Category Archives: Recipes

Growing Corn

It’s time to start late spring and summer flowers & veggie’s

 


Photo: Farmers Almanac

 

Corn can be fickle, it likes warm weather and the bugs and four-legged critters may eat all of yours before you can get to it. Native Americans planted corn with beans and once the beans sprout they planted squash at the base of the corn. The beans will use the corn stalk as a trellis and the squash leaves will protect the base of the corn which grows very shallow. This is called The Three Sisters or Companion Planting.
Plant corn directly in the garden where it will receive at least 6 hours of sun, water well and help the pollen to reach the tassels. Each tassel that gets pollinated turns into a kernel. To make sure the plant is getting pollinated, shake the tassels so the pollen falls onto them, nature will take it from there. The ears are ready to harvest when the silks turn from light yellow to dark brown.

To cook, grill, steam or pop in the microwave. Leave the husk on the corn if you microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes (for two ears), add an extra minute with more ears. Let them slightly cool and peel the husk and silk off the corn.

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How To Use Meyer Lemons

picking-lemons-490x326

 

The bright star of the season, Meyer Lemons are the sweetest lemons to use in cooking. Thin-skinned, juicy and brightly colored you can use every part of the lemon, well, except maybe the seeds! In season now you can find them in all markets and at your local farmers market. If you have your own tree about now you might be wondering what to do with all those lemons. If you have trouble finding them you can call our friends at Melissa’s Produce and they can fill up your pantry!

Below you’ll find a few of my favorite recipes.

 

Meyer lemons

 How to choose, store and use beautiful Meyer

Lemons

Meyer Lemon Season (Commercial) Nov-May

Home Tree will fruit late Summer-April/May

Choose, Store and Use Meyer Lemons:

Pick lemons that have a smooth, yellow skin with no signs of bruises or cuts. Lemons that are heavy will have more juice in

them; unfortunately, Meyer lemons also contain many seeds. Easily seeded if cut in half, most of the seeds are centered in the middle of the fruit.

Store lemons in a bowl on the counter in a cool place with no direct contact with the sun. If the lemons begin to become soft, refrigerate and use within a few days. If using refrigerated lemons, let them come to room temperature if possible. Roll all lemons around on the counter to help free up the juice.

Extra lemon juice can be poured into ice cube trays, frozen and then placed into a freezer bag and used within 6 months.

Grow:Citrus_lemon

Meyer lemon trees grow well in pots in So. California, use a fast draining soil. They are hungry fellows so feed with an organic citrus fertilizer according to directions. They love the So. California sunshine but not so much our sometimes-windy weather. Meyer lemons like to be moist but not wet, deep infrequent watering and don’t let water sit in the liner or pot. If the weather threatens to freeze, water well and cover with a blanket or row cover at night, be very careful not to know off the fruit or flowers on the tree. Feed with an organic citrus food as directed and keep a close watch for citrus pests. Fruit will hold a long time on the tree, make sure they are nice and yellow before picking and after fruiting a little light pruning, if necessary will keep them compact and tidy.

 

 

 

 

Lemon Roasted Chicken

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  • Serves 4
  • 1 whole chicken -- rinsed, drained and dried
  • 1 medium onion -- peeled and chopped
  • 3 baby carrots -- peeled and chopped
  • 3 celery stalks -- cut into chunks
  • 1 lemon -- zested and juiced; preferably Meyer lemon
  • 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley -- minced
  • 1 bunch fresh sage -- minced
  • 1/2 bunch fresh thyme -- minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter -- room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon lemon olive oil, butter or regular olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons chicken demi glace -- optional for sauce

Preheat oven to 400°.

Wash and dry chicken inside and out then dry well. Fit chicken into a roasting pan (you want no more than 1" of space on any side of the chicken otherwise the juices will burn).

Mix together onion, carrot, celery, lemon zest, and 1/2 of the minced herbs. Loosely stuff cavity with some of the ingredients, place the remainder on the bottom of the roasting pan and place chicken on top of the aromatic vegetables.

Mix remaining minced herbs with butter. Gently separate the chicken skin from the breast meat and carefully rub herb butter on breast under the skin.

Rub the chicken with lemon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon over chicken and place rind into cavity. Insert probe thermometer into thigh and set for 165 degrees. Pour half of the wine and chicken stock in the bottom of the pan and place, uncovered in hot oven.

Baste after 1/2 hour, if you don't have enough juice in pan use some chicken stock. Do not cover bird until browned and then loosely place foil over breast. If wings start to brown to early wrap with foil.

Remove chicken to a warm plate and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Remove some of the fat in the pan by using a paper towel or ice cubes. (Dredge the paper towel through the juices to pull out some of the fat or pour off the juices into a heat proof measuring cup. Add a few ice cubes; the fat will stick to the cold cube, discard cube. You may have to do this several times).

