The Pioneer Woman Cooks (67 page)

I once made this cheesy bread for hundreds of cattlewomen at an annual luncheon. Though I’d prepared roasted beef tenderloin, tomato-basil pasta salad, and grilled asparagus as well, it was the olive cheese bread that went the fastest. Cattlewomen from far and wide called in the coming weeks, asking for the recipe. I told them all to take a hike.

Just kidding. Here’s the recipe I gave ’em:

One 14.5-ounce can black olives, drainedOne 6-ounce jar pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained2 green onions¼ pound (1 stick) butter, softened½ cup mayonnaise (real mayo, no substitutions)1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated1 loaf crusty French bread

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

2. Place the black olives on a cutting board.

3. Chop them roughly until most of the large pieces are broken up.

4. Place the green olives on the cutting board.

5. And give ’em a rough chop.

6. Slice the green onions, then chop them up roughly.

7. In a large bowl, combine the butter, mayonnaise, Monterey Jack cheese, chopped olives, and green onions.

8. Stir until thoroughly combined. At this point, grab the nearest cracker and take a taste. Repeat as needed.

9. Slice the French bread loaf in half lengthwise. Spread the olive-cheese mixture in an even layer on each half.

10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese mixture is thoroughly melted and beginning to turn light brown and bubbly. Cut into diagonal slices and serve immediately.

HELPFUL HINTS

Here are some make-ahead tips:

• Prepare the olive/cheese mixture up to two days ahead of time. Store tightly covered in the fridge.
  
• Or, spread the olive/cheese mixture on the bread and freeze, tightly wrapped, up to six months. Thaw before baking.
  

• The cheese topping also makes a delicious spread for crackers!
  

  Variation
  

  Substitute drained, chopped artichoke hearts and grated Parmesan cheese for the black olives and Monterey Jack cheese. Yum!
  

CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Makes 6 servings

You’re looking at my favorite dessert of all time—the light, the creamy, the slightly crunchy-on-top crème brûlée, which I’m convinced is on the menu in Heaven…I just know it. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Crème brûlée can be intimidating to the home cook, but if you have one essential tool—a small butane kitchen torch—it’s really not that difficult. (To justify the purchase, just know you can also use the torch to light candles or keep poisonous asps at bay! Talk about an essential tool!) The torch is used to burn a sugar crust on the top of the cool custard; this is the signature quality of the dish. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to use the broiler in lieu of the torch, but the oven simply gets too hot and winds up disrupting the texture of the custard below, which should be very velvety smooth and soft—not firm and eggy.

The rest of the recipe is a breeze, though; it just takes a little upper-arm endurance. And the results are so impressive, your guests will never host a dinner party in their houses again. They’ll just make you do it. On second thought, maybe crème brûlée isn’t such a good idea after all.

1 quart heavy cream1 vanilla bean, split or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract10 egg yolks¾ cup plus 6 tablespoons superfine sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. First, pour the cream into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the vanilla bean or vanilla extract. Bring almost to a boil, then turn off the heat.