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Posts from the ‘Desserts’ Category

Nov 7

7 DESSERTS FOR THANKSGIVING THAT AREN’T PUMPKIN

Turkey and winter squash are native to North America, so it’s logical the traditional American Thanksgiving Dinner should feature roast turkey and squash dishes, especially pumpkin pie. In fact, Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix has become so popular that it’s now considered the signature flavor of fall. For those who like the taste but not the pie, I wrote a post on Oct.31, 2019, listing other pumpkin or squash desserts which offer delicious alternatives.

Then there are people, and I’m one of them, who would prefer a different type dessert. Fortunately there’s lots of autumn produce with tempting recipes, nuts, apples, pears, cranberries, grapes and/or raisins. After all, Thanksgiving is officially a ‘feast’, and that implies options, so why not include dessert choices? I’m listing several recipes which ‘fill the bill’. They also fit the requirements I’ve been following in this series of postings. They can be made ahead, are easily transported, need little attention on site, and a few will appeal to those seeking something ‘lite’ after a big meal.

Offering a dessert selection on Thanksgiving isn’t a new idea. Since colonial times, mince pie was a Thanksgiving alternate to pumpkin, but, aside from being an acquired taste, mincemeat has some 20 ingredients and is so labor and time intensive that by the 1920s it was mainly commercially produced and by the 1940s offered in condensed blocks in expensive specialty stores. It disappeared from menus because like many antique foods, it doesn’t fit in a healthy diet, requiring goodly amounts of sugar and suet. I offer a 21st century recipe that imitates the taste. The Apple, Raisin, Walnut Pie can be made days in advance, assembled and baked on the day.

The French Apple Pie recipe is one of mine. It’s more a compote than regular apple pie and lighter without a thickened filling or upper crust. The Pecan Pie is the first recipe I ever developed and the one that started me down this road. I lived in a section of the U.S. where it was never served, and I decided, if I had to make the pie, I would not settle for one with an overly sweet gelatin-like filling and a few nuts on top. I wanted one with pecans in it, on it and a custard-like filling. I got what I wanted, if you agree, let me know.

I’m saving the cranberry recipe for December. The color is better suited for those holidays, and the fruit is part of the Thanksgiving meal so who needs repetition? Without frosting, the cakes are less sweet than regular layer cakes. The apple one makes a great snack or even a breakfast. The rest of the dessert recipes below are for those who crave something lighter, less filling, to end the meal.

So Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your dinner and we’ll deal with the leftovers after.

PIES: All serve 8-10, baked in a 9 inch pan. Packaged pie crust dough is fine or—

My Crust Recipe for single crust pie
1 cup flour
1/3 cup shortening- Crisco
3 Tbs. + if needed ICE water
In a deep bowl, cut shortening into flour with 2 knives until pea sized crumbs form. Add the water a Tbs. at a time mixing until dough holds together. Form into a ball cover and chill 30 min. Roll on a floured surface until slightly larger than the pan. Line the pan with the dough, cutting off or tucking excess under and crimping edges. Crust can be frozen, chilled or baked ahead according to pie directions.

French Apple Pie
3-4 lb. cooking apples-peeled, cored in ¼ inch slices
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Successively layer the apple slices so they lay flat, in the pie shell; a circular pattern looks best for presentation. Sprinkle each layer with some sugar and cinnamon. When the crust is filled, pour the melted butter over all, and then garn garnish with sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a preheated 450 deg. oven 10 min, then at 350 deg. for 30-40 min. until apples are tender and crust is crisp. Best done serving day, but can be done the day before. Store at room temperature.

