time with our families. We have two gatherings planned; one of which we are hosting, so it’s going to be a fun and very busy weekend!
Thanksgiving in the US revolves around everyone gathered at the table with a bountiful meal served up. We Americans love to eat and generally it’s done in excess.
While my own Pilgrim ancestors that survived that first year to celebrate in 1621 didn’t write about the details of the feast, others recorded that part of the meal consisted of wild fowl. Could this be the reason we have turkey today as the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving dinners?
This year I am brining our turkey before roasting. Brining helps the turkey absorb extra moisture which will help prevent the bird from drying out while roasting. The salt in your brine soaks deep into the meat adding layers of flavor. It also breaks down some of the tough membranes’ turkey is known for having, giving you a tender bird to serve up. The best part of using a brine is it is so easy! And who doesn’t like easy for the holidays?!
To brine the turkey I combine sea salt, brown sugar, juniper berries, star anise, lemon peel, orange peel, dried apple bits and other fresh herbs (I’ll post a link to print the full brine recipe below) with 2 1/2 gallons of water in a large non-reactive pan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate so that it is chilled. After the brining solution is chilled add your turkey, cover and refrigerate to soak for 24 hours.
After your bird has soaked in the brine, rinse and prepare to roast using any of your favorite roasting recipes.
I roasted our bird by stuffing it with chopped apples, oranges and fresh rosemary and thyme from the garden, and placing it on a bed of the same ingredients. Since I was really looking for an orange flavor, a few well-placed orange slices between the skin and breast worked magnificently. Tent your turkey with foil and pop into the oven at 350 until the temperature reaches 160 degrees.
I made a baste for our bird using 1 cup of turkey broth, 1 cup Riesling, and a stick of butter. By brining the turkey, I didn’t have to baste near as often.
After removing the turkey from the oven, I let it rest about 30 minutes. Using my baster, I removed the juices from the pan to make up a flavorful gravy. You really need about 5-6 cups, so if you don’t have that much from the turkey, add canned broth. It’s perfectly fine to do this as you’ll still have plenty of that fresh roasted flavor. To keep as much fat as possible from my gravy I love using my OXO fat separator. If you don’t have one, head off to Target right now (thank me for the excuse to shop later) and get you one! This is probably my most used kitchen accessory.
Everyone makes gravy differently, but I’ve found the easiest way is to divide your turkey broth/juices and while most of it simmers on the stove top, save a 1/2 cup of the juices to whisk with 1/4 cup of flour until smooth, then add to your simmering broth; whisk well. Stir in some salt and pepper to taste, maybe some fresh parsley. Cook until you it thickens, about a minute or so.
Plate your roasted turkey and enjoy all the oohs and ahhs you’ll get over your moist, tender and yummy turkey! If you would like a detailed recipe, check out my Autumn Spice Turkey Brine.
In a year where we’re continually hearing news of businesses closing, it’s quite exciting to celebrate an opening!
New York restaurateur, William Degel is opening the doors to his third metro-Atlanta eatery, tonight in the rapidly growing community of Peachtree Corners. It’s taken three years to make this day happen, but it’s definitely worth the wait for the newest addition to the Uncle Jack’s family!
Last week Audley and I were invited out for the soft opening where we were delighted with a fantastic taste of what’s in store for diners. Executive chef, Dylan Temple, has helped create a menu that will leave you salivating for more!
Uncle Jack’s uses a farm to table mentality and employs local ingredients whenever and where ever possible. I don’t know where to really begin, but definitely start your evening off with the tender and flavorful lamb lollipops coated in Dijon mustard and panko, or the crispy pork belly “chicharrons” that will give your taste buds a kick! If you prefer something a little “less”, try the Swedish meatballs that combines, ground quality pork, beef, and veal in a house created pan gravy for a savory bite to wet your appetite for more. If prefer seafood, the Maine lobster and avocado mini tacos are the northeast meets the south with this delectable meshing of flavor. Of course no meal is off to the right start without an order of Uncle Jack’s signature Applewood smoked bacon with a chipotle maple glaze served with housemade peanut butter. Trust me, you have to give these a try!
After waking your taste buds, head on over to the main menu to find a dish that will satisfy even the pickiest of palettes. Keep things simple by trying the Peachtree Burger, also known as the Duke (influenced by Paul Duke, who has had a huge impact on the growth of Peachtree Corners). This top quality beef burger is topped with fresh Georgia peach jam, housemade peanut butter, and maple bacon and served on a brioche bun. Oh y’all, this often carb skipping foodie absolutely loved it! Its perfect for a midday lunch and will keep you satisfied for hours.
If it’s steak you are wanting, Uncle Jack’s all natural aged cuts of beef will having you returning time and again for a tender and savory bite. The 35 Day dry-aged “Fred Flintstone” Longbone is Audley’s absolute favorite, but I really enjoyed the tender and juicy cut of the NY Strip. There are sauces you can top these with, but I savor the flavor of a good steak; no sauce needed.
If you have room (and I suggest you try), you must indulge in dessert. From the simple ‘Baking Bad’ cookie trio consisting of a Peanut Butter Maple Bacon Cookie, Lemon Marshmallow Cookie, AND Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Cookie to the Fudge Brownie Soufflé, you cannot go wrong.
The Uncle Jack’s experience is as much about the decor as it is the food, which create the perfect atmosphere for an upscale yet casual night out.
“Uncle Jack’s has the look and feel of a 1900s building in New York’s Meatpacking District, complete with aged cement, raw vintage steel, subway tile, meat hooks, custom wallpaper featuring archival butcher photos, and flying pigs and steer heads mounted on the walls. The tufted and red vinyl seating, marble bar tops with old school bar styling mixed in and outdoor fire pit lounge areas provide a pop of sophistication while also reinforcing the vintage theme.” The Peachtree location also has a 16-person suite you can reserve for private parties that was named after former wrestling icon, Ric Flair.
Uncle Jack’s Meat House Peachtree Corners is accepting limited reservations through their website or by calling 470-532-1010
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Uncle Jack’s Meat ‘House – Peachtree Corners
5222 Peachtree Pkwy. Ste 920 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
Fiddle Dee Dee by Jennifer Jones 