A Cookie Giveaway from Belle Chevre!!!

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Schamban for Belle Chevre

Belle Chevre has been featured on:

I am SO excited to announce a new giveaway here at Sugar & Spice by Celeste, just in time for Valentine's Day.  The great folks at Belle Chevre, the nation's most creative cheese company, just recently announced their debut in the dessert case with a brand new line of chevre-frosted cookies!

And guess what...You might just get half a dozen of these awesomely delicious cookies shipped right to your door straight from the creamery!  These cookies are made with a secret recipe and feature frosting crafted from Belle Chevre's award-winning cheese.

The cookies are new and unique to the market and are made with local, artisan ingredients (the chevre, fresh eggs, and often the milk).  Plus, these cookies are one-of-a-kind, and you can feel good about eating them.

So who is Belle Chevre?

Belle Chevre has produced a variety of internationally acclaimed chevres since 1989 using time-tested European farmstead techniques.  The company is purposefully small, and each chevre is hand made in Alabama by its passionate cheese makers.  Belle Chevre cheeses have received numerous awards and have been featured by Martha Stewart, Oprah, and everyone in between!

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Schamban for Belle Chevre

So how do you enter to win??

It's easy!

Step #1:  "Like" the all new Sugar & Spice by Celeste Facebook fan page.  You can find it HERE. 

Step #2:  Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you are a fan of the page, and answer the following question:

"What is your favorite Valentine's Day dessert?"

That's it!  Easy peasy! 

The Prize:

• An assortment of 6 delicious cookies (2 valentine's hearts, 2 cute little goats, and 2 round belles).

The Rules:

• Entries must be submitted by midnight (CST time) on Wednesday, February 8th.  
• A winner will be picked at random (using random.org) and will be announced on Thursday, February 9th.
• Please make sure you include your name and email address so that I will have a way to contact you if you win...especially if you leave a comment using the "Anonymous" option.
• At this time, the contest is open to US residents only.
• One entry per person, please.

Good Luck!  :)

Food Blog South 2012 Recap

What do you get when you combine 200 foodies and bloggers, amazing cookbook authors, incredibly talented food photographers and food stylists, and wonderful chefs all in one building?  Well, Food Blog South, of course!

Food Blog South held its second conference in Birmingham, AL this year, and I feel so lucky to have attended.  It has quickly become the second largest food blogging conference in the nation, and it can best be described as a whirlwind of culinary wonderfulness, if you ask me!  

Not only did I get to meet and spend valuable time with Virginia Willis, Helene Dujardin, Dianne Jacobs and Lisa Ekus, but I also got to meet some pretty awesome food bloggers from around the USA.  People came from as far away as California for the event. 

When I heard that both Virginia Willis and Hélène Dujardin would be there, I didn't waste any time buying my ticket.  Virginia Willis is the author of both Bon Appetit, Ya'll and Basic to Brilliant, Ya'll (which are both amazing cookbooks!).  She is a graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine and Ecole de Cuisine LaVarenne, she worked as the Kitchen Director for Martha Stewart Living Television, and she has prepared meals for President Clinton, Aretha Franklin and JULIA CHILD to name a few!

Me and Virginia Willis!  :)

I discovered Hélène Dujardin's food blog, Tartelette, back in 2007 and have been a faithful follower ever since.  In fact, her blog is one of the reasons I started blogging in the first place!  Her french macarons have got to be the most amazing, creative creations you'll ever see and her food photography skills are unbelievable.  She is incredibly talented and her work continues to be a huge inspiration to me.  Her first book, Plate to Pixel: Digital Food Photography & Styling, is a must-have read for anyone who wants to improve their food photography.

 Hélène Dujardin

I learned so much at this conference and really found the classes very informative.  Kara Nielsen gave a great presentation about the art of mapping food trends.  Her predictions for the biggest food trends in 2012?

• Fine Dining (modernist cuisine meets land-to-table)
• Return of Animal Fats
• The Veritable Kouign-Amann (is this the next cupcake???)
• Packaging Wild Foods
• Sprouted Grains
• Wholesome Beverage Choices
• Yogurt (keeps growing!)

Here are some more photos from the weekend...Please excuse the quality.  I had to use my cell phone in a few low-light situations.  You can get the idea, though.  :)

Friday night, a few of us had the opportunity to dine with Virginia Willis and Lisa Ekus at Hot & Hot Fish Club.  The meal was superb...It was quite a treat!!  