Apple, Raisin, Walnut Pie
1 ½ cups chopped cooking apples
2 cups raisins
3 cups apple cider
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. lemon juice+ ½ tsp. zest
2Tbs.butter
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. cornstarch
½ cup chopped walnuts.
Double crust recipe or buy 15 oz. package of 2 dough rounds
NOTE; I like a thin crust, so this will allow for some extra, especially if making a lattice top. Don’t use over a heaping ½ cup shortening. Store left over dough chilled and use within 10 days, or roll and freeze. Line pie pan. Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of the cider; put all the other ingredients except the walnuts in a pot and heat to boiling. Stir in cornstarch mix, and simmer, stirring until thickened. Stir in nuts. Pour into bottom crust. Top with top crust, well vented, or lattice top. Bake at450 deg.for10 min. then at 30-35 min at 350 deg. Cool before slicing.
To prepare in advance; the cooked filling can be kept chilled, in a plastic container for several days and then poured into the shell and topped before baking. The pie pan can be lined and the top crust dough kept chilled in plastic wrap for several days as well.

My Pecan Pie
¼ cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 eggs well beaten
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1 tsp. vanilla
Dash salt
1 cup pecan halves-divided 1/3 cup reserved
Crust for pie shell
Chop 2/3 cup pecan halves. Cream together the butter, brown sugar and salt, add the syrup, incorporate well, then fold in the eggs and chopped nuts blending evenly. Pour into the pie shell and use the reserved nuts to decorate the top. Bake in a 450 deg. oven 10 min. and reduce heat to 350 deg. for 30-35 min. more until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool. Pie will puff then fall slightly. Serve on day of baking or store covered overnight.

CAKES: Both serve 8

Pear Ginger Cake: Use a 10 X 2 inch round cake pan. Serves 8 well
6 pear halves preferably fresh from 3 Anjou pears. (1) 16 to17oz can of pear halves can beused, see below **2 Tbs. butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup – -pancake can be used
½ cup chopped pecans Or 6 tablespoons craisins or raisins
1 box gingerbread mix
If using canned pears, skip this paragraph. Peel, halve and core the pears. Place cut side up in a microwave safe dish, with enough water to cover half way up the sides and ¼ cup sugar. Cook on high, @ 3 to 4 min., epending on the oven wattage, or until just fork tender. Allow to cool in the liquid. Preheat the oven as per cake box directions, and grease the pan well. Melt the butter, mix in the sugar and syrup, blending well, and pour into the bottom of the cake pan. Drain the pears, reserving the juice, and arrange them, cut side down, attractively in the bottom of the pan on top of the sugar mixture. Sprinkle the nuts, or craisins, in the spaces between the pears. Mix the cake according to directions, substituting the pear juice for equal amount of required liquid. Pour the batter on top of the pears. Bake according to directions, plus five minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 min. allowing the bottom to set. Invert pan on a plate to remove the cake. *Fitting the pan bottom with a round of greased parchment paper helps the cake to flip out easily. Once it’s plated, simply peel off the paper ** Fresh pears are better for this cake, because, once cooked, pears are very fragile. Canned ones, having been boiled until soft, are harder to handle, and might not support the weight of the batter as well as fresh.

Dutch Apple Cake: Use an 8 inch round cake pan
2-3 apples-depending on size, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. sugar + a little for garnish
2 eggs beaten
2 ½ oz. butter
2 Tbs. milk
½ tp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
Cinnamon and sugar for garnish
Sift dry ingredients, blend in butter. First stir in eggs then milk. Pout into a greased and floured pan and arrange apple slices decoratively in a circular pattern over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 450 deg. for 40 min. Serve inverted onto a plate or from pan. Optionally pass whipped cream. Can be made 1 day ahead, store at room temperature.

FRUIT

Wine Poached Pears: Serves 8
8 Bosc pears—peeled but stems left on
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup lighter red wine such as red zinfandel or Pisano
1cup water
¼ cup sugar
1cinnnamon stick
Put everything but pears in a large pot and heat to dissolve sugar, bring to a simmer and add pears. Cover and continue simmering, turning occasionally until pears are tender 15-20 min. Cool in syrup still turning to keep color even. Can be made a couple of days ahead, but chill fruit separate from syrup to keep color even. Gently re-heat syrup and serve around pears.

