Something Gooey, something good

Well, last week was a good week. The best day was Wednesday because my hubby, Jamie, had a birthday. To me, nothing is better than baking for the people that I love. And, I had to bake him something good. He has such a sweet tooth; it isn't that hard to please him. But, I wanted to bake him something retro, not trendy, a little bit of comfort from our past – all of our pasts. So, I went digging into my recipe files. And finally, I found it.

As soon as I came across this recipe, I knew I had to bake it. What would be better than a gooey piece of pineapple-upside down cake? All at once, I wanted to taste the sweetness of the pineapple immersed in the brown sugar glaze sitting atop a moist cake. Yummy!

This recipe is quite simple and (no pun intended) was a piece of cake to bake. The results were outstanding. I can say that, because Jamie said it was the best pineapple-upside down cake that he has ever eaten. Wow! That was a compliment of the highest magnitude and it made me feel good. Don’t get me wrong, Jamie loves my cooking and he certainly loves to eat, especially sweets. It’s just that he isn’t very passionate about food. Poor thing, when he runs to the grocery store for me, for let’s say “fennel”, there is a side chance that he may bring home bok choy by mistake!! But at least he is willing to try. And I do love him for that!

So, when the pineapple-upside down cake made him happy, I knew I had to share it with you. Bake and enjoy!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Gourmet Magazine

For the topping:
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 cups 1-inch chunks fresh pineapple (about 1 pineapple)

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, as an accompaniment

Topping:
In a small bowl stir together well the butter and the brown sugar and spread the mixture evenly in a well-buttered 9 by 2-inch round cake pan. Pat the pineapple very dry between several thicknesses of paper towels and arrange it evenly on the sugar mixture.

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the cinnamon. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately in batches with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly, and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge, and invert the cake onto a plate. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream or the ice cream.

What to Drink: Why a big glass of milk, of course!!

Until we can visit again, raise a glass and Cheers to You!!

Snow...SNOW?!?!

I never thought I would begin with the word Snow. Living in the South gives me very few opportunities to see snowfall. But that is exactly what happened yesterday. In the South, if the weatherman even hints of a winter storm all havoc breaks loose. Schools are closed, work is closed early, and don't forget that the milk and bread disappear from grocers shelves faster than you can shake a stick! I can't even talk about the increase in battery sales to compensate for the fear of losing electricity!! It began earlier in the week, the predictions - that is. "Georgia needed to hunker down for a wintery mix." I must tell you, I wasn't impressed. I didn't give it a second thought. They get it wrong so often...

So, yesterday morning, I awoke to a cloudy day, very overcast, and very cold (for Georgia standards). I made my coffee and settled in for a hard day at work. The weather was pretty uneventful until about 3:30pm. I was deep in thought and barely glanced outside the window, when my eye caught something. Low and behold, to my surprise, it was SNOWING. It was pretty snow. It was light and fluffy with enormous flakes. If I wasn't such a sissy in cold weather, I would have run outside in my barefeet!! So, I grabbed a camera and recorded this event for historical purposes. Here is the proof of the beautiful snow. The snow that fell in Georgia.



The snow continued until about 6:30 pm. It was so peaceful and beautiful. I can almost understand why people live in areas with frequent snowfall...well, almost. The wintery storm came in like a lamb and pretty much left us that way as well. Peaceful.

So, what does this have to do with food?!? Nothing. I just couldn't write about my chicken without talking about the beautiful snow!! Since, I was "snowed in", I had to make due with ingredients on hand. I had some very nice chicken cutlets and didn't want a boring chicken dinner. I mean, I could have just grilled the chicken, but that didn't sound good. So, I made a parmesean breading for my chicken and pan-seared it. I served it with a nice easy green salad. It was a light dinner, but it hit the spot!! I guess you can tell from my plate.




Parmesean Chicken
8 chicken cutlets (you can use 4 chicken breasts as well)
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of grated parmesean cheese
1 cup of Italian fine breadcrumbs (I crushed mine in a mini-food processor)
2 eggs
Splash of milk
salt and pepper

Set up a breading station with flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a plate. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with a splash of milk. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Begin with the flour, coat the chicken breasts on both sides. Then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb parmesean mixture, making sure to coat evenly.

Heat a little bit of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken cutlets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more oil and cook the rest of the chicken cutlets.

What to Drink: Well, I must admit, I only drank water. Can you believe it? It is true. In my defense, it was a work night and my hubby has a very bad cold. But, if I were going to pair this with a wine, I would have chosen a very crisp and cool Rombauer Chardonnay. It would have worked well with the parmesean chicken. Sigh.....next time. It makes me want a glass right now.

Until we can visit again, raise a glass and Cheers to You!!

French Food - an indulgence!

It has been too long since I posted. I was traveling last week for work, so I have missed my kitchen. My intentions were to share with you a culinary treat from my very own kitchen. Instead, during the hustle and bustle of traveling with work, my hubby and I managed to visit one of our favorite local restaurants. We visited a little French bistro in our neighborhood. It certainly helps that we know the chef, but let me tell you - we had a divine time Saturday night. I must tell you about it.

In this bistro, there is a chef's table which is basically two barstools that overlook the chef's kitchen. You basically belly up to the bar. If you are lucky enough to sit there, not only do you get to watch the master at work, but you also get to sample many treats.

