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I love this recipe because it doesn’t require too much work day of because you can make the sauce the day before and reheat it. Serve it up with a fruit salad and some hot coffee and you have a delicious breakfast. Add a quiche, some breakfast meats, and you have a brunch buffet. It is nice to take for brunch potluck.
| Ingredients |
Casserole
1 15 oz. can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (depends on how strong you like cinnamon flavor, you can always add more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 loaf of bread
1 8X10 inch baking dish oiled lightly
Cream Sauce
2 T water
1/4 cup sugar
236 mL heavy cream
1/4 milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (depends on how strong you want the flavor)
1/4 teaspoon salt
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Casserole
Layer in the bread, cutting slices to fit into the cracks. Beat the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, pour over the bread, refrigerate, covered overnight.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Cover the container with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. The bread should be pretty puffed up. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes.
Cream Sauce
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, mix the sugar in the water, stirring until it has dissolved. Allow the sugar to bubble until it turns the color of a good caramel (keep an eye on it, if it burns, it is bitter). Stir in cream and milk (this will bubble up a lot, so you don’t want to do it in a small pan; stirring and blowing on it will keep the bubbles from getting too huge). Stir in the cinnamon and salt and taste. The sauce should be syrupy, so if it is too thin, allow it to simmer for awhile, too thick, as more milk.
Dan has long been uninterested in pot stickers because he never liked the way the frozen ones tasted. After we tried some at a restaurant, I convinced him to let me make it. I used this Pot Sticker recipe as a starting point, but altered it to fit my needs. When we made it, the yield was 40 pot stickers
| Ingredients |
Filling
1 carrot very finely chopped (1/4-inch-wide pieces)
1 cups firmly packed sliced cabbage leaves (1/4-inch-wide pieces)
8 ounces ground pork
4 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
1 1/2 teaspoons peeled and grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon white rice wine vinegar
2/3 of medium egg, lightly beaten save the rest to make the pot stickers later
1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of white pepper
1teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
For assembly
1 package wonton wrappers
Dipping Sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sliced scallions
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake
1/2 teaspoon sugar
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Blanch the carrot and cabbage in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water until the veggies are cold.
Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl, stirring with chopsticks in one direction until well mixed. Refrigerate for several hours so that it is easier to handle.
For assembly
Scoop 1/2 Tablespoon filling into the center of the wonton. Moisten two edges with a mixture of the leftover egg and two Tablespoons water. Fold over so that you make a triangle shape. Squish the air out and seal the edges, smashing them between your fingers.
To cook (from the Epicurious recipe):
In a non-stick frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. When a wisp of white smoke appears, turn off the heat and place a single layer of the dumplings in the pan. Turn on the heat to medium and allow the dumplings to cook for 3 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the water into the pan and allow the dumplings to cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the water evaporates. Reduce the heat to low and allow the dumplings to cook for about 2 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the bottom and the skins are translucent on top.
I am a big fan of trying new vegetables and finding ways to use them in food in a way that Dan will eat them. While at the market a few weeks ago, I ran into some garlic scapes. Dan loves garlic, so I figured it was worth a try. I brought it home, sliced them up thinly and sauteed them with some spring onions until they were lightly caramelized, then tossed in some beef for a bit. I seasoned it with some soy sauce, served it over rice, and we were hooked.
I have since used it in all number of things: the recipe for barlotto that I posted last week, an extra bit of garlicky punch to tacos, sauteed in olive oil with hot peppers and some spring onions served over noodles, blend it in with pesto; anything I would put garlic in, now I add some scapes too. It is hard to determine my favorite thing about them, I like that they are green, and so provide nutrients that a green vegetable would, but they also have such a lovely mild garlic flavor. I am saddened by the fact that these are very much a seasonal vegetable, as I will miss having it around, but I will buy it every day I see it in the market and you should too!
 I had been wanting to try a barlotto since I heard about it on an episode of Molto Mario, and with our recent wine and cheese purchases in the Finger Lakes Region, I thought this was the perfect time. Barlotto is like risotto but it is made with hearty barley, which is a whole grain and provides added nutrition to what is often a decadent tasting dish.
