Lisa Fain’s Carrot Soufflé Texas Style

First of all, do not be put off by my pictures that make this wonderful soufflé look as flat as a pancake. I cut the recipe in half, because, hey, it’s just me, and kept debating which pan to use to bake it. It seemed like too much for my 8-inch pan, but not quite enough for my 10-inch pan. So I said to myself, “Pattie, go for the larger pan, you don’t want to use the smaller pan and have this overflow in your oven the week before Thanksgiving.” I had to agree with myself, so that’s what I did.

This recipe is from the wonderful Lisa Fain of Homesick Texan book and blog fame, and author of the book Queso, that I reviewed here. This dish is perfect for the holiday season. It is quick and easy to put together, utilizes ingredients that you probably already have on hand, is inexpensive to make, will please everyone at your gathering, and is light, airy, fluffy, and like sinking your teeth into a spicy carrot cloud. I cannot say enough about this dish. Given the proper spoon, I think I could have easily inhaled this entire pan full, it is that good!

While my Thanksgiving menu is already planned, I think this would pair marvelously with baked ham, so I’ll be serving it at Christmas. Wonderful!

Lisa Fain’s Carrot Soufflé Texas Style

1 pound baby carrots

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, beaten

Place the carrots in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the carrots and place half in a blender or food processor. Place butter on top of the carrots, and then top with the remaining carrots.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish or cast-iron skillet.

When the butter has melted and the carrots have stopped steaming, add the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and eggs. Puree all the ingredients until fluffy and smooth; pour into the prepared dish.

Bake uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until the casserole is puffed and the top is lightly browned. Serve warm, though it’s also good at room temperature or even cold.

PRINT RECIPE

If you prefer your carrots on the cold side, this Fresh Carrot Dip is phenomenal!

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Smells Good Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

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Indian Queso with Jalapeno Chutney

Last week I reviewed Lisa Fain’s wonderful new book called QUESO! When I did, I promised that I would share a recipe from the book with you this week. I chose carefully, looking for an unusual combination of tastes rather than what I had previously experienced. This one certainly filled the bill. You don't have to be a fan of Indian food to love this queso. You do, however, have to be flexible when it comes to pasteurized processed cheese food, and you all know that I'm talking about Velveeta. You can turn your nose up at it if you like, but my guess is that you, like me, were first introduced to the wonders of queso by way of Velveeta mixed with a can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilis. Am I right? And didn't you love that? I figured as much.

This is easy and creamy, with a bold smoky taste; the jalapeno chutney takes it over the top, and gives it this unique swirled appearance.

(While the picture above shows my favorite Wickedly Prime Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips as dippers for this unique queso, I largely used apple wedges that I found to be the perfect pairing. I also told myself that using apple wedges would make queso healthy. If you've never tried dipping apple wedges into any type of queso, you absolutely must, you are going to love it.)

Indian Queso with Jalapeno Chutney

from QUESO! by Lisa Fain

Chutney
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Melissa’s unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of ground ginger

Queso
1 pound brick processed cheese, cubed
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Tortilla chips, for serving

To make chutney, place the jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, coconut, cumin, salt, and ginger in a food processor or blender. Purée until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if you like.

To make the queso, in a medium saucepan, combine the cheese, milk, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the cheese has melted. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if you like.

Transfer the queso to a serving bowl, small cooker, or a chafing dish over a flame. Top with the chutney and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

PRINT RECIPE

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This post is linked to:

Homemaking Party Thursday

Home and Garden Thursday
Home Sweet Home
Weekend Linky Party
Grace at Home

Friday at the Fire Station
Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Create, Bake, Grow and Gather
Share Your Style

Simple Saturday Blog Hop

A Bouquet of Talent

Paula's No Rules Weekend Blog Party

Queso! by Lisa Fain, a Review

I have been aware of Lisa Fane ever since I first stumbled upon her blog at the end of 2005. Ever since then, I have been one of her biggest fans, pre-ordering both of her wonderful cookbooks, The Homesick Texan Cookbook and The Homesick Texan's Family Table Cookbook, finding these two among the most well used in my massive collection. She's a seventh generation Texan, transplanted to New York, with a chatty writing style, and delicious recipes that captured my Tex-Mex loving heart.

Her latest book, Queso seems as though it was written just for me (I have long been campaigning to make queso another food group). It is impossible not to like, and the kind of book that makes queso lovers like me weep. Who, after all, doesn't like queso? Is it sheer genius to come out with a book full of nothing but queso recipes? What, after all, can be more comforting, than a dish of melted cheese and something to dip into it?

Well researched and comprehensive, this collection of more than 55 recipes contains not just Historic 1887 Chiles Poblano, but also classics like Austin Diner Style Queso and Chili Parlor Queso. I was particularly drawn to the chapter on Quirky Quesos, and immediately dug into making Indian Queso with Jalapeno Chutney (You'll find this recipe on the blog next week.), cumin lover that I am. I was not disappointed; it was delicious! Finding the recipe for El Paso Style Huevos Rancheros made me swoon, just knowing that it's acceptable to have queso for breakfast.

It's easy to get sucked right into this book, and read it like a novel. Each section is preceded with a nice, conversational introduction by Fane, each recipe the same. It's as if you're sitting down to a table with a bowl of chips and your best friend, talking about how much you love what you're about to dig into.

In addition to recipes for queso there are also recipes for tasty must-have accompaniments such as guacamole, pico de gallo, pickled jalapenos, and the like. I had never pickled jalapenos before reading this book, and now I don't seem to be able to stop.

If one of your friends or acquaintances claims to not be a fan of queso, well, first of all they're lying, second, you can direct them to the chapter on Queso in the Wild where it is used as a topper or ingredient for mouthwatering dishes such as Macaroni and Cheese with Green Chili Queso Blanco, Bacon Green Chili Queso Burger, Chicken Fried Steak with Queso Gravy (I tried this – wonderful!), or something simple like Frito Wedge Salad with Queso Dressing. Try this and you will never eat a wedge of lettuce again without topping it with a handful of Fritos and smothering it with melted cheese.

I can't say enough about this book. It is fun to read, the pictures are mouthwatering, the recipes are phenomenal, and it's just the right size as to be easy to handle and more importantly, store. This is a must have, no doubt about it. With the holidays coming up you need to stock up on this book, it would make a great gift for the cook or the queso eater in your life, as well as a very much appreciated hostess gift.

Highly recommended.

 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

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