Put the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat and bring a boil, add remaining wine and stock scraping the fond (the yummy pieces stuck to the pan) from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half, add demi-glace if using and serve with chicken.

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Dan Becker

French Yogurt Cake

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I love this bright lemony cake so much I adapted it slightly from Dorie Greenspan by adding these super sweet little strawberries, Alpine strawberries.

  • 1 1/2   cup all-purpose flour
  • 2         teaspoons baking powder
  •            Pinch of salt
  • 1         cup sugar
  • 1         lemon, grated and zest
  • 1/2      cup plain yogurt
  • 3         eggs
  • 1/4      teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2      cup citrus olive oil
  • 1         cup Alpine strawberries, whole or halved

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8 1/2-x-41/2-inch loaf pan and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and, with your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Add the yogurt, eggs and vanilla and whisking vigorously until the mixture is very well blended.

Still whisking, add the dry ingredients, then switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in the oil and then the strawberries. You'll have a thick, smooth batter with a slight sheen. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake begins to come away from the sides of the pan; it should be golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold, and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

Glaze (optional)

½ cup lemon marmalade mixed with 1 teaspoon water

To Make the Glaze:

Put the marmalade in a small saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl, stir in the teaspoon of the water and heat until the jelly is hot and liquefied. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cake with the glaze.

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

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You can make this cake with any flavored or un-flavored olive oil that you like. Instead of poppy seeds try adding some dried cranberries or cherries. For serving dust with powdered sugar or make a citrus glaze with orange or lemon juice mixed with some powdered sugar and drizzle over the top of the cake, I like serving this with fresh raspberries on the side and a dollop of freshly whipped cream wouldn’t hurt either!
I’ve used cake pans, bundt cake pans and small Mason jars for this cake, just be aware of your baking time, test by inserting a clean toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out dry.

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • ½ cup Orange olive oil, or any flavored olive oil
  • 1 orange, zested
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and whisk in the eggs, milk, olive oil, zest and vanilla. 


Add the almonds and poppyseeds to the batter, and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon. 


Pour the batter into a greased Bundt cake pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the cake is golden on top. Cool the cake, invert on a plate and dust with confectioners sugar if you like.

If using Mason jars, spray the inside of the jar with oil spray and fill only 2/3 of the jar with batter. Place jar on a baking sheet and when all jars are done place the sheetpan into the oven and bake accordingly. Check the cakes at 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Osso Buco

 

I was in Lazy Acres meat department picking up an order when I notice the beautiful veal shanks in the case. This time of year, I love any kind of braised meat, beef, or chicken and one of my favorites is Osso Bucco. I’m not sure why you don’t see it on restaurant menu’s very often, perhaps the cost of veal would choke you, but you can also make it with beef shanks which aren’t quite as expensive.
Although this dish takes a fair amount of time to cook, hands-on cooking time is very little. Instead of cooking the dish in an oven for up to 3 hours, a slow cooker or maybe even an instant-pot would do.
A braise is a dish that used two kinds of cooking techniques, one is searing, and the other is moist heat cooking (in liquid). Wine, broth, and tomatoes are used to ‘stew’ this rather tough cut of meat into fall apart deliciousness. Typically served with Risotto Milanese but you could substitute mashed potatoes or pasta.

6          1-1/4-inch-thick veal (or beef) shanks

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2      cup all-purpose flour for dredging

1/4      cup extra-virgin olive oil, reserve 1 tablespoon

1          tablespoon unsalted butter

1          large yellow onion, diced

2          stalks  celery, finely diced

1          medium carrot, diced

1          teaspoon dried oregano

3/4      cup dry white wine

2           tablespoon tomato paste 1

1          28-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped, juices reserved

1          cup low-salt chicken broth, more if needed

1          large sprig thyme

1          bay leaf

1          Tbs. arrowroot mixed with 2 tsp. broth or water

 

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Wrap string around the shanks to hold them together.  Put the flour onto a paper plate, Season the shanks with salt and pepper. Dredge the shanks lightly in flour, shake off the excess.

Use a large Le Creuset or the like, one that you can fit all the shanks in laying flat.

Heat pan and add oil, when hot add ½ the shanks and brown well on both sides. Remove and repeat with remaining shanks, set aside.

Pour or scoop excess oil out of the pan leaving the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and add the butter and reserved 1 Tbs. of oil.

When the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, carrot, oregano, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned and translucent. Add the wine, and increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon, until the wine is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes Stir in the tomato paste. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the broth, thyme, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the shanks back to the pan, cover and cook in the oven until tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, checking the liquid occasionally.

If it has cooked down, add enough broth to keep the level about halfway up the shanks. To check for doneness, pierce a shank with a fork. The meat should pull apart easily.

Strain the pan juices through a medium-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing hard on the solids with a spatula to extract as much sauce as you can. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the arrowroot mixture and cook briefly to thicken.