Grapes in Sweet Sour Cream: Serves 4
2 lb. seedless grapes –red makes a better presentation
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup sugar- or to taste
¼ tsp. cinnamon
Remove grapes from stems, wash and dry well. Stir the cream, sugar and cinnamon together and taste to adjust seasonings. Gently stir in the grapes and chill well. Serve in compotes. Can be transported separately and mixed before serving. Cream can be mixed a day or two in advance.

Oct 31

GREAT PUMPKIN DESSERTS OTHER THAN PIE

If pumpkin is the symbol of autumn, then pumpkin pie is its iconic dish. The tantalizing aroma and flavor and the light assertiveness of the combination of spices used to make it, help erase memories of lush summer produce by reminding us that every season has its special treats. This particular spice blend also conveys a feeling of warmth and comfort, perhaps because all the ingredients are familiar to the American kitchen and evoke memories.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix is so popular that it’s sold separately. In recent years it’s flavored everything from coffee to ice cream, not to mention candles and other household products. Although the individual spices in the mix are used in other squash dishes, because sugar is basic to the blend it’s generally featured in dessert recipes and there are lots of options to pie. It’s fun to take a look at some of them and maybe try a few over the next weeks while pumpkin is available or later in the winter substituting other squash.

First though, since pie is the primary use of pumpkin, I’ll offer some variations to the usual presentation. Fun fact here, the colonists cut the top off the pumpkin, removed the seeds and strings and filled the cavity with milk, spices and sugar. Replacing the top, they baked the pumpkin until the flesh was soft and spooned it into bowls with the liquid like mashed potatoes and gravy. As for today’s custard pie recipes, I don’t think one can go wrong with Libby’s printed on their pumpkin cans. My personal touch is to cover the top with meringue and brown it in the oven. 

Meringue topping

Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form; add a drop of cider vinegar and continue beating gradually adding ¼ cup sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Casually spread the meringue over the top of the cooled pie and place in a 300 deg. oven for 20 min. until the top browns slightly.

I just want to mention that pumpkin makes a wonderful cheesecake and there are a lot of pumpkin cheesecake recipes in books, magazines and on the web, especially at this time of year, too many to pick one for this article. My personal favorite is Kraft’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake. Find it on their web site.

For reference the basic Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix is:
1 cup sugar-preferably bar or super-fine sugar
½ tsp. EACH salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice
Stir everything together in a glass jar. Screw on the lid and shake well and put in a cool dark place for several days to incorporate the flavors, shaking every day or so to keep them blended. This can be adjusted to suit personal preference.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie– This is a great pie for anyone who doesn’t like the more intense flavor of pumpkin custard or to serve in warm weather.
1 baked pie shell- this is especially good with cinnamon and sugar and/or ground nuts added into the dough
1Tbs. gelatin softened in ¼ cup cold water
1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
2 eggs-separated
1 cup milk
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts for garnish
Beat the egg yolks slightly; combine with the seasonings milk and pumpkin inch and cook over boiling water stirring constantly 5 min. Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks then add the sugar, beat to stiff peaks and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into the baked shell, garnish with the nuts and chill until firm. Serve cold.

Pumpkin Tiramisu: Serves 10-12
1 ½ cups whipping cream
¾ cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
15oz. can pumpkin
¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spices
3 oz. pkg. ladyfingers halved
¼ cup rum
2 oz. amaretti  cookies -crushed
Beat the first 2 ingredients until stiff, beat in the next 3 until smooth. Line a 9 inch springform pan with half of the halved ladyfingers, squeezed together so no spaces remain. Sprinkle with 2Tbs. rum. Cover the ladyfingers with half the filling and top with the rest of the ladyfingers and 2 Tbs. rum. Spread the rest of the filling on top and Sprinkle with crushed cookies. Chill overnight.

