St. Paddy's Day Celebrations

Hi-Ho Nesters!!!
I know it's been awhile, but, I'm back with a special, beef lover's, St. Patrick's Day Special!!!

Fun times started over the weekend.

My Irish blood was boiling, so we decided to make it a culinary celebration!

Saturday it was a traditional boiled Irish supper.

We got to boiling some Chuck Steak in the slow cooker with: Guinness, Peppercorns, and a few Bay Leaves...


Later we added Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots. Mmmm....

But, the best was saved for the actual night of St. Patrick's Day.
addROC made a ridiculous Guinness marinated steak.
Which was cooked to perfection.



Then, we moved on to a traditional Irish treat that is so delectable and delightful, that its consumption with a beverage like Guinness or Jameson is ABSOLUTELY necessary, and really, just plain common sense.

The One...The Only....


IRISH SODA BREAD!!!!

We ate, drank, and were oh-so-very-merry.
Just as St. Paddy would have wanted it himself.

Cheers to the Irish!
Erin Go Bragh!!!

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

My mother gave both addROC and I gift certificates to the hot new kitchen store in SoHo, Sur La Table.

Naturally, addROC and I went apeshit.

After going to the store twice, contemplating this and that, checking out the SILPATS and bar spoons...we got a few very choice items.

addROC's favorite: The Cast Iron Skillet.

While, at first, this little toy just reminded me of cowboy eggs and French people, I've found that I've become quite fond of this heavy-ass pan.

So, when addROC made chili, we had to make cornbread. Off I went, mixing up the dry ingredients, like so:


Then, the wet ingredients:


And then, POP, into the oven, pan and all!

So fun, right? A pan, that goes in the oven and doesn't melt?!
And, it produced this gem-of-a-hunk-of cornbread:


Holla!

Now, all's I need is to make cowboy eggs and to find some French people to enjoy them with me!

But, for now, cornbread will have to do.

Tart Smarts

It's plainly obvious that I adore Christopher Kimball and everything and anything that has to do with America's Test Kitchen.

So, when I found myself in the dessert-y mood, I went straight to the Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008.

And there they were...calling my name. Rustic Free-Form Apple Tartlets.

So, I hopped-to and whipped up a new kind of pastry dough (one that requires no shortening, but uses cream cheese). Let it chill and rolled out my tiny tarts.

The apple filling was simple, leaving the fruit to speak for itself, which is always more satisfying then adding ooodles and ooodles of sugar and other crap.

It really couldn't have been easier.

Just make the dough, wrap it around some fruit, bake, and you're done.


The result?

The closest thing to buying awesomely awesome tarts from a swanky bakery.

These were phenomenal. And so frikkin' easy.

So, I was able to escape my pie obsession for a few days, only to become obsessed with Rustic Free-Form Tartlets. I am definitely going to make these again and experiment with other fruits.

OMG like Strawberry....

Chris Kimball...yet again you have proven that you are a God among us mere mortals.

Let Them Eat Cake(s): Valentine's Aftermath

Last night I decided to continue my tradition of making cupcakes for Valentine's Day.

I was stoked on the L train just thinking about the little suckers.
I'm not really much of a cake person, but, there is something just wonderful about little, self-contained cakes.
A single serving, a dainty treat, so darling.
Such a cute little snack was meant to be baked on the most lovey-dovey day of the year.

But, after much anticipation, I realized I forgot the frosting when I finally got to the apartment. I had too many things to get together, so, out of frustration, I almost scratched the idea all together.

Then, I saw the food coloring in the cupboard.

If they can't be frosted, then damn it, they will be pink. So, off I went.

First: Pink batter.



Next: Into the oven, just like Hansel and Gretel. Only, if these cakes had been those children, they totally would have died.


Finishing Touches: Making these cupcakes as cheesy as possible for addROC, because, what would Valentine's Day be without a sickeningly sweet message to send him into the throes of passion?

Yes. I made a heart out of baby-cakes that reads: "I <3 U BABY CAKES."

Does that make me a loser?
Probably.

But, in the end, loser or not, I made some cute-ass cupcakes. Delectable for zee munchin'!

Enjoy your weekend Nesters!
Happy President's Day!

And, Happy 100th Post to us here at The Brooklyn Nester!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm sending some love out to you all, faithful Nesters!

Make something tasty for the one(s) you love!

And, if you don't have the time, or the patience, to make cupcakes...then promise me you'll eat an inordinate amount of chocolate.

See you soon! I'm off to spread the love!

Let's Get Crafty: DIY Crochet Hearts

Tomorrow is the most loved and loathed holiday of the year: Valentine's Day.

Whether you're a lover or a hater...it's coming.
So, why not have a little fun?
Even if you're single...impress your crush with the latest in my adventures in craftdom: Crochet hearts!
And, if you're not single, annoy your loved ones by having tiny crochet hearts ALL OVER your apartment.

While searching zee internets for random Valentine's Day crafts I came across this video:


And, not a second later, I was off to B.E. Yarn (784 Manhattan Ave near Calyer St.) in Greenpoint.

I got me some purdy new yarn, and hunkered down on the couch.
It was actually pretty easy. So, now, I'm all about the crochet tutorials. And, I have a shitload of pink, crocheted hearts laying all over my living room.


Seriously though, how precious are these?!

Even though they serve no purpose whatsoever, save for putting me in the Valentine's spirit, they're mad cute.

I'm think I'm going to use them as little doilies for chocolate.
Is that weird?