To cook in a slow cooker, after browning the meat and deglazing the pot, add the shanks to a slow cooker and pour all the juices over them. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

Recipe edited from Fine Cooking

 

 

Clean and Husk (strings and all) Corn on the Cob

 

 

Here’s a simple trick to cleaning up corn on the cob while not quite cooking it all the way. I love corn on the grill but husking it before hand can be a pain trying to get all the strings off.

Cut off the bottom of the cob just above first row of kernels. Place on microwave-safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on full power for 30 to 60 seconds. (If you want to fully cook the corn, microwave for 4 min. per cob)

Remove from microwave and using a hot pad or cloth pinch and squeeze the top of the husk to push out the whole corn. It should slip out fairly easy.

Proceed to cooking it in the manner you like.

 

Caesar Salad with Spring Asparagus

 

Caesar Salad with Spring Asparagus

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  • 2 bunches pencil-thin asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 anchovy filet)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 head romaine hearts, chopped

Prepare a large bowl with ice and cold water, set aside to blanch the asparagus.

Bring a saucepan big enough to hold the asparagus to a boil, add a heaping tablespoon of salt and plunge the asparagus into the water, boil for 2 minutes. Drain the asparagus and put into the water bath until cooled, drain and set aside on a baking sheet covered with paper towels.

Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovy paste in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. While whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the romaine with a little of the dressing. Transfer to a serving platter and top with asparagus and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve extra dressing on the side.

Apples

 

Apples are the ultimate fruit, low in calories with no fat, sodium or cholesterol. The pectin in apples actually helps to dissolve the cholesterol in one’s blood stream. High in fiber, anti-oxidants, potassium, niacin and a variety of vitamins, apples are a near perfect fruit. To get the most of the nutrition from an apple, eat organic apples with the peel on, most of the pectin lies just below the skin.

How to choose and store your apples…..

Choose organic apples as apples have topped the Environmental Working Groups ‘Dirty Dozen’ list, which identifies the most pest laden fruit and vegetables. You’ll want to eat the skin of the apple as disease-fighting pectin (fiber) lies directly under the skin

Select firm fruit with no bruises or scars and treat them gently.

Don’t wash your apples until you’re ready to use them.

Keep them in a cool place, your fruit drawer of the refrigerator is fine but don’t store with other fruit. Apples give off a gas, ethylene, which will ripen your other fruit faster. Some apples will keep weeks in the refrigerator. They will keep a few days on the counter.

How to choose which to use for baking or eating? Here’s a quick list:

Cooking

Ambrosia

Braeburn

Cameo

Golden Delicious

Honeycrisp

Jazz

Jonagold

Jonalicious

Jonathon

McIntosh

Pink Lady

Red Delicious

Fresh Eating

Ambrosia

Envy

Fuji

Gala

Golden Delicious

Honeycrisp

Jazz

Opal

Pink Lady

Sweetie

 

Oven Roasted Pork Chops

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Serves 2 to 4

  • For the brine (optional)
  • 3 cups cold water, divided
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 smashed garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf
  • For the chops:
  • 2-4 center cut, bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick or more
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Fresh applesauce, optional as a side

Brine the pork chops if you have time, brining the pork makes it more tender and juicier.

Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil, add the salt, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf to the water, and stir to dissolve the salt. Add 2 more cups of cold water to bring the temperature of the brine down to room temperature. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and with the brine, if the chops aren’t covered add additional water and salt (1 cup water to 1 tablespoon salt) until the chops are submerged. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat the oven to 400°. Put a skillet that can hold the chops into the oven while it heats.

If you brined the chops remove and dry both sides, rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

When the oven is preheated remove the skillet and set over a medium high heat on the stove. Sear the chops on both sides quickly, if they brown quickly turn the heat down slightly. You might want to open your windows and turn on a fan, the chops may smoke when you add them to the pan. When browned slide a probe thermometer into the middle of the chop without touching the bone and set to 140°, place the pan in the oven and cook until the thermometer’s alarm goes off. Remove the chops to a plate and let rest about 5 min. They will cook fast, 5-10 min. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

Serve with homemade applesauce and oven roasted potatoes.

Herb Roasted Potatoes

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  • 1 pound Dutch Yellow Potatoes*, Yukon Gold or fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil, as needed
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon chives, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place potatoes on foil lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper and toss with just enough oil to lightly coat potatoes.

Bake for approximately 35 minutes. The last 10 minutes add shallots and herbs.

Toss with butter or olive oil.

*Dutch Yellow Potatoes are available from Melissas Produce

Order potatoes from Melissas Produce, click here

Applesauce Cake

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  • Cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups cinnamon applesauce
  • ½ cup walnuts chopped walnuts
  • Frosting:
  • 5 oz cream cheese softened
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter a baking dish.

Cake:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts.

Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.

Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.