I Googled barlotto to get a sampling of techniques and ratios and found a recipe in the New York Times for Watercress Barlotto that I used as my starting place. There was no fresh watercress at the farmer’s market this weekend, but there were spring onions and garlic scapes, which I used as the base of this dish. Sadly, when garlic scapes are cooked for awhile they turn a sad shade of greenish brown, which was the only major downside to this dish, but the flavor was fantastic. I used Sheldrake Point Vineyard’s 2007 Reserve Chardonnay as the wine in the dish and served it with the meal. I knew when I tasted this dry, medium bodied barrel fermented and barrel aged wine that it would be fantastic for a risotto type dish because of its creamy texture and aromatic flavors, but it exceeded my predictions. Of course, a risotto style dish is only as good as the cheese you use to make it, and I love a cheesy risotto. For this dish, I used Muranda Cheese Company’s Red Buddy. This cheese, which owner Tom Murray lovingly referred to as their “mistake” cheese has a delicious flavor that is reminiscent of both Swiss and cheddar, a combination that I thought would be perfect of this dish. This recipe makes enough for 4 people.
An important note: Because this is a whole grain, it takes significantly more time to make than a regular risotto, so if you want to have it for dinner, be sure to plan ahead.
| Ingredients |
1 shallot, minced
2-3 spring onions, whites and greens, thinly sliced
5-6 thinly sliced garlic scapes (the green tops removed from garlic by farmers)
6 cups chicken stock (could be vegetable if a vegetarian dish was desired)
2 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
6 oz. pearl barley (1 ½ cups)
1/2 cup white wine
8 oz. Muranda’s Red Buddy cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
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Put stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Melt butter in a wide saucepan (or saucier) Add shallots, spring onion, and garlic scapes and sauté over medium heat until they are just starting to brown. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another minute. Add the barley, stirring to coat in the butter, then continue to cook the barley, stirring often, 5 minutes.
Add wine, stirring and boiling until the wine has evaporated. Start adding warm stock, one ladle full at a time, stirring frequently until the moisture is absorbed before adding another ladleful until barley is al dente. This can take some time, and you may need to add more water or stock to get it to a texture you like. Times in recipes vary from 30 to 45 minutes, though I would say mine took about 60. This will depend on how al dente you like your risotto. When the barley has reached the desired texture, add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring to incorporate.
Taste for salt levels and add more if needed. Sprinkle on the parsley and stir just before serving. Serve with a glass of the Reserve Chardonnay.
We recently took a trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York. While this is traditionally considered wine country (and we fully intend to discuss the wine in other posts!) we were told by the innkeepers at Barrister’s Bed and Breakfast that there was a terrific local cheese house. Always up for an adventure, we swung by the farm of the Muranda Cheese Company and were greeted by the energetic owner, who provided us tastings of a number of their cheeses. While we wanted to take them all home, the Fiesta Cheddar immediately provided me with meal inspirations.
This cheddar is full of delicious Mexican flavoring that is not too spicy to enjoy the subtlety of the cheddar flavor that carries through nicely. Of course, nachos came immediately to mind, as did cheesy fries, but I thought I would present it with arepas; a fried corn cake that has quickly become a favorite in the house.
Pictured in the photo below are three “expressions” of arepas, as well as a roasted tomato with Fiesta Cheddar and bread crumbs.
At top left is an arepa that was stuffed with the Fiesta Cheddar prior to frying. The cheese pockets on the inside were gooey and delicious. In the top right is an arepa with Fiesta Cheddar broiled on top. This provided a different flavor for the cheese, making it a little crispier. Both of these had a strong corn flavor that complimented the spice in the cheeses. Finally, at bottom right is an arepa topped with weeknight chili and melted Fiesta Cheddar. We were concerned that a chili would overpower the cheese, but it added additional oomph to the flavors in the chili and the cheddar flavor was definitely present. While this post is really about the cheese, I am adding the recipe for the arepas. It is from the back of the Goya Masarepa package, but I fried mine in oil as opposed to cooking them on a griddle. I use the yellow, but it also comes in white, which is likely just as tasty.
| Arepas Ingredients |
2 cups arepa (pre-cooked) corn meal
1 tsp. salt
3 cups warm/hot water
Oil for frying
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In a bowl, combine arepa meal , salt, and water. When dough is mixed, let stand for 5 minutes. Form dough into patties about 4-5 inches across and ½ inch thick (if you want to make the cheese stuffed ones, add the shredded cheese and then form the patty). Heat a skillet over medium heat with enough oil init to come about ¾ of an inch up the side. Once it is hot, add the patties, cooking until they are lightly browned on a side, about 10 minutes. Carefully flip and brown the other side, another 10 minutes. Place on a rack in the oven set to 200 degrees so that they will stay warm
I was getting tired of noodles and red sauce as a side for grilled Italian sausage, so I started looking in to alternatives. A commercial for the Olive Garden inspired me to try making Crespelle, which are savory crepes. I know that my recipe for crepes isn’t traditional, but it is the one I learned from a friend in Spain, and it is tasty. I used basil and mozzarella that I picked up at the farmer’s market; I love supporting local foods.