Pumpkin Icebox Pie: Serves 6
2 cups crushed graham crackers
¼ cup butter-melted
1 ¼ cups +2 Tbs. sugar
(1) 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 tsp. salt
1tsp.ginger
½ tsp. nutmeg
11/2  tsp. cinnamon
2 cups whipped topping
½ tsp. vanilla
3 cups softened vanilla ice cream
½ cup chopped pecans
Cooking spray
9 x 13 inch baking dish
Combine butter, graham crackers and sugar and press into the lightly greased pan to form a crust. Combine next 5 ingredients and pour evenly over crust. Combine remaining ingredients, except pecans, and spread evenly over top. Garnish with nuts. Freeze until very firm. Remove from freezer 15 min. before serving and cur into squares.

Pumpkin Crumble: Serves 18-20*
1 box plain yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine at room temp. + 4 Tbs. chilled
4 eggs
(2) 15 oz. cans pumpkin
(1) 5 oz. can evaporated milk
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 Tbs. Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix –See blend recipe above
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Whipped cream for topping
Grease and flour a 13X9 inch baking pan. Reserve 1 cup of the cake mix and blend the rest on low speed, with 1 egg and the stick butter until combined. Press into the bottom and slightly up sides of the pan. Using same bowl and beaters, combine the pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, spices, milk and remaining eggs and beat until lighter in color and texture, about 2 min. Pour into prepared pan. With clean bowl and beaters, on low speed, beat the reserved cake mix, sugar and butter until crumbly; stir in the nuts and sprinkle it over the custard. Bake in a 350 deg. preheated oven 70-75 min. Center should still jiggle, but nuts should have browned. Cook 20 min. on a wire rack. Serve topped with whipped cream. Cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Pumpkin Roulade: Serves 16
Filling
8 oz. cream cheese
(1) 8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 tsp. maple flavoring or vanilla
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Cake
1 box plain spice cake mix
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½ cup buttermilk
½ cup buttermilk (or 1 ½ tsp. vinegar in ½ cup milk, allow to stand 10 min.)
1/3 cup vegetable, seed or nut oil
4 eggs
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Parchment paper
Butter for preparing pan
Make the cake: Butter the bottom only of a 16 ½ X 11 ½ X 1 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with the parchment, leaving a couple inches overlap on the ends, and butter the paper. Put the cake ingredients in a bowl and beat, scraping the sides, until batter is thick and combined about3min. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a spatula. Bake on the center rack of a preheated 350 deg. oven for 15-17 min. until it springs back when pressed with a finger. Liberally dust a clean kitchen towel and starting with the long side, carefully roll the cake away from you in the towel. Place seam side down on a flat surface to cool for about 20 min.
Make the filling: Beat the first 3 ingredients until smooth. Stir in the nuts.
Assembly: Carefully unroll the cake enough to generously spread the inside with the filling; reroll, pulling the towel away as you go. Place the filled cake seam side down on a serving platter and chill. Just before serving, generously dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Optionally: If you think the cake seems split in places, and it will as it’s rolled, have a can of vanilla or cream cheese frosting ready. Garnish with sprinkled cinnamon or nuts.

*These two recipes are based on but modified from ones in The Cake Doctor by Ann Byrn

Pumpkin Cake: Serves 8-10 This is James Beard’s recipe. Though ‘from scratch’ it’s as easy as a mix and can be made with any winter squash.
½ cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup cooked pumpkin
3 cups sifted cake flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. EACH salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice
½ cup buttermilk (or 1 ½ tsp. vinegar in 1/2cup milk and allow to stand 10 min.)
½ cup chopped toasted nuts
Sift the dry ingredients. Cream the butter well then cream in the sugar, beat until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin; add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, mix until batter is smooth. Add the nuts and pour into a greased and floured sheet cake pan 11X 14X 2 or two layer pans. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 35 min. for a sheet cake, 25 min. for layers. Cook 5 min. on a rack then turn out and cool completely on a rack. Frost with caramel, cream cheese or vanilla icing. Decorate with additional toasted nuts if desired.