The first thing that he prepared for us was a pissaladière with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and sprinkled with cheese. It was yummy and a great way to whet our appetite. Of course, the meal is served with fresh baked bread, which always comes warm with the most creamiest of butter. Even though to many it is just bread, to others (including me), it is the utmost of comfort food. I just had to share a picture.



Now for starters, I had a signature salad. It was a baby lettuce wedge with a home made blue cheese dressing. It was topped with crispy granny smith apples and perfectly sauteed applewood bacon. Even if you don't like blue cheese, you would love this dressing. The blue cheese is faintly noticable, not overpowering.

For dinner, I chose the fish. It was a pan-seared grouper on a bed of ever so subtle garlic mashed potatoes and perfectly sauteed green beans. Notice the capers drizzled over the divinely cooked fish. He also topped the dish with caramelized red onions. I wish you could smell and taste the picture!!! It was de-lish!



Our evening was capped off with a wonderful creme brulee, which is my hubby's favorite!! It was a wonderful and relaxing evening.

What To Drink - Well, I completely bucked protocal and tradition and simply had champagne the entire evening. Champagne or sparkling wine is one of my favorite indulgences. An adage that I live by: Never wait for a special occasion to pop a cork!! Life is too short, and champagne is too good! Enjoy life, drink bubbly!!!

Thank you for indulging me on this restaurant fete. Our next meal together will include an adventure in my very on kitchen!! I'm not sure what is on the menu for this weekend, but I'm sure the market will lend a hand in my choices. Until we can visit again.... Raise a glass and Cheers to You!

Cafe Nay Nay - The Beginning

Well, I thought I would kick-off Cafe Nay Nay by telling you a little bit about the name. Nay Nay is a nickname given to me by a very special little girl who had trouble pronouncing her R's when she was learning to speak. Renee soon became Nay and then Aunt Nay Nay. I am now known to her and many others as Nay Nay.

The Cafe part of the name hopefully introduces this site as one dedicated to the love of food and wine. Food and wine has become a hobby, almost an obsession, most definitely a love of my life. This is the perfect forum for me to chat and share my experiences in what I love.

Why did I think of Cafe Nay Nay as the name for my blog? At first I was contemplating many exotic food names. Nothing felt right or rang true. But then it came to me! As it happens, a very close girlfriend gave me a gift for Christmas that inspired this very blog. Notice the wonderful inscription on a cook's best friend - a good spatula!

About Chef Nay Nay, I am not a chef - not even close. I am a self-taught cook who has a passion for food and wine. I remember baking my very first banana nut bread when I was 9 years-old, and I was hooked. I remember many summers baking pound cake and cookies with my Grandma. Through it all, cooking and baking has been the one hobby that brings me true joy. I love to share happiness with others, and nothing does it better than a bite of something scrumptious!

Where this leads me, I'm not sure. However, I am excited about the journey that I'm embarking on. I hope to meet many, but more importantly I hope to inspire others to find even a fraction of the joy in cooking, wine, and friends that I have found. My life has truly been enriched. May yours be as well! Cheers to You!

Naughty Pumpkin Pie

Have you ever been inspired by a movie? Or maybe just one line from a movie really can't leave you? I must admit, that is exactly what happened to me over the New Year's weekend. I was sitting with a girlfriend watching the moive "Waitress" with Keri Russell, and boy was I inspired to bake pies. But not just any pie, I was inspired to bake a Naughty Pumpkin Pie.

It does help that my hubby LOVES pumpkin pie. As is it so happens, he was grumbling over the holidays that he didn't get enough pumpkin pie. As with all holidays, the house is full of family and those desserts do depart quickly! So, in the spirit of any loving wife, I promised to bake him another pumpkin pie - just for him. To his unknowing delight, a little movie would change the very bite of pumpkin pie that he would savor. It was the most scrumptious, decadent, full of creamy goodness pumpkin pie ever baked - at least in my kitchen. Indeed, I was inspired!

So let's talk about the Naughty Pumpkin Pie. If I were truly motivated, I would have baked a fresh pumpkin in the oven and then used the freshly baked pureed pumpkin to make the filling. Unfortunately, I wasn't. I did use a little help from Libby - Libby's canned pumpkin that is.

I decided to use heavy whipping cream instead of evaporated milk. I also used light brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar. The silkiness of the heavy whipping cream turns the pumpkin pie into a thick mousse-like concoction. My hubby thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so silky,so Very Naughty indeed! Here is a picture of the pie.



And for all of you glorious pie bakers with a keen eye, I do have a confession. I did not make the crust from scratch. Pie crusts are not my forte. The idea of creating that perfectly flaky pastry crust makes me a bit woozy. It is an art that I need to practice. Between ice water and cold butter, my pie crusts just taste so boring. How do you make pie crust NOT boring? I know it is possible. I have tasted the possible!! But for this endeavor of naughty pumpkin pie, I took some help from the store. I simply had to! And it worked out ok....for me...at least this time. Thank you, Pillsbury.

Now the biggest quesion of all:

What wine should I have? What wine to drink? First of all, you all will learn quickly, that I can always find a wine to pair with any food. When I think of pumpkin pie, my taste buds tingle at the the sweet spiciness of the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and fresh ground nutmeg. I would probably drink a dessert wine such as a muscat - nothing too sweet.

I am off to another culinary adventure in my mind. With any luck, I will be able to share it with you soon. And always, Cheers to You!