| Ingredients |
Crepes:
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
½ teaspoon sugar
Pinch sugar
2 Tablespoons flour |
Filling:
½ cup ricotta
2 Tablespoons shredded cheese (Asiago, Parmesan, or Romano work well)
Mix these together |
Sauce:
14.5 oz can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 leaves of basil, chopped |
Assembly:
3-4 slices of fresh mozzarella
2 leaves of basil, thinly sliced |
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Crepes
Beat together all of the ingredients allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the pan. Add a little more than a Tablespoon of the batter and swirl it around so that it coats the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook until it no longer looks runny (maybe 1 minute), then carefully flip and allow to cook for another 15 seconds. Repeat until the batter is gone (I usually get 6 crepes out of this amount of batter.
Sauce
Puree the tomato in a food processor or blender. Heat the oil and garlic over medium heat. Keep a close eye on the garlic, sautéing it until it is lightly brown, then add the tomato. Sprinkle in the basil. Allow to simmer until the sauce is very thick, about 20 minutes.
Assembly
Turn the oven on to 300. Take a crepe and scoop in a heaping Tablespoon of the filling, and then roll it up, placing it seam side down in an oven-safe dish. Repeat with other crepes. Spoon over the sauce and place mozzarella on the top. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until the top is nice and melted. Sprinkle the basil over the top.
When we learned that the LOST series finale was coming up, I decided that there was no better way to celebrate than to cook up some wild boar. Not knowing where to start, I remembered how much we liked Giada’s Short Rib Recipe and that that might be a good technique to use. I was definitely right. Wild boar is fabulous, I recommend getting some and trying it out. The only change I made to her recipe was the meat being used.
| Ingredients |
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces chopped pancetta (about 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 pounds wild boar, cut into 8 pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups beef broth
3/4 cup red wine
1 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle
4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon chopped parsley |
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Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, season the boar with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Add the boar to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.
Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse.
Once the boar is browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Return the pancetta to the pot and stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Remove the meat from the pot. Shred the meat, removing any excess fat and return it to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta and 2 to 3 minutes for fresh. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if needed, to moisten the pasta. Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings and sprinkle on some of the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
This dish is a delicious combination of sweet, tangy, and spice. It is a great summer Sunday dinner that can be made without heating up the house. While it can be served with a number of sides, but it is pictured here with refried beans with cheese and onion rice pilaf.
| Ingredients |
Pork Tenderloin
1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 pork tenderloin
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salsa Verde
1/2 lbs. tomatillos, unwrapped and washed
1 poblano pepper
1/2 small onion, chopped in half
1 clove garlic, still in the skin
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 cup loosely packed parsley or cilantro leaves
Lime juice to taste (about a teaspoon for me)
salt to taste
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Pork Tenderloin
Mix together first 6 ingredients. Rub the pork with the oil, then sprinkle and press rub onto the pork. Heat grill according to manufacturers instructions. Grill pork over medium heat for 15 minutes (until internal temperature of 140 F), rotating every 3 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Salsa Verde
Heat grill. Toss pepper, onion, garlic and tomatillos in the oil and roast on the grill on aluminum foil. When the tomatillos “pop” remove them. Remove the onion when it turns brown. Remove the garlic when it is soft when pushed with a spoon. The pepper should remain on the grill until the outsides are blackened (turn the pepper to cook all sides). Allow the pepper to cool, then peel off the outer layer and tear open the pepper to remove the seeds. Put the tomatillos, onion, and garlic into the blender and puree. Add the herbs and blend until smooth. Add pieces of the pepper, adjust the overall heat level to your palate, keeping in mind that once the pepper is in, it can’t come back out. Add the lime juice if the salsa needs more brightness, and salt until it doesn’t taste too bitter.
For Assembly
8 corn tortillas
Slice the pork tenderloin into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange pork and cover with sauce. Additional toppings could include sour cream, cheese, or beans.
Ingredients
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup milk ( or Coconut Milk )
• 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut |
Frosting:
• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut |
Almond Simple Syrup:
(2:1 ratio Sugar to Water)
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon corn syrup (optional)
• 1 teaspoon pure Almond Extract |
Mia… I’m sorry this took me so long to post… I had to try it twice just to make sure.
