Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Pumpkin Pie

1 pre-baked pie crust

2 cups of pumpkin puree
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp of salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400 (gas mark 6)

Process pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt in blender or food processor until combined. Transfer pumpkin mixture to a 3 qt saucepan. Bring mixture to to a sputtering simmer over medium high heat. Cook pumpkin, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 min.

Whisk heavy cream and milk into the pumpkin mixture and bring to a bare simmer. Process the eggs in the blender until mixed. Temp the eggs with the pumpkin mixture in the blender. Slowly pour warm egg mixture into the remaining pumpkin mixture. Pour the pumpkin custard into the pie shell.

Bake until the filling is puffed, dry looking and lightly cracked around the edges and the center of the pie wiggles like gelatin when shaken. This should take about 25 minutes. Cool at least one hour.

Serve with whipped or extra thick heavy cream (or ice cream!).

Pumpkin Puree

2 medium sized sugar pumpkins
Tin foil
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 400(number 6), cut pumpkins in half and scoop out strings and seeds. Line two baking sheets with the tin foil. Spray the foil with the cooking spray and place pumpkin halves on the baking sheet. Roast pumpkins until the meat is soft enough to scoop out with a spoon, about an hour. When pumpkins cook, scoop out the meat and process in a blender or food processor. Add a bit of water if it's too dry but you don't want the pumpkin to be runny at all.

Place in Tupperware and keep refrigerated for a maximum of 3 days.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Beef and Chestnut Stew

1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 lb lean boneless shin/stewing beef cut into 1" cubes
2 tsp olive oil
4 shallots peeled and cut in half
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 carrots cut in large chunks
1 can of diced or crushed tomatoes
lemon zest (I didn't use)
16 oz of beef stock
7 oz of red wine
1tbsp thyme
7 oz whole, cooked chestnuts

Preheat oven to 325. Shake beef in ziploc with flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Brown beef with oil in dutch oven in batches. When the meat has been browned on all sides, remove and set aside. In same pan, cook shallots, garlic and carrots for 2-3 minutes. Add beef back in along with can of tomatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Transfer pot from stove to oven and let cook for 1.5-2 hrs. Serve with potatoes.

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Coconut Shrimps

28 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut


To prepare shrimp, peel and de-vein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Rinse shrimp in cold water; drain on paper towels until dry.

Combine cornstarch, salt, and red pepper in a shallow dish; stir with a whisk. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until frothy (about 2 minutes). Place coconut in a shallow dish.

Working with one shrimp at a time, dredge in cornstarch mixture. Dip in egg white; dredge in coconut, pressing gently with fingers. Place in peanut oil that has been heated on a medium heat. Cook until coconut has lightly browned.

Sauce:
4 Tbs of high quality orange marmalade
22 Tbs of Dijon mustard

Place both ingredients in a microwave proof dish, heat for 30 or just long enough to help mustard and marmalade melt into one another. Let cool a bit and serve with shrimps.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Open-Face Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 chicken cutlets (1 pound total; about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 spinach leaves, trimmed
4 thin slices boiled ham (2 ounces)
3 ounces Gruyère, coarsely grated (1 cup)


Preheat broiler. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a flameproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides.

Sauté chicken in butter, without turning, until cooked through and undersides are golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and turn chicken over, then top each cutlet with 2 spinach leaves, 1 slice ham (folding it to fit), and 1/4 cup cheese.

Broil 3 inches from heat until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Rex's Sidecar (my favorite)

1/2 oz Cointreau
1 oz good brandy or cognac
2 oz fresh lemonade
Ice

Pour the juice and alcohol over ice, shake.

Served in sugar rimmed glass.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Rex's Limoncello

300 ml vodka
300 ml simple syrup
zest of 2 lemons

Zest the two lemons with a microplane zester. Add this zest to the vodka and let sit for at least 2 weeks, preferably 3 weeks.

Combine lemon-y vodka and simple syrup and strain out lemon zest.

Serve chilled.

*Absolutely AMAZING!

Chicken Strips

A couple of chicken breast cut into strips
Buttermilk
1-1.5 cups of flour for dredging
salt
pepper
cayenne
veggie oil

Marinate chicken in buttermilk for at least 20 minutes(reserve some buttermilk). In a bowl combine the flour and seasonings. Drizzle some remaining buttermilk into this dry ingredients.

Heat Oil, dredge chicken, cook until light golden brown.