So much deliciousness on one table!

I'm not usually a huge fan of raw oysters...BUT...when Virginia Willis personally hands you an oyster to try, you eat the dang thing!  HAHA.  Of course, it was actually delicious!

At the conference, I got to meet Chef Justin Balmes.  You might remember him from Season 7 of Next Food Network Star.

One of the classes that I was most excited about was the Food Photography & Styling Class taught by photographer Jennifer Davick and food stylist Marian Cooper Cairns.  This class was especially helpful and fun, because Jennifer and Marian set up tables with assorted fruits, plates, napkins, utensils and other food styling props.  We were able to pick and choose what we wanted to use and style our own photos.  There was gorgeous natural light coming in through the windows, and big diffusers really made for special lighting.  It's moments like those that make me really wish I was able to take advantage of natural lighting for my food photography.  Unfortunately, shooting mostly at night makes that impossible for me.  Here are a few of my photos from the class:

After the main conference, 6 of us headed over to Chez Fon Fon for dinner.  This is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Birmingham.  It's a quaint French bistro owned by James Beard nominee Chef Frank Stitt.  To our surprise, Chef Stitt personally came to our table at the beginning of the meal to bring us a special charcuterie platter.  He sure knows how to make a table of foodies feel extra special!

Compliments of the chef...

I ordered the Cassoulet at Chez Fon Fon:

The conference came to an end with a beer and cheese tasting at Good People Brewing Co, which was tons of fun!

 

I also want to take a minute to share a few food blogs from some of the talented food bloggers that I met over the weekend.  Be sure and give them some blog love and visit their pages:

Virginia Willis
Tartelette 
Dianne Jacob
 Ingredients, Inc.
Urban Sacred Garden

The Runaway Spoon

Confessions of a Picky Eater 

Healthy Eating 101

Coconut & Lime 

6 in the Morningside

Bite and Booze 

Raised on a Roux

The Messy Epicure

Angie's Southern Kitchen

Want more information about Food Blog South 2012?  CLICK HERE for another great article from al.com!

I can't wait for Food Blog South 2013!  Will you be there?

Dreamy Coconut Pecan Brownies

Have you ever stopped to think what life would be like without chocolate?

Wait...who am kidding??  That thought is just too unbearable, and I don't want to even think of that sort of craziness.  Craziness!  After all, then we wouldn't be able to indulge in the wonderfulness that are these brownies!

I mean, straight up perfectly fudgy, nutty, chocolate-coma-inducing, chocolatey goodness on a plate, folks. 

I've tried quite a few brownie recipes in the past...What can I say, they are my weakness.  Thomas Keller's Brownies from the Ad Hoc at Home cookbook are quite incredible and are among one of my favorites that I've made.  And now, ladies and gentlemen, this recipe from Dorie Greenspan has found a special place in my recipe collection as another HUGE favorite.

I adapted the recipe just a bit in order to add my own little flair.  See, I have this thing for anything that involves chocolate and coconut together.  They are a match made in culinary heaven, and I just can't help but add a little coconut extract here and there to chocolate desserts any chance that I get.  Can you blame me?  If coconut just isn't your thing, simply substitute vanilla extract instead.

These brownies are fudgy and dense, without being too heavy.  They are rich and decadent and would of course be wonderful with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream melting over the top.  

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Dreamy Coconut Pecan Brownies

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Classic Brownies in  Baking: From my Home to Yours

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Semisweet instead)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract (OR vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, but really good)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (according to taste)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans (OR walnuts)

Directions:

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolates and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted - you don't want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

With a whisk, stir in the sugar. Don't be concerned when your smooth mixture turns grainy. One by one, whisk in the eggs. Add the vanilla and give the ingredients a vigorous whisking before gently stirring the espresso, if you are using it, salt and flour; stir only until incorporated. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the chopped walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake the brownies for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the top is dull and a thin knife inserted into the center come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.
When the brownies are completely cool, turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares, each a scant 2 inches on a side.

Serving: Like all great brownies, these are good eaten out of hang without a bit of embellishment or topped off with whipped or ice cream (coffee ice cream is really good with these), offered either way at room temperature or a bit chilled.