Pumpkin Cookies: Yield about 3 ½ doz. From the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
½ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped toasted peanuts
1 cup raisins
½ cup chocolate chips-optional
Sift dry ingredients. Cream together the butter and sugar; add the eggs and pumpkin and blend well. Add the dry ingredients and stir into a soft batter. Stir in the nuts, raisins and chips, if using. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unoiled cookie sheet , leaving a little room to spread. Bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven for 10-15 min. until edges begin to brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight jar.

Harvest Bread; Yield 1 loaf
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup egg substitute
(1) 15oz.can pumpkin
1 banana mashed
1 cup flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp. EACH baking soda and cinnamon
½ tsp. EACH nutmeg and salt
¼ tsp. Each ginger and cloves
6 oz. chopped walnuts
3/4cup chocolate chips
Cream the butter and sugar until light, beat in the egg, pumpkin, banana and buttermilk. Still beating add the flours, spices baking soda and salt. Stir in the chocolate and nuts. Pour into a lightly greased1 lb. loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven until golden and top springs back. Serve with Ice cream, whipped cream or other topping.

Pumpkin Icebox Pie: Serves 6
2 cups crushed graham crackers
¼ cup butter-melted
1 ¼ cups +2 Tbs. sugar
(1) 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 tsp. salt
1tsp.ginger
½ tsp. nutmeg
11/2  tsp. cinnamon
2 cups whipped topping
½ tsp. vanilla
3 cups softened vanilla ice cream
½ cup chopped pecans
Cooking spray
9 x 13 inch baking dish
Combine butter, graham crackers and sugar and press into the lightly greased pan to form a crust. Combine next 5 ingredients and pour evenly over crust. Combine remaining ingredients, except pecans, and spread evenly over top. Garnish with nuts. Freeze until very firm. Remove from freezer 15 min. before serving and cur into squares.

Sep 13

EARLY FALL STONE FRUIT DESSERTS

These early fall desserts are nostalgic because they mark definitive endings, both to the summer and to its luscious stone fruits. The days can be just as warm and sunny as those in summer, but especially, for me, living at the seashore it seemed a different world. Gone was the traffic. The silence echoed without lifeguard whistles, boats pounding the surf and planes overhead towing banners. Even the air seemed empty without the pervasive aromas of sun-tan oil and charcoal fires.

The traditional late summer-early fall desserts featuring stone fruits, remind us that their season too, is past its prime. Those desserts symbolize the closing of the book on summer and all its special pleasures, for another year because unlike melons, berries and citrus fruits, stone fruits aren’t available all year.

Although cherries are technically part of this group, usually the term ‘stone fruits’ means peaches, their smooth skinned alter-egos, nectarines, apricots, and plums. All are Asian in origin with histories dating back at least 3000 years in China and currently grown the world over. They mix well together, and with other ingredients in both cooked and raw dishes, casseroles, salads and dessert. Best of all stone fruits are interchangeable in recipes.

With stone fruits interchangeable nature in mind, I’m writing this post on early fall desserts in a salute to the ending of both seasons. The recipes below feature these fruits, cover a wide range of choices and are quite accepting of the lesser quality that usually signals the end-of-season crop.

RECIPES:

Broiled, Grilled or Roasted Peaches or Nectarines
Peaches and nectarines are the favored stone fruits to withstand intense heat without the support of pastry or a pan. Simply halve and pit them, place them on a baking sheet in the oven or directly on the grill and cook them until the juices bubble and the cut edges begin to char. Grilling time depends on the size of the fruit and degree of heat. Roasting is done at 400 deg. for 20 min.
They can be served directly with meat but as a dessert I like to let them marinate a few minutes in a complimentary liqueur or liquor, Peach Brandy, Triple Sec, spiced rum etc., until they form a bit of sauce and then serve them with the sauce and meringues, ice cream or whipped cream.