Easy Applesauce

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  • 3 pounds organic apples, Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp or Jonagold
  • 2/3 cup apple juice, orange juice or water
  • 8 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Core, peel and cut the apples into medium sized pieces. Place all ingredients into a saucepan with lid and simmer over low heat until apples are very tender, about 45 minutes. Put through a food mill to create a soft creamy applesauce or use a potato masher and serve chunky.

Pressure cooker or Instant pot:

Combine all the ingredients in the container, cover and lock into place. Press manual button and set timer for 4 min. Let the closed pressure cooker rest for about 10 minutes, release any pressure that’s left.

Carefully open lid, angling it away from you to avoid getting burned by the steam. Use a potato masher to crush with a slightly chunky consistency or put through a food mill for a smoother one.

Get one now!

 

 

Late Summer/Early Fall Menu’s

While it’s still pretty hot out in So. California it’s hard to go into the kitchen to cook. Here are some light recipes that are quick and easy to prepare. Mangia!

Spinach Salad, Traditional

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Serves 2

  • 6 ounces baby spinach, washed and dried well
  • 1/4 small or medium shallot, minced
  • 2 pieces thick-sliced bacon, finely diced
  • ¼ cup Champagne Vinegar, or Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 large white mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 large egg, hard-boiled, chilled, peeled and thinly sliced

Remove any stems from the spinach and place in a salad serving bowl.

In a heated sauté pan add bacon and cook until crisp, drain on paper towels. Remove all but 2 Tb. of bacon grease and add vinegar, whisk in Dijon mustard and taste for seasoning. Pour over salad and toss quickly, scatter with mushrooms and eggs.

Serve while still warm.

Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Flatbread with Artichoke Pesto

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  • 1 jar artichoke hearts, 12 oz., drained
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice, to taste
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, to taste
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 pizza dough
  • 1 large heirloom tomatoes or ½ basket cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 4 ounces soft goat cheese

Drain the artichoke hearts. If they are marinated in oil, you can omit draining the hearts and adjust the oil measure downwards appropriately.

Add the artichoke to the food processor with the nuts, cheese, and garlic and pulse until you have a paste. Add in the lemon juice and with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the processor as needed and pulse until you have a uniform paste-like consistency.

Taste and season with salt, pepper, oil, and lemon juice to taste.

Heat oven to 450°. Roll pizza dough out to desired shape, place onto parchment lined baking pan. Brush 1” of the edge of the pizza dough with olive oil, spoon on the artichoke dip to the remaining dough, top with tomatoes, goat cheese and bake for 12 – 15 minutes.

Spinach Bacon Cheese Puffs

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Baked pastry puffs stuffed with a cream cheese, feta, bacon and spinach filling. These are great appetizers that you can put together ahead of time and bake off as needed.

Yield: 10 puffs

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 2 packed cups chopped fresh spinach
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 3 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled
  • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into 10 squares (cut on a floured board), Keep the pastry cold until ready to use.
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease round or square muffin pan.

Place the cream cheese into a food processor, add egg, oil and dill and pulse until combined.

In a separate bowl mix the spinach, feta and bacon. Pour the cream cheese mixture over top, season it with salt and pepper and stir until combined.

Line the muffin pan with the pastry squares, stretching them out a little if needed; press them into the bottom of the cups. Divide the spinach among the cups as evenly as possible. Bring the 4 points together over the filling and press them together.

Lightly brush with the melted butter.

Bake about 25 minute until golden brown and puffy. Allow to cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges to loosen them and help pop them out.

Bird's Nest Pesto With Stuffed Tomatoes

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  • Pesto
  • 1/2 cup pine nut -- lightly toasted; plus, some for garnish
  • 1 clove garlic -- peeled
  • 2 cups basil leaf -- loosely packed
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
  • Salt and pepper
  • Tomatoes
  • 11 ounces goat cheese -- room temperature
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 small tomatoes -- plum
  • Olive oil
  • 1 pound spaghetti -- or angel hair pasta

Pesto

In a food processor, rough chop pine nuts and garlic. Add basil and process using pulse until the leaves start to break down. Add the cheese and blend until you have a rough paste. With machine running add olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 425° and put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

Mix the goat and Boursin cheese with enough cream to make it soft and spreadable. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides. Lightly salt and place, cut side down, on paper towels to drain for 20 min. Spread a little pesto on the inside of the tomato and fill to the top with the goat cheese mixture. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil over each one and bake until they start to shrivel, and the cheese is lightly browned, about 20 min.

Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with the pesto, adding a bit of the pasta water if necessary, to loosen the pesto. Plate the pasta and add a tomato in the center. Top with a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts.

Sea Bass Provençal

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  • Olive oil
  • 1 small leek, cut in half and then into half moons
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 small can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped or 2 large fresh garden tomatoes
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • ¼ cup Greek olives, halved
  • 1 teaspoon capers, drained
  • 4 4 ounce Sea Bass fillets, or any white fish

Heat a medium sauté or saucepan. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, add onion and sauté until lightly translucent. Add garlic and stir for about a minute. Crush or squish tomatoes and add tomatoes and remaining ingredients except the fish then simmer about 10 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat; add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot carefully place dried fish fillets into oil, it should start to simmer right away. Cook about 3-4 minutes and turn carefully for another 4 minutes.