Storing recommendations: These are best served within 2 days of baking. If you're going to keep them at room temperature, just cut what you need and keep the remainder wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap the brownies airtight. 

A Stellar Brunswick Stew

So, my sisters came to visit again a few weeks ago, and as usual we just HAD to spend some quality time in the kitchen trying new recipes together.  That's one of our favorite things to do.  Thankfully, I'm not the only foodie in the family!

They brought along this recipe for Brunswick Stew that they had found in their Southern Living magazine.  We couldn't think of anything that would be better for dinner than a comforting, hot bowl of meaty stew that night.

And I mean meaty!

The original recipe calls for 2 lbs. of chicken and 1 lb. of beef brisket.  We decided to kick things up a notch and add 2 lbs. of beef brisket instead.  

Yes, because we're daring like that!  

After all, an extra pound of beef brisket can only make it extra delicious, right?  Yes...I think so!

The recipe called for chopped barbequed beef brisket.  Instead of taking the easy way out and stopping by the nearest BBQ joint for our brisket, we headed to the store and bought a beautiful hunk of meat to cook ourselves.  We plopped it into the crock pot (along with beef broth, onion, garlic, salt & pepper) that morning and let it go for about 6 hours until it was melt-in-yo-mouth tender. 

I have to say that this stew is quite delicious.  It will warm you up on a cold night and put a smile on your face.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Brunswick Stew

Adapted from Southern Living magazine

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons jarred beef soup base (Add one box of beef broth OR add another 2 cups of water in with the 1 1/2 tablespoons beef soup base...to make sure there is enough liquid in the soup)
• 2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts
• 1 (28-oz.) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (OR 2  14-oz cans)
• 1 (12-oz.) package frozen white shoepeg or whole kernel corn
• 1 (10-oz.) package frozen cream-style corn, thawed
• 1 (9-oz.) package frozen baby lima beans
• 1 (12-oz.) bottle chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1 pound chopped barbecued beef brisket; without sauce (We used 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Hot sauce (optional) 

Directions:

1. If you are cooking your own beef brisket, place it into a crock pot set on high heat.  Cover the brisket with beef stock, 1 chopped onion, 1 clove minced garlic, salt and pepper.  Let it slowly cook in the crock pot for 5 - 6 hours, or until the meat is very tender and comes apart easily with a fork.  Once it's done, place the brisket on a cutting board and shred it using 2 forks.
2. Next, sauté onions and garlic in hot oil in a 7.5-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Stir together beef soup base and 2 cups water, and add to Dutch oven. Stir in chicken and next 9 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 hours.
4. Uncover and shred chicken into large pieces using 2 forks. Stir in brisket and lemon juice. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.
   
   
   

Lime-Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean & Corn Salad

Today, I bring you a beautiful dish that tastes just as pretty as it looks.  It makes a beautiful presentation and takes minimal time to put together.  Sounds pretty awesome, right?

It's been a rainy, cloudy and generally dreary day here in Birmingham.  There's some ugly, severe weather headed our way late tonight...Let's hope it doesn't get too bad!  So, just how do you brighten up a rainy day?  This cheerful dish is the perfect place to start.

Watch out...The colors of this recipe pop right off the plate and almost slap you in the face!  The lime juice really adds a great citrusy note, and the honey balances that by adding the perfect amount of sweetness to the glaze.

Mmm!

Salmon is such a wonderfully healthy ingredient that I love to use as often as possible.  I'm always on the lookout for new salmon dishes, and this recipe from Rachael Ray is definitely one that I'll refer back to in the future.  It's a keeper!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

The warm black bean and corn salad cooking in the skillet...Yum!

  

Lime-Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean & Corn Salad

Source:  365:  No Repeats by Rachael Ray

Ingredients: 

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium Red Onion, chopped

2 large Garlic Cloves, chopped

1/2 to 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 

1 tsp. Ground Cumin 

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Juice of 2 limes

3 Tbsp. Honey 

1 tsp. Chili Powder 

4  6oz. Salmon Fillets 

1 Red Bell Pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1  10oz Box Frozen Corn kernels, defrosted 

1/2 cup Chicken Stock

1  15oz. can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

2 to 3 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

6 cups Baby Spinach

Directions:

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan).  Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally , for 3 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO.  In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.  Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

To the cooked onions, add the bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro, and spinach.  Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.