#fallforfall, and Other Cheesy Things

Fall is officially upon us. And while I spent a chunk of last week lamenting the end of sundress and swimming season, I have fallen for fall the same as the rest of you (if you haven't seen this PSA, watch).

I did some colder weather wardrobe updates over the weekend, including a bit of a J. Crew splurge. I just can't help myself at that place! Really, I thought I showed restraint.

In addition to wool skirts, tights, and sweaters, fall brings a myriad of tempting treats that make you question whether the size 6 skirt was a wise decision. Pumpkin, well, everything. S'mores by a fire. Apple cider donuts. And for me, monstrous (bread) bowls of steaming soup.

To give fall a proper inaugural welcome, I wanted to make one of my favorite soups of all time: Broccoli Cheese! This is a super simple, super cheesy recipe that can be tweaked to fit your tastes. It is adapted from The Pioneer Woman, who I love and think you should check out.

You start with these guys.

The cast of characters. Minus the carrot, which was an unplanned addition.

Start by dicing up your onion. Do you cry when you chop onions? I do, but a trick I learned waitressing is to suck on a metal spoon. It sure helps, but don't ask me why. Or you can get those onion goggles.

Then add the flour to make a roux, followed by the milk, half and half, and veggies.

Lovely. Cover and let simmer somewhere in the medium low to low neighborhood. If you have an electric stove, you know the spot of which I speak. If you have a gas stove, can I come over and cook? Do that for about 30 minutes, which lets you grate copious amounts of cheese.

About half a block in, you will get a hand cramp and wish that Great Pyrenees Mountain Dogs were helpful in the cheese grating department. She will wish she could be more helpful, also.

Will work for cheese.

When you can grate no more, or about 16 oz. of cheese later, you will have this heaping mass of happiness.

I used sharp cheddar and pepperjack. But do whatever your cheese head desires.

Stir it all together.

My heart melts at almost the same temperature as cheese.

Serve with a sprinkle of extra cheese in a bread bowl or with a crusty baguette.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
1 stick of butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
1 pint half and half
2 large broccoli crowns, chopped
1 carrot, grated
16 oz. grated cheese
Nutmeg (just a pinch!)
s&p

Preparation
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in onion and let cook until soft, or about 3 minutes. Stir in flour to create a roux and allow to cook for just a minute. Add in milk and half and half, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and broccoli. Reduce to low-medium-low and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Stir in cheese until incorporated and serve with some extra shredded cheese on top.

Love and Picnic Perfection

A couple weekends ago I had the pleasure of joining my cousin Peter and his soon-to-be-Mrs., Rachel, at their wedding shower. Pete's sister, Lydia, did an amazing job of playing hostess and playing into one of my favorite themes--a picnic!

I know that a wedding shower isn't technically a "food" thing.  But hey, let's all admit everyone loves a little more when they're well-fed. Lydia didn't disappoint there, either. In addition to a spread of fancy mac&cheese, fresh fruit, lemonade dessert, and famously delish chex mix, Lydia wowed with this dessert spread.

I was happy to provide quality control assistance in the s'mores bar department.

Y-U-M. The cupcakes were moist, the funfetti cookies addicting and OH MY GOD THE S'MORES BARS! Yes. I did try all three. Maybe more than once.

Not only was everything delicious, but everything was served deliciously too! Check out the lovely bride's personalized mason jar.

What a beautiful day with some of my favorite people in the world! Congratulations, Pete and Rachel! And cannot wait to celebrate the big day with you!

Camping Rations

Every year since I was four, my dad and his high school friend Brian have lugged me and Brian's daughter, Michelle, catfishing for a weekend in Wisconsin. Through pouring rain, through softball tournament summers, through college and now a job, we have truly made it every year. What a great tradition!

While technically this is a food blog, I couldn't possibly skip out on the other fun parts of the camp trip. This is certainly not "glamping." We sleep in tents. We pee in a bucket. We are eaten alive by flies during the day and mosquitoes at night. Here are the trip basics.

