Fall TV shows inspire recipes
Our favorite television shows are preparing to make their fall returns, and many of them are so drama-filled, the angst is likely to drive us into serious bouts of stress eating.
Why not cope by gorging on recipes inspired by each show?
We’ve come up with a list of fall-friendly dishes and drinks that can be easily prepared and ingested as the new television season launches in September.
“Empire”: cookies
Return date: 8 p.m. Sept. 23 on Fox
The hit television show, which grabbed big ratings in its first season, stars Terrence Howard as music label owner Lucious Lyon and Taraji P. Henson as his ruthless ex-wife, Cookie. When we last saw the characters in March, Lucious was in jail and his son was left in charge of his label. Cookie, meanwhile, was being questioned by the feds and was, as always, plotting to get what was hers.
And does anyone doubt she will? Cookie has proven there’s almost nothing she won’t do to get what she wants.
It brings to mind the story of another cookie tied to large piles of cash: The legendary Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie. As the urban myth goes, a woman and her daughter eating at the Neiman Marcus Cafe in Dallas loved the chocolate chip cookies so much that they asked for the recipe. The waitress replied that it would cost two-fifty, and the woman agreed to buy it, but when she got her bill, she’d been charged $250 instead of $2.50. The department store refused to refund the money, insisting their recipe was worth at least that, so the woman decided to share the recipe with everyone she met as revenge.
Revenge? Sounds like our Cookie.
“Nashville” nosh: brie and strawberries
9 p.m. Sept. 23, ABC
The fourth season of this country music soap opera will return to many unanswered questions, including whether Deacon has survived his liver transplant, whether Juliette and Avery are still together and how Will will deal with his recent coming out.
What seems certain, however, is that at some point, the characters will make their way into the famous Bluebird Cafe, the real-life music venue that is as regular a player on the show as star Connie Britton.
The real-life Bluebird Cafe has a limited menu of food that includes sandwiches, quesadillas and some rather random appetizers, including spanakopita and a baked brie served with strawberries. Baked brie served with strawberries? Don’t mind if we do.
“Blacklist”: borscht
8 p.m. Oct. 1, NBC
“The Blacklist” has so many things going for it: James Spader, intrigue, James Spader and lots of Russian mystery. When Season 2 ended in May, Liz had shot Tom Connolly, remembered that she killed her own father, joined Red on the FBI’s list of 10 most-wanted fugitives and found out that her Russian name is Masha Rostova. (Talk about a bad day.)
What might help heal Liz’s fractured, fugitive soul? How about a big, steaming red bowl of Russian comfort food. Not only is borscht made with the vegetable of the moment – the beet – it’s also full of healthy superfoods.
“Vampire Diaries”: bloodiest Mary
7 p.m. Oct. 8, The CW
The Season 6 finale of The CW’s vampire drama saw a lot of death: Jo. Jo’s unborn babies. Liv. Kai. The entire Gemini Coven. And Elena is gone. For good.
How to deal with all this supernatural loss as Season 7’s premiere approaches?
How about a tall, stiff bloody Mary?
Easy superfood Red Borsch
Makes 10-12 servings
12 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 medium or 1/2 large onion, peeled and cut in half (ends removed)
3 medium potatoes, sliced
1/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3 medium beets, peeled and grated
2 bay leaves
2 handfuls of chopped kale leaves
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
3 tablespoons ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
Fill a large soup pot with 12 cups broth and place over medium high heat. Toss in the halved onion. Bring to a simmer, then add the chopped potatoes, quinoa and carrots. Let cook five minutes. Add grated beets, bay leaves and chopped kale. Stir to combine. Bring to a light boil and continue to cook uncovered 20 minutes. Your veggies should be soft when done. Add ½ tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash (or your favorite seasoning) and 3 tablespoons ketchup. Bring back to a boil and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve with sour cream.
Source: http://natashaskitchen.com
Neiman Marcus Cocholate Chip Cookies
Yields 2 dozen
1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the work bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds longer, until well combined. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the mixer, while beating on slow speed., Beat for about 15 seconds, stir in the chocolate chips and espresso powder, and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Prepare a cookie sheet with about 2 tablespoons of shortening (or use a non-stick spray). Using a 1-ounce scoop, or using a 2 tablespoon measure, drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet in dollops about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into 2-inch circles; there should be room on the sheet of six or eight cookies at a time. Transfer to the oven in batches and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are nicely browned around the edges. Bake for a little longer for crispier cookies.
Source: www.neimanmarcuscareers.com
Bloody Mary
Makes one drink
1/4 cup (2 ounces) tomato juice
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) vodka
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish
3 dashes hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 pinch salt
1 dash freshly ground black pepper
About 1 cup ice cubes
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 stalk celery
1 lemon wedge (optional)
In an11-ounce highball glass, stir together tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Fill glass with ice, then pour mixture into second glass. Pour back and forth 3 to 4 times to mix well, then sprinkle lemon juice over. Garnish with celery stalk and lemon wedge and serve.
Source: epicurious.com
Strawberry Baked Brie
1 wheel of Brie
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
1/3 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped
1 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk
Carefully lay the cheese on its side and using a long, sharp knife, horizontally cut in half. Spread the preserves on the cut side of the bottom layer of cheese. Sprinkle on the nuts. Replace the top half of the brie.
Roll out the puff pastry into a circle, about double the diameter of the wheel of Brie. Place the Brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges and decoratively twist together. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours wrapped in plastic.
Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Beat the egg yolk and brush over the pastry. Bake 40 minutes, until the pastry is evenly puffed and brown. Serve with crackers warm or at room temperature.
Source: globalgourmet.com
This story was originally published September 13, 2015 at 12:34 PM with the headline "Fall TV shows inspire recipes."