Serve with sauce.

French Apple Cake

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  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling over cake
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • 2 baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I like Honeycrisp, Fuji or Granny Smith)
  • Confectioners' sugar (optional), for decorating cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or regular cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. If using a regular cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease again.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and rum. Don't worry if the batter looks grainy at this point; that's okay. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apples.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even the top. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a rack. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake. If using a springform pan, remove the sides. If using a regular cake pan, carefully invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, then gently flip the cake over and place right-side-up on a platter. Using a fine sieve, dust with Confectioners' sugar (if using). Cake can be served warm or room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Freezer Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

 

 

Summer Recipes with Herbs

Try these recipes using fresh herbs from your garden! Don’t have an herbs garden? I can teach you, more to come next week!

 

French Herbed Omelet

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A classic French Herb Omelet. If you don’t have all the herbs, use what you have or whatever combination pleases you.

  • 3 large eggs
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped Italian parsley, chives, watercress, plus more to garnish
  • 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

Whisk eggs in a bowl until the whites are completely mixed in. Add some sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir in the herbs.

In a small nonstick skillet (8”), melt the butter over medium heat and immediately add the eggs. Stir the eggs with a heatproof rubber spatula and slightly move the skillet around while stirring. Bring the sides over the middle so the edges don’t overcook and get crispy.

Roll the omelet from one side to the middle and while holding the pan at an angle, slide the bottom part of the omelet onto a plate and fold the rest of the omelet on top on that. You’ll have a nice little 3 fold omelet. Garnish with a few more finely chopped chives and serve.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

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  • Tart Dough
  • Makes 1-9” crust or 6 mini crusts
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • pinch of salt, I use sea salt
  • 10 tablespoons butter cold unsalted
  • 2-4 tablespoons cold water
  • Tart
  • 6 ounces goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon minced basil
  • 3 large heirloom tomatoes or a large handful of cherry tomatoes

Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse several times. Add butter and pulse until the mixture begins to look like little peas.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball with your hands. Gently flatten the ball into a smooth disk about 1-1/2 inches thick and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350°.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round, about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the dough over your rolling pin and lift it over the tart pan. Unroll it loosely over the tart pan and gently press the dough into the pan without stretching it. Fold a bit of the excess dough inward to form a lip. Roll the rolling pin back and forth over the pan.

Dock the bottom of the dough by pricking with fork tines. Butter the dull side of a piece of foil and place butter side down over the dough. Fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown, rotate the tart pan halfway through the baking time.

Remove the crust from the oven, remove the foil and let the crust cool completely.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Mix goat cheese with just enough cream to make it spreadable. Mix in herbs and spread over the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Top with sliced tomatoes and bake until the tarts begin to bubble, and the crusts are golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. If the edges of the crust are getting too brown, cover with pieces of foil. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.

*Can also be made into individual tart pans makes 6.

Filet of Sole with Fresh Herbs in Butter Sauce (Beurre Blanc)

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Serves 4

  • 3 pounds sole or other white fish
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Old Bay seasoning, optional
  • 6 tablespoons Wondra flour approximately, white flour will do
  • Olive oil, or sunflower, safflower or peanut
  • Lemon wedges, for serving, optional
  • Beurre Blanc
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ½ tablespoon shallot (finely chopped)
  • ½ pound unsalted butter (cold)
  • Sea salt
  • ½ tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon minced chives
  • 1 teaspoon minced thyme

Heat oven to 200°.

Dry the fish with paper towels, season lightly with salt, pepper and Old Bay if using. Dredge lightly with Wondra flour.

Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and brown on both sides. Remove to an oven proof plate, place in the oven while you make the sauce.

Sauce:

Cut the butter into medium (1/2-inch) cubes and return the butter cubes to the refrigerator to keep them cold, which is very important.

Heat the wine, vinegar, and shallots in a saucepan until the liquid boils, then lower the heat a bit and continue simmering until the liquid has reduced down to about 2 tablespoons.

Once the wine-vinegar mixture has reduced to 2 tablespoons, reduce the heat to low, take the cubes of butter out of the fridge and start adding the cubes, one or two at a time, to the reduction, while you whisk rapidly with a whisk.

As the butter melts and incorporates, add more butter and keep whisking. Continue until you only have 2 to 3 cubes remaining. Remove from heat while whisking in the last few cubes and whisk for a moment or two more. The finished sauce should be thick and smooth.

Season to taste with sea salt, add herbs and serve over fish with lemon wedges, if using.

Focaccia with Fresh Herbs

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  • 1 1/8 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water, not hot
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, thyme, sage, basil, rosemary-your choice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Add yeast to the warm water then stir in sugar with a wooden spoon. Let stand until foamy.