I have his thing for Ina Garten recipes. Maybe it’s because she reminds me of my mother, or maybe its just because her recipes are fantastical, but I cannot possibly post this recipe as my own concoction, but rather is a doctored version of Ina Garten Coconut cake (LINK). Because her recipe is basically perfect, not much doctoring was needed.
Directions:
A step that is beneficial it do ahead of time because it takes a while to cool is to make the simple syrup. To do this add the sugar, water, and corn syrup into a small saucepan and heat until all the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Take off heat and allow to cool. After about 10-15 minutese of cooling add in the almond extract. The cake does not use all 3 cups of syrup so you will have leftovers, but I found it is great in coffee or tea and is equally delicious in cereal. It would probably make pancake and waffle batter better, too. (I use the corn syrup just to prevent recrystallization of the sugar, but it is optional)
Be sure to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 round cake pans (8 or 9 inch) and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour. You can use 9” cake pans considering that are what Ina suggests and she is rarely ever wrong, but I only had the cheap disposable aluminum ones that were 8″. Just be aware of cooking times.(So far I’ve made this cake twice, once with 8″ and the next with 9″ pans and honestly, I like the 8″ better. The cake come out taller).
Using the paddle attachment on your electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy. This process will usually take about 5 min. Crack the eggs, one at a time into a small bowl making sure there are not shells (nobody like eating them). With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time making sure that the egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Be sure to scrape the side of the bowl at least once during this process. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look like watery cottage cheese; don’t be concerned.
In a separate bowl, sift (or wisk) 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.
This is the part where I had to try it twice. Both times I have made this I used coconut milk in place or whole milk. I found that the bake time was only about 30-35 min (Ina suggests 45-55 min). Bake in the center of the oven 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. This can actually be done the night prior.
(If someone does decide to make this recipe, it would be greatly beneficial to hear what your bake times are.)
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.
I like a layered cake, so to assemble, place 1 cake on a flat serving plate (preferably a rotatable cake pedestal) and slice in half with a knife. Carefully remove the top layer and set aside. Drizzle or brush the almond syrup on top of the cake half. Spread a small amount of frosting over the layer and top with the other half of the cake. Repeat this process for all layers. When all layers have been assembled it is time to frost the outside. Place a large amount of frosting in the middle of the cake and spread it evenly over the top of the cake till it starts to fall over the edges (this is where the rotatable cake pedestal helps). Use the frosting that is falling over to frost the sides. Do not worry too much about how smooth it looks because you are going to be covering it with shredded coconut. Once the cake is completely covered to your likings with frosting… Coconut away! Cover the top and sides with as much coconut as they can handle.
I think the next time I bake this cake I am going to try toasting some of the shredded coconut.
I find it is best if enjoyed at room temperature.
If you search online for recipes for goat cheese tarts, you are certain to find many. For me, what makes this one special is the delicious cheese upon which it is based. I have never been a fan of fresh goats milk, to me, its sharp flavor and after taste was not appealing, but when we had a chance to visit Sweet Spring Farm during the Washington County Cheese Tour, I found a delicious cheese that even I could love. Perhaps it was their purebred Nubian goats, the happy atmosphere, the obvious love of the craft by the proprietors as they described their farm, or all three, this cheese is one for the books. While this recipe uses their plain chevre, they have a number of flavored cheese, a ripened cheese, and some terrific soaps!
| Ingredients |
2 large onions, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
¼ cup light cream
4 ounces Sweet Spring Farm Chevre
1 sheet puff pastry
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In a medium non-stick skillet, add olive oil and heat to medium low. Add the onions and salt and cook slowly until it is very carmelized. Add water if it seems like it is sticking to the bottom of the pan and stir often. You do not want it to burn. This took over an hour for me, but it is worth it to get the delicious flavor out of the onions. Crush in the thyme when the onions are done and set this aside and let it cool. I did this the night before so I did not have to try to do it before my guests arrived.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured board so that the seams are connected so that it does not tear. Use it to line a tart pan or any pan that you have available to you. Place a layer of foil on top of the dough and add pie weights or beans to keep the pastry from taking over your oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, take out foil and weights, and allow the pastry to cool.
In a food processor or blender, mix the cottage cheese, goat cheese, light cream, and eggs until creamy. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until set and golden, about 35 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow to cool a little. Spread the onions evenly over the top of the tart. Serve warm or room temperature (if using a tart pan with removable sides, remove the sides before serving).
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