I haven't been ofor girl's night dinner/food club since September...BUT...the holidays are coming and they grant loads of recipe daydreams...that keep me nicely preoccupied on early chilly mornings.
And, since Elizabeth easily consumes half of my plate each night, leaving Dave to sympathetically offer me some of his dinner, I'm growing excited by the notion that I can teach/expose her to some awesome flavors at such a young age. For example, the other night she gnawed on roasted asparagus spears, popping equally roasted cherry tomatoes, packing gobs of pinenut couscous into her palms while trading off on pieces of lemon pepper pan-seared bassa, scallops and shrimp. Food snob already!
I secretly realize that she will likely turn a page and stop wanting anything aside from bread, cheese, cookies and ice cream in another 6 months or so, but I'm holding out hope that she'll skip that phase!
Back to Rachel Ray and Bon Appetit!
2 Under 2...here we come!!!
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Berry Tart with Mascarpone Cream
Can use all strawberries or the mixture of any berries. Wonderful use of large quantities of berries.
Sweet Pastry Dough
Pie weights or raw rice for weighting shell
1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 ½ t Vanilla
Zest of ½ lemon
1 1/2 cups small strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
Preheat oven to 375°F.
On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll rolling pin over top of shell to trim dough flush with rim and with a fork prick bottom of shell all over. Chill shell 30 minutes, or until firm.
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of oven 20 minutes and carefully remove foil and weights or rice. Bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more, and cool completely in pan on a rack. Shell may be made 1 day ahead and kept in pan, loosely covered, at room temperature.
In a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat together mascarpone, cream, and sugar until mixture holds stiff peaks. Do NOT overbeat. Add vanilla and lemon zest, blend for a few strokes. Add mixture into shell, spreading evenly.
Quarter strawberries and in a large bowl combine with remaining berries. Mound berries decoratively on mascarpone cream. Tart may be assembled 2 hours ahead and chilled. Bring tart to room temperature and remove side of pan before serving. It can also be served frozen (as I learned at Heather's)
Serves 6 to 8.
Don’t assemble until before serving. Keep refrigerated.
Sweet Pastry Dough
Pie weights or raw rice for weighting shell
1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 ½ t Vanilla
Zest of ½ lemon
1 1/2 cups small strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
Preheat oven to 375°F.
On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll rolling pin over top of shell to trim dough flush with rim and with a fork prick bottom of shell all over. Chill shell 30 minutes, or until firm.
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of oven 20 minutes and carefully remove foil and weights or rice. Bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more, and cool completely in pan on a rack. Shell may be made 1 day ahead and kept in pan, loosely covered, at room temperature.
In a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat together mascarpone, cream, and sugar until mixture holds stiff peaks. Do NOT overbeat. Add vanilla and lemon zest, blend for a few strokes. Add mixture into shell, spreading evenly.
Quarter strawberries and in a large bowl combine with remaining berries. Mound berries decoratively on mascarpone cream. Tart may be assembled 2 hours ahead and chilled. Bring tart to room temperature and remove side of pan before serving. It can also be served frozen (as I learned at Heather's)
Serves 6 to 8.
Don’t assemble until before serving. Keep refrigerated.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced or sliced
1 green pepper, diced or sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 jalapeno, finely diced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 avocado, pitted, sliced
1 cup shredded Mexican typecheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and jalepenos and cook for another minute. Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer and add your chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes. Once chicken is cooked remove from pot. When cool enough to handle shred it and set it aside. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro to the pot. In a serving bowl add a mound of shredded chicken. Ladle soup over chicken and top with a lime wedge, grilled tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese.
Serve with tortilla chips or break up and toss in.
Serves 4.
1 small onion, diced or sliced
1 green pepper, diced or sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 jalapeno, finely diced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 avocado, pitted, sliced
1 cup shredded Mexican typecheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and jalepenos and cook for another minute. Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer and add your chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes. Once chicken is cooked remove from pot. When cool enough to handle shred it and set it aside. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro to the pot. In a serving bowl add a mound of shredded chicken. Ladle soup over chicken and top with a lime wedge, grilled tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese.