Add flour, salt and herbs and stir well. Add the warm water and mix until the flour is well incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours or refrigerate for at least 7 hours and up to 24 hours.

Lightly coat one 9” pan with olive oil or butter then line the pan with parchment paper. Pour one tablespoon olive oil into the center of the pan. Roll the dough into a tight ball and place in the middle of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise another 2 hours. The dough should fill most of the pan when properly risen.

Preheat oven to 450°. Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough. Using your fingers press dimples all around the dough. Sprinkle with herbs and salt.

Place the pan into the oven and turn the temperature down to 425°. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove to a cooling rack.

Cast Iron Skillet Rib Eye

 

Cast Iron Skillet Rib Eye

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  • 1 16- ounce ribeye steak, 1 1/2 inch thick
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon peanut or sunflower oil

Preheat oven to 500°.

Season the steak on both sides with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Heat a cast iron skillet large enough to fit the steak snugly.

Add the butter and oil to skillet and when butter is melted add the seasoned steak and sear on each side, about 1 minute each.

Slide the pan into the oven for approximately 5 minutes, be sure to use a probe type thermometer. Cook the steak to 130° for medium rare and let rest for about 4 minutes before serving. Slice on the bias, against the grain and serve.

Mothers Day Menu

Here’s a special Mother’s Day menu that I love. It’s a throw \back from the 70’s when Veal Oscar was on every fine dining menu. I love it still but with a thick filet mignon. It may seem like a lot of work (but mom’s worth it, right?). It’s not difficult but it will take some organization. Be sure to read through the recipe before you begin and make sure that you have all the ingredients.

A couple of tricks for you begin with what you can do ahead of time. You can ‘poach’ the potatoes the day before then let come to room temperature before roasting. Brown the steaks ahead of time and refrigerate, let come to room temperature also before placing into the oven. If you brown the steaks at the last minute, put the potatoes on the sheet tray and begin roasting, when the steaks are browned place alongside the potatoes in the oven to finish at the same time.

Make the strawberry sauce ahead of time and keep refrigerated. You can even make the whipped cream ahead of time as well. It will hold for a long time.

And last but definitely not least is the Bearnaise Sauce, I’ll forgive you if you decide to use the package mix but it’s really a sad imitation of a real Bearnaise sauce. Try making it on your own, you can even make it an hour ahead of time. Again, it’s important to read through the entire recipe before you start. Be adventurous! Happy Mother’s Day!

Stonyriver Steakhouse

Menu

Filet Oscar

Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes

Strawberry Shortcake

Filet Oscar

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  • 2 (2-inch-thick) filets mignons
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ lb. thin fresh asparagus
  • 6 ounces fresh crab meat, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Bring steaks to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Heat a large skillet.

Dry the filets with a paper towel.

Brush the filets lightly all over with the oil. Season both side wells with sea salt and pepper.

When the pan is hot, add the steaks and sear evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side or until well browned. If the steaks won’t release from the pan, wait another minute or so and it will release when browned.

Arrange the steaks on a parchment lined baking sheet and place into the oven and cook until 120°, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Asparagus and Crab

While the steaks are cooking you can lightly steam the asparagus or cook it in the still hot pan that you cooked the steaks in.

Cut the stems from the asparagus so the spears are all the same length. Lightly toss with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until you can pierce with a knife, about 5 minutes. Let rest until you’re ready to assemble the dish.

Warm the crab in a steamer basket over simmering water for about 5 minutes.

Make the bearnaise sauce. I’ll let you cheat here and use the package sauce from Knorr. If you can’t find bearnaise sauce use the hollandaise sauce and add with a little fresh chopped tarragon.

If you want to make the sauce yourself the recipe follows.

Assembly:

Place the steaks on two plates, top with asparagus spears, then add the crab and drizzle with sauce.

Blender Bearnaise Sauce

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  • 2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons good white wine
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¾ lb. unsalted butter, melted

Yield 1 cup

In a small saucepan, add vinegar, wine, shallots and 1 TB. tarragon leaves with a little sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat until liquid is reduced to about a tablespoon. Cool slightly.

Transfer the cooled mixture with the egg yolks into a blender. Blend 30 seconds.

With the blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through the opening in the lid. Add the remaining tablespoon of tarragon leaves and blend for only a second.

If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of white wine to thin.

Note: To make the sauce in advance, prepare an hour before serving and allow it

to sit in the blender. Before serving, add 1 tablespoon of the hottest tap water

and blend for a few seconds.

Adapted from Ina Garten

Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes

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  • 1 lb. baby yellow (or red) potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Serves 2

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a small baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

Cut potatoes in half unless really tiny.