So, go forth, crochet hearts.
They're festive in that lovey-dovey way and oh-so-granny-ish.

And if you're going to be all:
"I hate Valentine's day. Psshah."

Then, get black yarn...and shut up.

Irish Lace Cookies: The Not-So-Pretty Irish Lasses

Ah, the Irish...how I love them.

In fact, I'm obsessed.
As it turns out, I love Irish people, literature, culture, music, and beverages so much, I actually majored in Irish Studies when I attended college.

One of the overriding themes in Irish history is that the people of Ireland, when pressed, can make a little go a long way. Back in the day, peasants on the Emerald Isle didn't get to indulge in many pleasures, especially culinary delights.

The people made the most out of what they had sitting in their near bare cupboards. So, out of strife and innovation, the Irish Lace Cookie was born.

It's a cookie with practically nothing in it, yet, it tastes like a little bite of heaven.

So, I hearkened back to the days when my ancestors were still starving somewhere in County Clare, and baked a batch:

And hot-damn, were they the ugliest little cookies I ever did see.

Ugly, but delicious.

All I need now is a shot of Jameson...and it's a winter warm-up snack that can't be beat!

I'm so Crap-tastic.

Sorry y'all.

Work and family related hullabaloo has kept this Nester a little too busy as of late.

Sincere apologies on the lack of posting. But, I promise, in the next few days we should be back up and running.

I am dying to do some baking...so, I hope that you'll come and check out my soon-to-be-posted snacks!

I hope that you all had a wonderful National Pie Day.

I'd like to personally thank all the bloggers who submitted their pie photos! Delicious and Wonderful!

Have a great day! See you soon!

Happy National Pie Day!!!

YES! It has finally arrived! The highly anticipated National Pie Day! And, this lady couldn't be more pleased.

I have two kinds of VERY SPECIAL PIE to share with you today.

As you can see above, last night we were celebrating the eve of this great day by eating some Chicken, Ham, and Fennel Pot Pies.

Freaking ridiculous. So good effin' good that it made me remember why I got so gung-ho about today in the first place.

Above, is the beautiful four-some that emerged from our oven.

Here's a before shot of our gastronomic gems with a little egg-wash:



And what kind of blog would we be if we didn't show you how soft and flaky our crust was?

So that was amazing. But, did you think that was all I was gonna pull out for National Pie Day?

Hells no. I wouldn't jip you like that. Check out the fantastic dessert from start to finish!

Strawberry Butterfly Pie

First, the gorgeous berries are washed:


Next, I rolled out an All-American double crust (notice I drink beer while I work, an absolute necessity):


Then I mixed our strawberries with tapioca, sugar, and cut some butter all around, because, what would pie be without LOTS of butter?:


Finally, it was time to assemble the pie, after cutting a lovely butterfly steam vent, of course:

Into the oven she went, and out she came, looking buxom and bubbly:


And, at last, slices were cut and many-a-tummy was made happy:


Amen! So good it's Godly!

Pie is a passion. And today we can go ALL-OUT!

Make pie, bake pie, and eat pie!

HAPPY NATIONAL PIE DAY!!!

Check out pictures sent to me from fellow bloggers and readers!!!

This beauty was sent to me by Mrs. Hess, one of my most favorite food bloggers! Isn't her Chicken Pot Pie fabulous?! Go check out her blog, Last Night's Dinner, this second! Her culinary adventures will get your mouth watering!



And, look at this bad boy!!! Nabeela, hostess of the wonderful blog Trial and Error, sent me a picture of her luscious Wild Blueberry Crumble Pie, ummm, SCRUMPTIOUS!



And here's a submission from Harry, of The Brooklyn Kitchen. He made a Pumpkin Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust....YUMMY!

Jamaican Beef Pies*

After giving dinner a a great deal of thought, trying to keep in step with this week's pie theme, we decided to bend the rules a bit.

We decided to make some meat pies...

So, we pulled out the beer and the Jamaican Rum (Holla!) and got to cookin' some grub as if we were on the beaches of Negril, as opposed to our cold-ass kitchen.

Above, I rolled out the pastry, which is very similar to the pastry of your traditional pie. Though, it does contain quite a bit more flour.

Then, using an ugly, little bowl, I cut out circles of pastry...which would soon be stuffed with tasty, tasty beef.



addROC stuffed those bad boys, and then sealed them shut with egg and rum...and into the lovin' heat of the oven they went. And, then, after some minor dripping, we removed our tasty Jamaican Meat Pies* from the oven...



Then, we placed a lovely veggie and ranch appetizer on the table for pre-dinner nibbles.



And, for the final plating, addROC mixed up some of his famous bean salad, grabbed our meat pies* and we went to town...



SOOOOOOO delicious. The spices in the meat filling were fragrant and tasty.
It was a new kind of pie, and it got me thinkin' that I should branch out more often.

In conclusion to today's post, I would like to remind you all that:

TOMORROW is National Pie Day.
We will have some special pies to post from our kitchen, and we hope to see your contributions as well!

Send us a photo of the pie you've made (it can be sweet OR savory) with a brief description and we will include it in tomorrow's post.

All entries should be sent to: thebrooklynnester (at) gmail (dot) com

Have a great time baking (and eating) your pie! I look forward to seeing your entries!


*These "pies" are typically called "Jamaican Beef Patties." But, for the sake of pie week, I am taking the liberty of calling them pies. If you have objections to this slight substitution, I apologize, but, in actuality, they are little pies! Extremely delicious little pies!