Summer Already?...and Sweet Corn Fritters with Creole Remoulade

I cannot believe that we are already well into summer!  I feel like I'm constantly saying this, but as soon as Easter hit, the weeks started flying by!  Final papers, exams, parties and, yes, graduation followed soon thereafter.  As a friend of mine quipped, I am now no longer a student, but an unemployed counselor.  


I have lots of catching up to do, but I wanted to start by sharing a very special celebration.  Just last week my husband turned the big 3-0!  It was a number that, I think, he has been dreading for a while, but when the day finally came around, he did too.  I think what really brought him around was a couple of big celebrations with friends and family to commemorate the completion of his third decade.  How can you be sad at a party?

Our backyard bash was a blast!  You know it's a good night when the last guest leaves at 1:00 AM.  Of course, we enjoyed a feast to offer our friends, a mix of old and new favorites.  One favorite of the night, which received a number of comments including "what is it?," "I want that recipe," and "is that on the blog?," was a newbie, introduced to me by Eating for England.  I gave it a Southern twist with creole remoulade sauce, and a star was born.  I think these could be prettied up a bit with halved cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of crumbled bacon, or chives, but they are delicious as is. 

Sweet Corn Fritters with Creole Remoulade

Sweet Corn Fritters adapted from Eating for England
Creole Remoulade adapted from Myrecipes


1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
3-4 dashes hot sauce


1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
2-15 ounce cans sweet corn, drained
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vegetable oil


Combine the mayonnaise and the next six ingredients in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate the remoulade sauce until serving.


In the bowl of a food processor, combine the jalapeño and garlic.  Pulse 5-6 times.  Add the chives, cilantro and corn and pulse 5-6 more times.  Add the salt, chili powder, flour, baking powder and eggs and blend until smooth.  


Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan.  Add 1 tablespoon of batter to the hot pan and flatten with the back of a spoon.  Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes, until golden on each side.  Place cooked fritters on a platter in a warm oven (about 180 degrees) while preparing the rest of the batter, until ready to serve.  


To serve, top warm fritters with 1 teaspoon remoulade sauce.  Garnish with crumbled bacon, cherry tomato halves, cilantro, chives or cheese.


Make Ahead: The remoulade sauce can be made up to two days in advance.  The fritters can be made several days (or weeks) in advance and frozen in an airtight container, with parchment paper between layers.  Defrost the fritters in the refrigerator.  Arrange the fritters on a baking sheet in a single layer and re-heat in the oven at 220 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  


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Happy Birthday to My Love, and Happy Summer to All!

An Easter Breakfast...of Sun Dried Tomato, Basil, and Goat Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Sunday mornings are often a time of hurried breakfast-ing and dressing and rushing to church.  Over the past couple of months, we have set our alarm a bit earlier so that we can enjoy the morning, lingering a little longer over a cappuccino (complements of my husband) or a cup of tea.  Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes we linger just a little too long and end up in the same hurried mess.  


Easter is one of the most beautiful celebrations of the church, and we wouldn't want to enter that frazzled and distracted.  But on Easter morning, we are trying on new clothes, opening up Easter baskets and gifts, and trying to enjoy that same breakfast before heading to the church.  It has high potential for failure.  

This breakfast casserole is here to help with those hurried Sunday mornings.  It can be prepared the night before and baked while you enjoy your coffee, try on your new clothes, check your e-mail, and linger for a few minutes before church or wherever you might be heading.  While you can use a cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, the home-made oven-dried tomatoes really do make this casserole outstanding.

Sun Dried Tomato, Basil, and Goat Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Adapted from Whipped


1 quart grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved
Olive Oil (to taste)
Pinch of sugar, salt and pepper
8 cups day-old French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

2/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/2 cup basil, julienned 

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon pepper

9 eggs

3 cups milk


The day before:
Preheat the oven to 225.  Arrange the halved tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with the sugar, salt and pepper.  Bake the tomatoes for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.  Chop the dried tomatoes.


Butter a 9 x 13 inch casserole.  Scatter the bread evenly in the dish.  Sprinkle evenly with chopped tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, salt and pepper.  


In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.  Pour evenly over the bread mixture.  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.


In the morning:
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and uncover.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake the casserole for about 40 minutes, or until the middle is cooked (test with a knife) and the casserole is browned and puffed all over.  Cut into squares.  


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Spring Break and Hot Cross Buns for Good Friday

It is amazing how fast our Spring Break has passed.  It is already Friday, and the next couple of weeks promise to bring lots of work, final papers, and exams, and then not too long after that, graduation.


I told my husband just last night that, although I am thankful for the week-long break, true rest will not come until Summer is here (and it is, indeed, just around the corner).  Spring Break is nice, but there still remains so much to be done, most of which is written down on a neglected to-do list for this week.  

Instead of focusing on that homework and other household chores, I trekked across New York City with friends on Monday, spent the day shopping on Wednesday, had a Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Night with some of my favorite girl friends on Thursday, and have spent much time resting.  

Not only is it a wonderful week to rest (and ignore that to-do list and coming deadlines), but it is also Holy Week and a great time to prepare for Easter.  I love the traditions that are reminders of what this week means.  Today is Good Friday, and traditionally, Hot Cross Buns are made and eaten on Good Friday as a reminder of Christ's death on the cross.  While I did not grow up eating these delicious buns, they have become a Good Friday tradition for us over the past few years, and I have adapted this sweet roll recipe to our liking.  They are sweet and tender and full of fruit, while not being overly dessert-like.  While these rolls are traditional for Good Friday, they can also be enjoyed for Easter breakfast or brunch.  

Hot Cross Buns

Adapted from Allrecipes


2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water (110-120 degrees)
1 tablespoon honey
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cherries, currants, cranberries) or candied citrus peel, chopped
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon almond extract


In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, water and honey.  Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until bubbly.  


Add 2 cups of flour, salt, sugar, spices, milk, butter and 1 egg to the bowl.  Using a dough hook, mix for 1 minute on medium speed, until well combined.  Add the remaining flour and mix for 8 minutes on medium.  Add the fruit and mix until well dispersed.  


Transfer the dough to a well-greased bowl; turn to coat the top.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.  Punch down the dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.  Divide the dough into 12 portions.  Shape into rolls and place in a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  


Before baking, remove the rolls from the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Using a sharp knife, cut crosses into the buns.  Brush with the egg and cream mixture.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the buns are golden.  


Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and extract in a small bowl.  Transfer to a small bag and snip the corner of the bag.  Pipe a cross on each bun with the icing.  


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