Diabetes Cake aka BC Coconut Cake

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides.

*I only lightly dusted with coconut on the top.

Szechuan Green Beans

1 pound Chinese long beans (used fresh green beans)
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Pepper to taste, optional
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying, or as needed

Wash the beans, drain thoroughly, and trim the tops and bottoms.
Chop the garlic and ginger.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the beans and stir-fry until they start to shrivel or "pucker" and turn brown (5 - 7 minutes). Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, soy and sugar. Stir-fry for a few seconds until aromatic and sauce has thickened.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan (9x13 glass baking dish) and bake at 350-degrees for 20 (35 minutes, then start checking, mine took a lot longer than the original 20 minutes I had planned on).

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely. (I left these out)
Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Stir together.
Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Moroccan Braised Beef

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala*
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup dry Sherry
2 cups beef broth
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups golden raisins

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to pot; sauté until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same pot. Add onions; sauté until brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add wine and Sherry; boil until reduced to glaze, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and raisins; stir to blend. Add beef and accumulated juices; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until sauce is thick and beef is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.)

Garam Masala

1 tablespoon coriander; ground
1 tablespoon cumin; ground
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper; ground
1 tablespoon fennel seeds; ground
1 tablespoon ginger; ground
1 tablespoon cardamom; ground
1 tablespoon nutmeg; ground
1 TEASPOON cloves; ground

Serves 6-8

Barefoot Couscous

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped shallots
3 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup currants

Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Add the pine nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.

Serves 6-8

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

7 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped (used Galaxy, great flavor)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream (used double, single next time)
3/4 cup Guinness Stout
1 tsp vanilla

Chop chocolate and place in medium bowl with a sieve over it.

Warm the milk, sugar and saltin medium saucepan. Ina separate medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. SLowly pour the warm mixture inot the egg yolk, whisking constantly, then scrape the wamred egg yolks back into saucepan. Stir the egg mixture constantly until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour custard through sieve onto chopped chocolate, stir until chocolate is melted, add vanilla extract and cool. Chill in refrigerator until ready to churn.

Almost Almond Amaretto

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream (single)
1 cup whole almonds, toast and coarsely chopped **
5 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup candied cherries (glacé cherries)**

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Finely chop the toasted almonds and add them to the warm milk mixture. Cover, remove from heat and let steep at room temp for 1 hr.

Strain the almond infused milk into a separate medium saucepan. Press the almonds through sieve to extract as much flavor as possible. Save these almonds.

Rewarm the almond milk. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly temper the egg yolks with the warmed almond mild, then add tempered eggs back into saucepan.

Stir the almond-egg mixture constantly until it coats the back of a spoon. Pour custard through sieve into remaining cream, add almond extract and cool. Chill in refrigerator until ready to churn. Add saved almonds to ice cream mixer in the last few minutes of churning, stir in chopped cherries. Freeze hard.

This recipe calls for you to use a new chopped cup of almonds, but I don't think you really need it. I would also cut down cherries and almonds to 1/2 cup each. Too much "stuff" in this ice cream, but great flavor.

David Lebovitz

Monday, May 18, 2009

Applesauce Stolen from Amy

3 LB mixed apples (Courtland, McIntosh, Gala, Golden Delicious), cored and quartered
½ c water
¾ - 1 c sugar, to taste
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp cinnamon

In a large saucepan combine the apples, ½ c water and sugar, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up the apples, for 20 minutes. When the apples are tender and the mixture is the consistency of a chunky puree make saucy with a hand blender and, if needed, return to the saucepan. Simmer the applesauce, gently, for an additional 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.

I make this probably once a month, love it.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Orange Julius

1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
3/4 cup water
1 large egg white (pasturised substitute is fine; 3 tbsp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed 45-60 seconds, until mixture is very smooth and frothy. Use slightly less ice for a thinner consistency; use slightly more for a thicker shake-like consistency.
Serves 4, makes about 36oz.

This really does serve a strong 3 and respectable 4.

** I will add a pinch of salt next time to see if it brightens the flavor or I might just get a salted lassi!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Pea and Mint Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
5 cups freshly shelled peas or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas
2/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup freshly chopped chives
Garlic croutons, for serving

Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks and onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.) Off the heat, add the mint, salt, and pepper.

*Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in a blender, place the lid on top, and puree on low speed. With the blender still running, open the vent hole in the lid and slowly add more soup until the blender is three-quarters full. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed. Whisk in the creme fraiche and chives and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or cold.

I cut in half.

Ina Garten

Friday, March 20, 2009

Barefoot Chicken with 40 Cloves

3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream


Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

**I cut the amount of chicken in half and kept the sauce as directed for 2 people. Rex likes sauce

Friday, March 13, 2009

Nutella Thins

1 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
6 tbsp Nutella
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant or regular)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, Nutella and the sugars until mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk, followed by the vanilla extract.
Working at a low speed or by hand, gradually blend in the flour mixture and the oats (if you don’t have quick-cooking, pulse whole rolled oats in the food processor to chop them up a bit).
Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter (1/2-inch balls) onto prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2-inches between cookies to allow for spread.
Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are set.
Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 6-7 dozen cookies

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Panang Curry

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot chili paste,such as sambal oelek (I used 1/2 a diced jalepeno)
1 cup water
1 13 1/2-to 14-ounce can organic light coconut milk
3 kaffir lime leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 tablespoon (firmly packed) golden brown sugar
2 14-ounce packages organic firm tofu, drained, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 1/2 cups (diced cooked chicken would work nicely)
1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices peeled carrots (about 3 medium)
1 yellow, orange, or green bell pepper cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, ginger, and garlic; cook until shallots are tender, about 6 minutes. Add peanut butter, turmeric, cumin, and chili paste(jalapeno); stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup water, then coconut milk, lime leaves, and brown sugar; bring to simmer. Season sauce with salt. Add tofu, carrots, and bell pepper; simmer over medium heat until carrots are tender, adjusting heat to medium-low if beginning to boil and occasionally stirring gently, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Amaretto Cheesecake

8-10 Digestive cookies
3 Tbs melted butter

24 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
5 tsp cornstarch
3 eggs
1 yolk
1/4 cup whipping cream (single or double work, not extra thick)
1/2 cup amaretto
2 tsp almond extract

Combine crushed biscuits and butter in springform pan, press crumb mixture to form base of cake.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch. Beat till smooth. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time until incorporated, stir in whipping cream, amaretto, and almond extract. Pour cream cheese mixture over crust

Bake at 400 (oven setting 6) for 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 200 (1) and bake for an additional 1 hr 15 minutes or until the center no longer looks wet or shiny (this took at least 1 hr 45 min for me). Run knife around edge to cake to prevent cracking and leave cake in the turned off oven for 30 more minutes. Chill, uncovered, overnight.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Beat butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

Roll into 1-inch balls about the size of a walnut (larger if desired). Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Drain cherries and reserve juice. Press center of each ball with thumb. Place a cherry in indentation.

In a saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture over each cherry and spread to cover cherry. (More cherry juice may be added to keep frosting of spreading consistency.)

Bake for 10 minutes.

**Rex used glace cherries and there was no juice, he simply put a dollop of the chocolate mixture on the cookie and it tasted great. Had a bit of a chewy texture from the frosting.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Spaghetti with Meatballs

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion) ***I used ~2 tbs of onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or marinara sauce
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 Tbs dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*** I would add whatever seasonings or veggies you like, probably not mushrooms

Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch (I used less). Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a tongs. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard all but 1 Tbs of the oil but don’t clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

This says it would serve 6, I would say more like 8. (I cut the recipe in half and had 9 or 10 meatballs, big ones.)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Chicken and Sausage

1 large onion
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp English mustard
1 tbs dried sage
1 lemon
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 Kg chicken cut into 10 pieces (or 10 thighs)
12 sausages
2 tbs chopped sage leaves

Peel and cut the onion into eighths, and put into a freezer bag with the oil, mustard, dried sage, a good grinding of pepper, the lemon juice, the squeezed-out husks cut into eighths, and the Worcestershire sauce. Squidge everything around to mix (the mustard needs help to combine) and then add the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate in the fridge overnight, or for up to two days.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220°C/425F. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature in its marinade.

Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting tin, skin-side up, with the marinade, including all the bits and pieces, and tuck the sausages around them. Sprinkle the fresh sage leaves over the chicken and sausages and then put the tin into the oven to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the sausages over halfway through to colour them evenly.