Place them in a large pot covered with cool water. Bring potatoes to a boil, add a heaping tablespoon of salt and cook for 7-9 minutes or until you can pierce them with a knife, they won’t be fully cooked. Drain and arrange on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Strawberry Shortcake

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  • 2 cups strawberries (hulled and sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
  • 1 tablespoon minced mint leaves, optional
  • 1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 frozen pound cake (thawed)
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Mash half of the strawberries in a large bowl. Add the sliced strawberries, sugar, Grand Marnier and mint and chill.

Beat the heavy cream into soft peaks, add the vanilla and sprinkle in the powdered sugar while mixing just a little more until you have stiff peaks but don't over beat it. If you over beat it (where is looks separated) you need to start over.

Slice the pound cake and place on plates, top with strawberries and whipped cream.

 

 

 

Easter Preview

 

Easter was always a time spent with lots of family,  lots of food and other things. This year will be hard on most people, not being able to get together, search for colored eggs or we always loved to play croquet in the big backyard. Whatever you do I’ve added some of my favorite recipes for you to enjoy.

Deviled Eggs

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  • 1 dozen large eggs, two weeks old
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise, approximately
  • 1-2 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoon red wine or sherry vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped shallots
  • ½ teaspoon finely snipped chives, reserve some for the garnish
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Paprika or Smoked Pimenton (Spanish Paprika), optional

The shell of fresh eggs is tightly attached to the egg itself whereas older eggs the white inside has started to pull away from the shell, making them easier to peel. When peeling begin at the large end; with an older egg there will be a little air pocket there making it easier to get away from the white.

To hard boil, arrange eggs into a saucepan and cover with cool water. Over high heat bring to a boil and immediately turn the heat off and cover the eggs for 15 minutes.

Prepare an ice bath, a large bowl that will hold all the eggs, fill with ice and when eggs have finished cooking drain off the hot water and place eggs into the ice, cracking a bit of the shell as you do. Cover with cool water and let stand until completely cooled, 20 minutes or so. This step can be done a day ahead of time, after eggs have cooled refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut eggs in half lengthwise with a chef’s knife, not a serrated knife. Pop out the yolks into a mixing bowl. If you don’t have a plate for deviled eggs you can shred some radicchio or dark red lettuce onto a serving plate. If using the lettuce, slice a tiny piece from the round end of the egg so it doesn’t roll. Arrange egg whites cut side up on the lettuce.

Mash yolks with fork then stir in mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Mix ingredients together well. Add sea salt and pepper, to taste. If the yolks aren’t creamy enough add a little more mayonnaise. You can also adjust the mustard and vinegar to taste.

Place the mixture into a pastry bag or a plastic storage bag, snip a diagonal piece from the bottom corner of the storage bag and use as a piping bag. Pipe the yolk mixture or spoon into each egg white half, dividing evenly as possible between the eggs.

Sprinkle eggs with paprika and/or minced chives if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. If refrigerating, you’ll want to cover with plastic wrap; place toothpicks into egg whites around the outer edge of the plate and in the center to make a ‘tent’ with the plastic wrap so it doesn’t touch the egg yolks.

 

Oven Roasted Dijon Chicken

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4 servings

  • 2 teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup panko
  • ½ cup toasted breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup Dijon mustard
  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 ° and line a sheet pan, that will hold all the chicken pieces without touching each other, with aluminum foil.

Melt the 2 teaspoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in the panko and breadcrumbs, toast for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from the heat.

Mash in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into the mixture.

Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, then brush or slather the mustard mixture all over, then roll the entire piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture. Place the chicken on the baking sheet.

Roast for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should register 165 degrees. Depending on the size of the chicken pieces it may take less or more time to cook.

 

Honey Baked Ham

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  • 1 cup honey
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup apricot preserves
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ tablespoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 8-10 pound bone-in spiral cut ham fully cooked

Remove ham from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position.

Whisk together honey, brown sugar, apricot preserves, apple dicer vinegar, mustard and spices in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, for about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.

Cut 2 pieces of foil that will wrap around the ham, Lay them in a baking pan crossing in the middle, one lengthwise and one crosswise, like a cross. Place ham on foil and brush ham all over with approximately 1/3 of the glaze, including in between slices. Tightly wrap ham and bake ham for approximately 10-13 minutes per pound.

Remove ham from oven and increase oven temperature to 400°.

Carefully unwrap ham from foil and spoon any juices from the bottom of the pan into the saucepan with the glaze, rewarm over low to medium heat then brush ham all over and in between slices with 1/3 glaze.

Leave ham uncovered and bake until the ham reaches an internal temperature of around 130°, approximately 10-20 minutes, spooning juices over ham every 10 minutes.

Remove ham from oven and spoon juices from bottom of pan again all over ham and brush with the last of the glaze, including in between slices.

Remove ham and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Potato Gratin

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This rich, creamy gratin gets a note of smokiness from the bacon between the layers of tender potatoes.
by Molly Stevens from Fine Cooking
Serves 8

  • 2-1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
  • 2-1/2 cups heavy or light cream
  • Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz. bacon
  • 3 medium leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 6 oz. grated Gruyère
  • 2 to 3 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Butter or oil a 3-quart gratin dish; set aside.