Serve with tortilla chips or break up and toss in.
Serves 4.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Yogurt
-One half-gallon of milk (8 cups). I would suggest at least 2%. When you use whole, it comes out the consistency of low fat.
-1/2 cup PLAIN Yogurt.
-1/2 cup Dry milk. This one is optional. It just thickens it up more.
Turn crock on LOW & pour in milk (dry milk too if you're using it). Heat on low for 2 hours and 45 minutes. After, turn OFF and unplug. Let cool with lid on for 3 hours. After, remove 1-2 cups of milk & place in a bowl. To the bowl, add 1/2 cup of yogurt & whisk WELL. Return mix to crock & whisk thoroughly. Cover & wrap crock in a big bath towel (to insulate). Let it culture for 8-12 hours. Usually I do 12, it makes it thicker. Scoop into jars/containers (I use Ball canning jars). Refrigerate at least 6-8 hours for best texture.
That's it! I know it takes an entire day, but the amount of actual work you do is about 5 minutes. The rest it does on it's own. I add flavor to it before serving. Usually we use homemade jam but there IS a lot of sugar in jam. You can use fresh fruit, honey, plain 'ol sugar, vanilla extract (tiny bit), or whatever other flavors you like!
I think it would last at least 7-10 days.
-1/2 cup PLAIN Yogurt.
-1/2 cup Dry milk. This one is optional. It just thickens it up more.
Turn crock on LOW & pour in milk (dry milk too if you're using it). Heat on low for 2 hours and 45 minutes. After, turn OFF and unplug. Let cool with lid on for 3 hours. After, remove 1-2 cups of milk & place in a bowl. To the bowl, add 1/2 cup of yogurt & whisk WELL. Return mix to crock & whisk thoroughly. Cover & wrap crock in a big bath towel (to insulate). Let it culture for 8-12 hours. Usually I do 12, it makes it thicker. Scoop into jars/containers (I use Ball canning jars). Refrigerate at least 6-8 hours for best texture.
That's it! I know it takes an entire day, but the amount of actual work you do is about 5 minutes. The rest it does on it's own. I add flavor to it before serving. Usually we use homemade jam but there IS a lot of sugar in jam. You can use fresh fruit, honey, plain 'ol sugar, vanilla extract (tiny bit), or whatever other flavors you like!
I think it would last at least 7-10 days.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Compliments of my sister, who makes this fantastic sauce while the water is boiling for the pasta.
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
S and p
Drizzle olive oil
Bunch of Basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Heat saute pan medium high coating pan with olive oil, sweat onions until transparent, adding garlic for a minute before pouring in tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, more olive oil, and basil. Serve now for fresher flavor or can continue to simmer for deeper flavor.
Enjoy!
For leftovers, I add chopped sausage, spinach, pinenuts, asiago/parmesan/romano and a different pasta.
Yum!
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
S and p
Drizzle olive oil
Bunch of Basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Heat saute pan medium high coating pan with olive oil, sweat onions until transparent, adding garlic for a minute before pouring in tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, more olive oil, and basil. Serve now for fresher flavor or can continue to simmer for deeper flavor.
Enjoy!
For leftovers, I add chopped sausage, spinach, pinenuts, asiago/parmesan/romano and a different pasta.
Yum!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Easy Tender Brisket
3 pounds beef brisket
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 Tbsp liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
Pour liquid smoke over the brisket and sprinkle on garlic powder, dry onion soup mix, and ground black pepper. Seal foil.
Bake in a preheated oven for 6 to 8 hours. At the end, pull pan out of oven and whisk 1-2 Tbsps flour. Pan is bubbling still with juices, and flour will thicken sauce.
Serves 7.
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 Tbsp liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
Pour liquid smoke over the brisket and sprinkle on garlic powder, dry onion soup mix, and ground black pepper. Seal foil.
