Nate's Homecoming

So after 12 husbandless days, Nate is finally back in Raleigh! After exchanging Easter baskets (mine was filled with interesting Korean treats; shrimp chips, anyone?), I made Nate a very filling dinner of seared Ribeye steak with whiskey cream sauce, ranch mashed potatoes, rolls I stole from a lunch at work (don't worry, they were the leftovers), vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and blackberry ice cream. Now if all that doesn't make him stick around I don't know what will! Before I proceed, I know initially I was only going to be a vegetarian whilst Nate was out of town, but I actually really like being a vegetarian. I feel healthier, I'm losing more weight, and I'm saving animals; what's not to like?! So that being said, I made Nate a seared Ribeye and before you say "wait a second, you just got through telling me you're no longer eating meat!", I made myself a seared portabella mushroom cap. Happy now?




Seared Ribeye (and Portabella Mushroom Cap) with Whiskey Cream Sauce

5 Tbsp salted butter, divided
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 C whiskey
1/4 C vegetable broth
1/4 C heavy cream, plus more if needed
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Ribeye steak, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 portabella mushroom cap


This original recipe came from Ree Drummond's phenomenal cookbook - The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl (Harper Collins, 2009). This book is chock-full of amazing recipes for everything from breakfast to a dinner party complete with cocktails! I tweaked the recipe to make it vegetarian but I'm sure the original recipe is just as fantastic.


Begin with the delicious sauce. In a deep skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter and cook onions until browned. Turn off the heat and pour in the whiskey and allow to bubble until evaporated. Turn the heat back on to medium and stir in the vegetable broth, 1 Tbsp butter, heavy cream and season. Keep warm until use. My sauce wasn't nearly as thick as I had hoped for so I would probably dial back the vegetable broth next time but the flavors were definitely on point!


Now for the steak and steak-substitute. In your trusty cast iron, melt the remaining butter over medium heat and cook the seasoned mushroom cap for 5 minutes per side. Remove to a side plate. Cook the steak for 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare; I cooked Nate's for 6 minutes per side to get a little closer to medium. Top steak and mushroom with cream sauce and welcome to heaven!


Ranch Mashed Potatoes


4 russet potatoes, halved lengthwise and widthwise
4 Q water
1/2 C buttermilk
3 Tbsp salted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp ranch dressing seasoning


Boil potatoes in water until fork tender. This typically takes around 20-30 minutes.


Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until desired consistency. This part was great for working out your biceps or getting out pent up anger. I prefer my potatoes kinda lumpy but if you like smooth potatoes, feel free to work out those bi's a little longer.


Once you've reached potato perfection, mix in buttermilk, butter and seasoning. These potatoes were magnificent! Creamy, ranch-y, tasty! And the extra whiskey sauce goes well with them too.


Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

1 1/2 C cake flour
1 1/2 Tsp baking powder
1/4 Tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 C sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 Tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.


Using your trusty stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat together eggs and sugar until foamy. Gradually add in butter and vanilla.


Slowly add in half of the flour until combined. Add in all the milk and the remainder of the flour mixture.


Pour 1/4 C of batter into each cup of a lined muffin tin and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and extracted cleanly.


Top with my signature vanilla buttercream recipe here. The cupcakes were light and airy and the perfect amount of moist (I despise that word but there's really no other way to describe cake, is there?)


I decided to make a special ice cream to celebrate as well, and because I just really love ice cream.


Fresh Blackberry No Churn Ice Cream


24 oz fresh blackberries, washed
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 Tsp lemon juice
2 C heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tsp vanilla extract


Let me begin this recipe by saying, this is a process. This ice cream is totally worth the wait, but you're devoting at least 2 hours to making this ice cream and that's before it even goes in the freezer. Now, it is infinitely easier than using an ice cream maker. There's no rock salt to buy, no bulky instrument taking up counter space, no noise so already it's better but it's not a whole lot faster.


In a blender, puree berries until smooth. Using a fine mesh sieve, remove pulp and seeds from juice over a medium sized bowl.


In a pot over medium heat, cook together berry juice, lemon juice and sugar until thick and syrupy. This took roughly 5-6 minutes for me. Allow the syrup to cool in the fridge for at least an hour. During this time, put a large metal bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer in the fridge to chill. You'll thank me later.


After your refrigeration hour is up, pour 2 C heavy cream into your now cold metal bowl. Using the whisk attachment of your stand or hand mixer, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Having the bowl cold speeds up this process. Slowly beat in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Gently fold the heavy cream mixture into the berry mixture leaving a few swirls for aesthetic purposes.


Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe metal container lined with wax paper. I used a standard sized loaf pan and fit the mixture perfectly. Freeze for at least 6 hours.


The ice cream was fresh, creamy and utterly delicious. Just think of all the other great flavor combos you can now make using the excellent base of heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla?!


Enjoy your Friday, readers! Stay tuned for more great recipes!