I am a sucker for any cooking show and faithfully watched the first season of MasterChef. Whitney Miller was my favorite from the beginning because her food looked good and she was always a good competitor.
The second season of the show didn't hold my interest but I was excited to check out Whitney's cookbook. Based on her performance on the show and the good reviews on Amazon, I bought the book sight unseen.
The book itself is lovely with a feminine, vintage feel and lots of beautifully styled photos. The recipes are Southern and, for the most part, simple. My initial reaction was that some of the recipes are too simple; a recipe for scrambled eggs that calls for only eggs, salt and pepper? However, this recipe focused on the technique and since it is the same one that I use and I am famous for my scrambled eggs, I decided it was a worthy inclusion.
After making three of the recipes and pursuing several others, I think a few more details could have been included in spots. For example, the recipe for Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies didn't indicate whether the mixture should be mixed by hand or with an electric mixer. I mixed it by hand and it was fine, but think an electric mixer would have resulted in a more consistent end product.
All of the recipes are true to Southern ingredients and flavor profiles but with a nod to making them slightly healthier and more modern. She also takes some non-Southern dishes and uses ingredients indigenous to this region of the country to put her own spin on them such as Butter Bean Hummus and Turnip Green Pesto.
I tried the Buttermilk Pan-Fried Chicken, Cauliflower Mac N'Cheese, and Sweet Potato Butter Blondies and would make all three again with some minor tweaks. The Buttermilk Pan-Fried Chicken was good, but nothing extraordinary. While I appreciated her technique of pan frying the chicken to get a crisp coating, I felt it lost some of that once finished in the oven. I also think this dish needed a bit more seasoning.
Cauliflower Mac N'Cheese is sure to be a hit with kids and an awesome way to incorporate an underused and unappreciated vegetable in their diet. My daughter thought that there was cauliflower and macaroni in the dish based on the name but loved it even without her beloved pasta. I would probably reduce the amount of milk in the dish for a slightly thicker sauce, but this was pretty awesome as is.
Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies are another clever recipe featuring a hidden healthy veggie in the mix. I loved these bars and can see this being a go to recipe when I want to a quick sweet treat. Instructions or suggestions on how to cook the sweet potato would have been a nice addition. I cooked mine in the microwave until soft and then just scooped out the flesh. These bars are a great blank slate and easily could be upped a notch with the addition of salted peanuts, chocolate chips or a simple glaze.
While probably too simplistic for advanced home cooks, Modern Hospitality is a great resource for simple, delicious Southern cooking.
Buttermilk Pan-Fried Chicken
Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons canola oil
Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Stir together the buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish. Combine the flour with the cayenne and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper on a plate.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and then coat in the seasoned flour. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and place on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through but still juicy (about 155F on an instant-read thermometer), 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serves 3
Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies
Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller
Unsalted butter, for greasing baking dish
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
2/3 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with unsalted butter.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a small bowl.
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the beaten eggs, sweet potato, peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Add the flour mixture ingredients and mix well.
Spread the batter evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut the blondies into squares or desired shapes.
Cauliflower Mac N' Cheese
Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller
8 cups cauliflower florets (1 head)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp table salt
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Toss florets in oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce to 350.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in cream and cook 5 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and all but 2 Tbsp cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Place cauliflower in an 8X8-in glass baking dish or 4 individual ramekins. Pour cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies
Modern Hospitality, Whitney Miller
Unsalted butter, for greasing baking dish
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
2/3 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with unsalted butter.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a small bowl.
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the beaten eggs, sweet potato, peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Add the flour mixture ingredients and mix well.
Spread the batter evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut the blondies into squares or desired shapes.
This cookbook sound fabulous! Who doesn't love simple, delicious Southern cooking.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful comfort food . . . look delishious :)
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