Serves 6
Nigella Lawson

Arugula (Rocket) Pesto with Linguine

3/4 cup pecans (3 oz), toasted
1 large garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 oz arugula, coarse stems discarded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2 oz)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb dried linguine

Finely chop 1/4 cup pecans (preferably with a knife).

Mash garlic to a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large heavy knife). Blend remaining 1/2cup pecans, arugula, cheese, oil, pepper, and garlic paste in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Ladle out and reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water. Drain pasta in a colander, then return to pot and toss with pesto, 1/2 cup cooking water, and chopped pecans, adding more cooking water as necessary if pasta seems dry.

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest (or 1 tsp lemon extract)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
~ 1 1/2 cups lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Adding the lemon zest early helps release more of its flavor. Blend in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the milk. Add another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk, then stir in the remaining flour, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each approx 2/3 to 3/4 full.
Bake for 16-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

To fill, use a melon baller to scoop a small hole in the top of each muffin. Alternatively, you can use a small knife to carve a small cone of cake out. Fill the depression with 2 tsp lemon curd.
Serve shortly after filling. Unfilled cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container until ready to fill and serve.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Friday, February 06, 2009

Amy's Salmon

4 salmon fillets (4 oz each)
1/2 c garlic and herbs flavored spreadable cheese or Boursin (from 4 oz package)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

Bake salmon for 25 minutes from frozen in a 400 degree oven.(Lightly oil then heat grill pan. Rub salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill salmon 4-5 minutes per side or until salmon is just barely opaque in the center.)

Meanwhile, heat cheese in a bowl in the microwave until just melted. Stir in 1 TB water. Serve salmon topped with sauce and garnished with cherry tomatoes. (if no cherry tomatoes, it's still good.)

I stole this from Amy Duke.

I make this for 2 people,not 4.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Pickled Beet and Endive Salad

Vinaigrette
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup sherry wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pickled beets
30 small Belgian endive leaves
1 pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the vinaigrette: Place the shallots and sherry wine vinegar in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the canola and olive oils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the salad: In a large bowl, toss the endive, pear, goat cheese, and walnuts with the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the salad in the center of a large platter and top with julienned beets. Top with freshly ground black pepper.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

220 g packed brown sugar
85 g all-purpose flour
2 g ground cinnamon
115 g butter

250 g all-purpose flour
9 g baking powder
3 g salt
115 g butter
200 g white sugar
1 egg
5 ml vanilla extract
120 ml milk
145 g fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a Bundt pan well with cooking spray. Make the streusel topping: Mix 1 brown cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup butter or margarine; topping mixture will be crumbly. Set aside.

For the cake: Beat 1/2 cup butter or margarine in large bowl until creamy; add 1 cup white sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; add alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Cover with berries, and add remaining batter by tablespoons. Cover with streusel topping.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, until deep golden brown. Remove pan to wire rack to cool. Invert onto a plate after cake has cooled.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Balsamic Salmon

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

4 Salmon fillets

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 17 minutes. Season glaze to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before using.)

Either grill or fry salmon fillets. Brush salmon lightly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill salmon, flesh side down first, until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer salmon to platter. Drizzle glaze over salmon.

Roast Butternut Squash

1 Medium Butternut Squash
3 Tbs melted butter
2 Tbs brown sugar
large pinch salt
several grinds black pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Peel Squash and remove seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them in 9x13 glass dish. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.



Ina Garten

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Green Goddess Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup packed fresh basil
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 clove garlic
Juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients with a blender, chill and serve.

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Arugula(Rocket) and Fig Salad

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 oz prosciutto, cut into ribbons
1 tbs raspberry jam
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup dried figs, chopped
1/2 small shallot, minced finely
salt and pepper
5 oz (I used much less and reserved extra dressing for later) arugula (rocket)
1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts (I had pecans)
1 oz Parmesan cheese shaved into strips (I used grated)

Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave safe bowl then stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 30 seconds to plump figs. Whisk in olive oil and shallots. Let cool and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl and divide among plates. Top with prosciutto, Parmesan and nuts.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Crusted Mustard Salmon

2 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp black treacle or dark molasses
4 salmon steaks
2 tbs white bread crumbs
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, lemon juice, and treacle then brush the mixture over the salmon steaks.

Season the bread crumbs well with salt and pepper and sprinkle over all sides of the salmon, pressing the crumbs into the fish. Set aside on a rack for 10 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan until hot then add the fish and fry for about five minutes per side, until browned, crisp and cooked through. Serve immediately.