A NEW Blog...

So, I created a new blog that has more to do with cooking than this one started out doing.  I'm probably there now, but I'd like to see if I can get some of my recipes out there and let people know how easy it really is to create and have fun with food.  The name is: Real Dads Do Cook (realdadsdocook.blogspot.com).  I'd like to hear what others think about the name, but that's for another time.
Jules and I were watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives the other night and this restaurant in Texas was making these pop-overs that are the same process I use for my Yorkshire Pudding.  Oddly enough, or maybe not, Tasting Table had the recipe today, so I thought I'd copy it and try...we'll see how it goes.

GRUYÈRE AND BLACK PEPPER POPOVERS

Recipe adapted from: Foreign & Domestic Food & Drink, Austin, TX

Yield: 16 popovers

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, cut into 16 small cubes, plus freshly grated cheese for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375˚ and position a rack in the bottom third. Place 2 muffin pans (or enough to make 16 popovers) in the oven to warm.
In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat until it is hot (about 125˚) but not boiling. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt and black pepper until smooth. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Add the flour and whisk until the batter is just combined. (It may be slightly lumpy.)
Remove the muffin pans from the oven. Spray the pans generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour about ⅓ cup of the batter into each of 16 muffin cups. Set a cube of the cheese on top of the batter in each cup.
Bake the popovers until puffed and deep golden brown, about 40 minutes (do not open the door or they may collapse). Remove the popovers from the pans, sprinkle with the grated Gruyère and serve immediately.

Wow, I never knew pop-overs were so easy, just in case I'm posting this recipe as well...

POPOVERS

(Makes 6 large or 12 small popovers)

 

One classic American breakfast roll is the popover. It's a breakfast treat very similar to Yorkshire pudding and it's often served with fruit jams or whipped cream and it makes for a perfect dish to include with an Easter brunch.

Typically, popovers are served in a specific popover pan. They are characterized by their tall, straight walls unlike the angled walls of muffin or cupcake pans. That being said, not many of us actually have popover pans on hand mostly because they are good almost exclusively for popovers. We wanted to share a recipe that would work just as well in a muffin pan.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cup whole milk heated to 110°F

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Shortening to grease the pan

 

DIRECTIONS

Grease a muffin pan with vegetable shortening, then dust lightly with flour. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until light and foamy. Slowly whisk in the milk and melted butter until incorporated.

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk three quarters of the milk mixture into the flour mixture until no lumps remain. Whisk in the remaining milk mixture. Transfer the batter to a large measuring cup and cover with plastic. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Just before the hour is up, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the muffin pan in the oven for 2 minutes to warm. Remove from the oven. Whisk the batter to recombine then pour into the prepared muffin pan, dividing evenly between the cups. Bake until just beginning to brown (15 minutes). Do not open the door to the oven after you put the popovers in. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 15 minutes, still not opening the oven door until after the 15 minutes are up.

Remove the popovers from the oven. Turn them onto a wire rack and pierce the bottoms with a knife to allow the steam to escape. Cool just enough so they can be handled. Eat immediately and serve with jam. Enjoy!