Put the potatoes, cream , 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a 12-inch skillet. Simmer, partially covered, over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and gently with a rubber spatula until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a fork or skewer, 8 to 12 minutes.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until browned and fully cooked. Set aside to cool, reserving 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet. Heat the reserved fat over medium-high heat and sauté leeks until tender, fragrant, and lightly browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When the bacon is cool, crumble it into small pieces.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer half the potatoes to the prepared gratin dish, spreading them evenly. Layer on the leeks, bacon, Gruyère, thyme, and nutmeg. Top with the remaining potatoes spreading them evenly, and pour over any liquid remaining in the pan.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and melted butter.

Evenly scatter the topping mixture over the potatoes. Bake the gratin until it’s bubbly, the top is brown, and the potatoes are completely tender when poked with a fork or a skewer, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the gratin sit for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes before serving so the liquid is fully absorbed and the layers are cohesive.

 

French Apple Cake

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With chunks of sweet apples nestled in a tender and buttery rum cake, this French apple cake is the essence of simplicity.

Jenn Segal, Once Upon a Chef
Servings: 6-8

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling over cake
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • 2 baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I like Honeycrisp, Fuji or Granny Smith)
  • Confectioners' sugar (optional), for decorating cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or regular cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. If using a regular cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease again.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and rum. Don't worry if the batter looks grainy at this point; that's okay.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apples.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even the top. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a rack. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake.

If using a springform pan, remove the sides. If using a regular cake pan, carefully invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, then gently flip the cake over and place right-side-up on a platter. Using a fine sieve, dust with Confectioners' sugar (if using). Cake can be served warm or room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Freezer Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

 

Pantry Cooking

Here are a few Cooking From The Pantry recipes for you to enjoy. For more ideas on how to stock your pantry and learn new ways to cook, check out my first book, ‘What’s In Your Pantry’. Available below

No-Knead Cranberry Nut Bread

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  • 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for hands
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon yeast
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 ½ cups warm water

Stir the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the warm water. The dough will be sticky. Gently shape into a ball as best you can. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Set on the counter at room temperature and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and be covered in air bubbles.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. Doesn't have to be perfect! Transfer dough to a large piece of parchment paper.

Using a very sharp knife, gently score an X into the top. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap and leave alone for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 475°. Place your Dutch oven (with the lid) inside for 30 minutes so that it's extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and sticking it all-- the parchment paper included-- inside the pot. Cover with the lid.

Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on the counter for 30

minutes before breaking/slicing/serving.

Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for 1 week.

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Oatmeal Fruit Bars

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  • 2 sticks unsalted, cold butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 ½ cup flour
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 cup oats
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 8 oz. jar fruit spread

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9x 13” baking dish and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, oats and brown sugar. Stir together to mix the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, mix the butter into the dry mix. If using your fingers pinch the butter into the dry mix to distribute the butter into small pieces about the size of a pea.

Press half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the jar of jam or fruit spread evenly on top of the crust. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture on top of the fruit spread. Bake in your oven for 30 – 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from Just Jans

Chicken Parmigiana

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  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half side to side (butterflied)
  • Sea salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup flour, approximately
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground Italian spices
  • 2 eggs, lightly whisked
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Place chicken into a freezer type bag and pound until about ½” thick. Pound each piece until ½ inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Set up a dredging station, place each of the following next to each other beginning with the flour.

Mix flour with garlic powder and Italian spices, place on a plate or shallow dish for dredging.

Place whisked egg into a shallow bowl and set next to flour.

Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and place into another shallow dish or plate next to the egg.

Serves 4

Dip the chicken pieces, one at a time into the flour, then egg and then the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture.

Heat a pan large enough to hold all the chicken pieces so they don’t touch, add olive oil and then the chicken, don’t overcrowd the pan or the pieces won’t brown. Cook until lightly browned then set aside, if needed, and cook remaining pieces.

When finished browning the chicken you can add them back to the pan or place on a sheet pan and top with a little marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, broil until cheese has melted.

Serve immediately.

Fettuccini Alfredo

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  • 1 pound fettuccini
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • ground black pepper to taste

Serves 4

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat cream and butter, stirring

constantly. When cream begins to simmer mix in a small amounts of Parmesan

cheese, stirring constantly, until all cheese is added, and sauce has

reduced. It should be thick and easily cover the back of a spoon.

Stir in nutmeg and black pepper. Toss with warm fettuccini and serve.

Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange Cannoli’s

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  • 1 15 oz. container of whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1 Blood orange, zested
  • Prepared Cannoli shells

Prepare the filling by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing with an electric mixer until well-combined. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 2 days.

Fill a plastic zip bag with the ricotta mixture, snip off a corner of the bag, and pipe the mixture into the shells. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

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