Foodie Vocabulary: Compound Butter

Compound butter is a treasure to me.  Reason being: it can single-handedly elevate a dish's flavor quotient and scrumptiousness, and all that with the same minimal effort it takes to add plain butter to a dish.  Well almost.  But trust me, the additional effort is so slight, you'll have no qualms about "compounding away".

As the name implies, compound butter is plain butter (I typically use unsalted) compounded with additional flavors.  And there's virtually no end to the flavors the creative cook can create.  From blue cheese to herbs and garlic to orange marmalade to chili spices and lime zest, the compound butter frontier knows no bounds.  And it stores like regular butter, so once you make it, you'll have a little treasure awaiting in your fridge whenever you want it--or until you run out.

So the next time you want to spice up that pasta dish or add a zing to some steamed fish or wake up that piece of toast, consider substituting your plain butter allotment for a kicked-up compound butter.  Since you're planning to use the butter anyway, you might as well get the most bang for your foodie buck.

To get you started with this most delectable foodie delight, I want to share my recipe for Herb-Garlic Butter.  I can't make garlic bread without it, and I also love it on my Fish en Papillote.  Making that simple tweak to my dish was a mouth-watering revelation!  And once you try it, I trust you'll agree.

Happy Eating!

Herb-Garlic Butter
Ingredients: 
1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine butter, herbs, garlic and salt.  Refrigerate (or freeze) until butter has become firm again.  Remove from refrigerator, serve and enjoy!

My Whirlwind Week in Food: A Recipe Contest, Food Bloggers' Conference and Oodles of Inspiration

WHAT A WEEK!

Last week around this time, I had just recently completed the edits for my cooking video submission for the Cooking Channel's Perfect 3 Recipe Contest.  It was a simultaneous rush of relief and excitement: relief for getting it done and keeping myself in the running for the amazing grand prize and excitement that my recipe for Grilled Steak Tacos with Chipotle Cream and Chimichurri qualified me as a finalist!  I have to admit that I'm still on a high from that one and eagerly awaiting the final verdict on the matter. 

I hope you'll take the time to make the recipe and drop me a note letting me know what you think.  It comes together easily, so with a little advance preparation, you can enjoy it as a quick, weeknight meal--or anytime you fancy.  And if I say so myself, it's quite good!  Finally, a big 'thank you' to those who took the time to support me by voting for my recipe.

I rode the momentum and excitement from the recipe contest into the latter part of the week and the kickoff of the BlogHer Food '11 Conference.  My first blogger conference, I wasn't totally sure of what all it would entail.  The session titles and descriptions sounded compelling, yet practical enough to have true relevance for my benefit.  The added bonus of having it in my own backyard/hometown was the final "sign" that this was a not-to-be-missed event.  While I only had one day to spare for personally attending, I will definitely soak in the live blogging session recaps that BlogHer Food wonderfully provided. 

Me (on the right) and Fellow BlogHer Food Attendees

I looked forward to personally meeting fellow food bloggers, whose talent and professional generosity continue to inspire, along with industry leaders and great brands.  And my experience didn't disappoint.  I did all of the above--and them some--enjoying instruction on everything from working with media and brands, to vlogging, to advice on taking the mobile leap, while also soaking in personal stories of triumph and making great connections.  All of this with great noshing sprinkled throughout the day, no doubt.

My natural high exploded exponentially as the day drew to a close, and I relished what a great one it had been.  As I made the trek home, I reflected on the great impartation I had the good fortune to receive.  Now I must do a deep dive into all I learned and be a good steward of this treasure.  I'll also be sharing some nuggets here on DMRFF, so stayed tuned.  Beyond that, the weekend brought personal blessing and inspiration as I witnessed a dear cousin fulfill his dream of becoming a medical doctor. 

So as I wind down and prepare for the start of yet another week, I wish you Happy Eating and your own boat load of inspiration.

A Mother's Day Celebration

I've often said (jokingly) that Mother's Day is the most important holiday, right after Christmas and Easter.  Although I've said it in jest, there is a large measure of truth to it.  And for good reason:  we're celebrating our moms and those who have brought motherly love and influence into our lives.  I don't suspect that there is any argument that this is one of the most precious gifts we can receive in life. 

So when celebrating the icon, who is mom, there's nothing quite as heartfelt as celebrating over a delicious meal.  I'd like to share a few recipes from the DMRFF archives that you can bring to the table for your most delectable Mother's Day celebration yet.

Wishing all moms a Happy Mother's Day....and Happy Eating!   

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH:

Herbed-Baked Eggs 

LUNCH:

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette 

Basil Lemonade

DINNER:

Crostini with Lemon and Oregano 

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables 

DESSERT: 

Apple Turnovers

Photo Credit: Williams-Sonoma