• We mostly fish using bank poles, or PVC pipes with string and a hook. Bait consists of salted minnows. It's a different approach, but somehow works. We also use some throw-in lines. (Side note: For anyone who knows me, you are likely wondering how I surround myself with death all weekend. It's rough. There have been breakdowns.)
• The fishing grounds are a cow pasture on Brian's uncle's farm. We have to shoo the cows away from the tents every year. One year, one ate the antenna off my car. Cow pies are land mines on our walking paths.
• The nice part about bank poles is you just check them every couple hours. That leaves time for activities! Some of our favorites are donkey balls (or redneck golf), bocce ball, cribbage, double solitaire, and canoeing or kayaking. Once when we were little, rain drove Michelle and I to the confines of the tent to play cards. I was teaching her poker and dealt her a royal flush!

Perfect weather for kayaking on the river.

This year's trip included some fun variations. There were some new faces, as Adam brought his girlfriend Meg, I brought Shane, and Brian had his nephew for the weekend. Saturday was also the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, and the country sky was a perfect backdrop for the celestial show. 

We also found this little dude. He's cute now--but watch out once he's a big snapper!

Onto the grub!

As I said, this is hardcore camping. We basically have to forage, as can be seen in this photo.

Yeahhh. Almost a cooler per person. It's a wonder that we make it.

The weekend has some culinary staples. Peaches from Brennan's market. Chocolate chip cookies from Michelle's mom. Sweet corn. Campfire pies. Of course catfish! I also picked up some Spotted Cow from the New Glarus Brewing Company to enjoy.

Out of all the epicurean delights, the one I must share is called Buckaroo Potatoes. We enjoy this fatty feast on Sunday morning. It's one of those meals that you have just once a year. Buckaroo Potatoes are made in the hot coals of last night's fire in a cast iron pot. Take five pounds of potatoes (red or russet) and chop into quarters or so. Throw those in with two pounds of bacon (yes, you read that right) and a diced onion. Make sure to stir pretty often, as those coals are hot! Once the bacon is crispy and potatoes are tender, throw in a dozen eggs to scramble, and finish with 2 cups (one bag of pre-shredded) cheese.

Serve right out of the campfire with a sprinkle of black pepper or some fresh pico de gallo. So. Good.

Buckaroo potatoes and a chocolate chip cookie. Breakfast of champions. Disclaimer: I know this photo is awful.

Delicious food. Lifelong friends. Sleeping on the ground. All in paradise. What a great weekend!

Surprise Snow and a Batch of Chili

Sunday afternoon began with what could only qualify as a blizzard. Huge snowflakes cascaded from the heavens. If it were early December, I would have been in heaven.

IF it were December.

But it's not. It is late March and all I want is sunshine and spring time and dresses.

Nevertheless, I recognized that it was likely (hopefully!) my last chance to make chili for the season. So I raided the cupboards and threw everything into the crockpot before heading to work on Monday.

When I returned, this awaited me.

It was a good batch, if I do say so myself. The right level of spicy without making me breathe fire. I put butter beans in, which are some of favorites. And it provided the perfect warming touch for such a surprising snowy day.

With my chili? You might think cornbread. Or crackers. Or sour cream. And you would be wrong.

Peanut butter sandwich. I thought that this was completely normal, but maybe it's a Freeport, Illinois thing. Or a Beach family thing. I have since been told that this is weird and unheard of. Hmm. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it people.

I don't really follow a recipe for chili-making. It involves whatever I have on hand and unmeasured spices. That being said, I did my best to sum it up for any curious invisible internet friends. Enjoy!

Surprise Snowstorm Chili
2 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
1 onion, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1, 4 oz. can tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Brown up your ground turkey or meat of choice. Toss it into the crockpot with everything else and let simmer on high for an hour, then low another 3 hours or so. Serve with peanut butter sandwiches if you're feeling adventurous.