Bake in a preheated oven for 6 to 8 hours. At the end, pull pan out of oven and whisk 1-2 Tbsps flour. Pan is bubbling still with juices, and flour will thicken sauce.
Serves 7.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Goat Cheese Guacamole (from El Vez)
2 ounces goat cheese
2 avocados, peeled and seed removed
1 roasted poblano chile
1 tablespoon cilantro leaf
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper
Mash all ingredients except salt and pepper; taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
Makes 4-6
2 avocados, peeled and seed removed
1 roasted poblano chile
1 tablespoon cilantro leaf
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper
Mash all ingredients except salt and pepper; taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
Makes 4-6
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart (or Crostini)
My famous mushroom recipe that converts mushroom-haters:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces button mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces-can use criminis too
1 large shallot, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), room temperature
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons whipping cream
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft and dry, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet, then shallot. Sauté until shallot is soft, about 4 minutes longer. Add nutmeg. Season mushroom filling with salt and pepper. Cool.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out puff pastry onto lightly floured surface to 12x15-inch rectangle. Cut one 12x5-inch rectangle, two 11x1/2-inch strips and two 5x1/2-inch strips from pastry. Place rectangle on prepared baking sheet. Pierce all over with fork. Using pastry brush, brush all strips with egg. Place short strips, egg side down, atop ends of pastry to form raised crust edge; place long strips, egg side down, atop long sides of pastry. (Mushroom filling and tart shell can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tart shell until golden, about 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Spread cheese evenly over bottom of hot tart shell. Top with mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with cream. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces button mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces-can use criminis too
1 large shallot, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), room temperature
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons whipping cream
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft and dry, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet, then shallot. Sauté until shallot is soft, about 4 minutes longer. Add nutmeg. Season mushroom filling with salt and pepper. Cool.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out puff pastry onto lightly floured surface to 12x15-inch rectangle. Cut one 12x5-inch rectangle, two 11x1/2-inch strips and two 5x1/2-inch strips from pastry. Place rectangle on prepared baking sheet. Pierce all over with fork. Using pastry brush, brush all strips with egg. Place short strips, egg side down, atop ends of pastry to form raised crust edge; place long strips, egg side down, atop long sides of pastry. (Mushroom filling and tart shell can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tart shell until golden, about 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Spread cheese evenly over bottom of hot tart shell. Top with mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with cream. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lemon poppy seed cake/bread
Really good stuff - nice fresh almost pound cake baking.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heavily grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix lemon juice and yogurt together and add alternately with the sifted flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just blended. Stir in lemon rind and poppy seeds. Pour mixture into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before turning out of pans.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heavily grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix lemon juice and yogurt together and add alternately with the sifted flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just blended. Stir in lemon rind and poppy seeds. Pour mixture into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before turning out of pans.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Gift of Chai
After 4 requests for the recipe and several other comments, here it is, I tried to post to FB, but wasn't successful.
Ingredients:
2 cups nonfat dry milk (or 1 cup dry milk and 1 cup non-dairy powdered creamer)
2.5 cups white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups unsweetened tea (decaf for preggers)
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cardamom
Optional: 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. allspice and 1/4 tsp. white pepper
Mix the vanilla into the sugar, let dry, then break the sugar into small lumps. In a large bowl, combine milk powder, sugar and tea. Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time, until mixture is the consistency of fine powder. Stir 2 heaping tablespoons Chai tea mixture into a mug of hot water to serve. Enjoy.
Ingredients:
2 cups nonfat dry milk (or 1 cup dry milk and 1 cup non-dairy powdered creamer)
2.5 cups white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups unsweetened tea (decaf for preggers)
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cardamom
Optional: 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. allspice and 1/4 tsp. white pepper
Mix the vanilla into the sugar, let dry, then break the sugar into small lumps. In a large bowl, combine milk powder, sugar and tea. Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time, until mixture is the consistency of fine powder. Stir 2 heaping tablespoons Chai tea mixture into a mug of hot water to serve. Enjoy.
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