Health(ier) Veggie Mac & Cheese

Recipe adapted from The Comfort of Cooking.

Tonight we were in the mood for something comforting and cheesy and delicious. But I went to the gym and didn't want to completely waste it. This mac and cheese let me meet in the middle. It's chock full of vegetables, olive oil instead of butter, uses extra sharp cheddar, and has just the tiniest touch of heat to keep things interesting.

Cast of Characters

Start by chopping up your veggies. I used zucchini, red pepper, and broccoli. But you could use whatever you wanted. Yellow squash, carrots, 'shrooms, etc. Toss them onto a lightly greased pan and into a 400 degree oven to roast for about 15 minutes.

While the healthy stuff is roasting, shred your sharp cheddar. You could also buy shredded cheese, but I think that the old fashioned way leads to better results. The cheese incorporates better into the sauce.

Also, get some water boiling. Also, freak out when your phone rings because you can't do that many things at once. Also, learn to multitask.

If you can get more things done at once than me and you want to do more dishes, you can get the oil and garlic started for the roux. Or, you can wait until your pasta is cooked, drained, and waiting in the wings and use that pot.

Heat your olive oil over medium, throw in the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Then start whisking in the flour. Slowing add milk, all while whisking, and stir until sauce thickens up. Remove from heat and add your shredded cheese. Then toss in red peppers flakes, cayenne, S&P, and any other seasoning you are feeling. Stir in veggies and macaroni.

Right about now, it will look good enough to gobble up. Resist. Transfer into a greased casserole dish and top with some panko. Put under the broiler for about 3 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are starting to brown.

Don't be like me. Watch your broiler.

Serve a heaping portion and enjoy! And remember, veggies negate cheese. No calories were consumed.

Mmm cheesy broccoli! iPhone photos at their finest. 

Ingredients
2 cups penne, macaroni, twirls, spirals... (We used hidden veggie pasta. Whole wheat's healthy, too!)
1 red pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, cubed
1 head of broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 T. flour
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (about one block)
1 cup milk
panko breadcrumbs
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Chop veggies and lay on a greased baking sheet. Roast for about 15 minutes. Start boiling water for pasta and shred cheese. When pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and set to the side. In the same pot you used for pasta, heat olive oil and cook garlic for :30- 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and whisk in milk. When sauce starts to thicken, remove from heat and mix in cheese. Then seasonings, veggies, and pasta. Drop this mix into a greased casserole dish and top with panko. Put under the broiler for ~3 minutes or until browning on top. Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side.

Welcome (and buffalo chicken potato skins)

I am *sigh* graduated and gainfully employed. And really missing food writing. So I am going to give a food blog another shot. I will try to post a couple times a week. This blog is called "Bite Me!" because I want confrontation between the normal and the new. I hope to post culinary delights that give you a kick. While you are probably scared of the wasabi and ghost peppers in your future, I mean more than just spicy food. I mean any food that strikes you. Anything that makes you pause, for a moment and think "Wow. That was good." Or any food that takes you to a new corner of the world. Or something that is good every time.

Pretty much, whatever I want to write about.

I love to eat. I love trying new things. I hope this is clear from my writing. And I hope it brings you a little joy, too.

Buffalo chicken potato skins

I found the base of this recipe here. If you want to see a really pretty picture, look at that one. If you want to see an iPhone picture, look at this one.

My favorite part of the meal was the cornmeal-crusted chicken. It was a little different and provided great crunch. We used Frank's hot sauce, buffalo version. It was pretty good for straight out of the bottle.






Next time, I will get some green onion and cilantro to sprinkle on top. And I will clean the plate before taking the picture :\.

Overall, this was a great weeknight meal. I did some cleaning while the potatoes were baking, I have homemade bleu cheese dressing for a salad, and potato innards for another night. What should I make with those? Potato pancakes? Au gratin?