Plum Rustica, or Galette, is the easiest type of pie to make. This is a short version of the recipe from my book Dinners with Joy:
If making the crust: mix 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, cut in 1/3 cup shortening, add 3 to 4 Tbs. ICE water to form dough, and roll to a 12 inch round.
If buying the crust: roll only to 10 inches.
Transfer to a parchment or foil covered cookie sheet, or a pizza pan for baking.
Depending on size, fill the center with a 1 lb. to 1 ½ lb. fruit, leaving a 2 to 3 inch margin. (Apples pears and peaches should be peeled and sliced. Plums and apricots can be halved and stoned.)
Dot fruit with ½ Tbs. butter.
Sprinkle with 1 Tbs. cornstarch, 1 Tbs. sugar and ½ tsp. lemon juice.
Carefully fold edges of pastry up around filling, pleating as you go. The edges can be brushed with cream or egg white and sprinkled with sugar as decoration.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min. Cool on sheet; preferably on a wire rack.
This can be moved to a plate for serving, but as the name implies, it’s a “rustic” or casual pastry, and I like to bake it and serve it in a pizza pan.

Fruit Pizza: Serves 8-10
Make dough as instructed above, increasing sugar to ½ cup and shortening to 2/3 cup.
If buying; purchase a roll of sugar cookie dough, not pie dough. Roll dough to fit a pizza pan, prick several times with a fork and bake as for cookies, 350 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until lightly browned, or as directions on package state.
Cool completely in pan.
Decoratively arrange raw fruit over the crust. The amount you will need depends on the chosen fruit, roughly about 1 ½ lbs. For July 4th use a combination of strawberries and blueberries. Top with a glaze made from a clear jelly, apple or current, melted with 1 Tbs. water per ¼ cup jelly. For a thicker glaze dissolve ¼ tsp. cornstarch in 1 Tbs. water per ½ cup jelly, which is the amount I use for one of these. Boil until clear and spoon over the fruit. Chill until completely set. Serve in wedges and optionally pass whipped cream, or ice cream.

Wonton Fruit Cups: Serves 12
24 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup fruit preserves—flavor complimentary to fruit filling
1 cup lemon yogurt or instant pudding-pie filling, flavor optional
1 ½ cups diced fruit
Line a 12 cup or (2) 6 cup muffin pans with a wonton wrapper. Brush with ½ the butter. Place a second wrapper diagonally across the first and brush with remaining butter. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 10 min. or until golden. Remove and cool. Spread 1 tsp. fruit preserves in each cup. Fold yogurt or pudding with 1 cup fruit and spoon into cups. Garnish with remaining fruit.

Fruit Crisp: Serves 6-8
4-5 cups sliced peaches or nectarines, halved apricots, quartered plums
½ cup melted butter
¾-1 ¼ cups white or light brown sugar-depending on sweetness of fruit
¾ cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon or ½ tsp. nutmeg or allspice—depending on choice of fruit
Few drops lemon juice
Place the fruit in an ovenproof bowl or pan the size of a 9 inch pie plate and sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir all the other ingredients into the butter and scatter over the fruit. Bake in a preheated 400deg.oven about 30-40 min. until fruit is done. Cool on a rack and serve spooned into bowls topped with ice cream or whipped topping.

Apricot Shortcake:
3 apricots per portion-sliced
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Almond extract-optional
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Sprinkle the fruit with sugar and a drop of almond extract if using. Let stand until glossy and moist. Chill. Build dessert as for any shortcake in layers starting with pastry, fruit and topping.

Quick Apricot Ice Cream: Yield about 1 gallon
4lb. apricots-stoned and pureed
¼ cup sugar
Pinch salt
Drop almond, vanilla or rum extract-optional
½ gallon vanilla ice cream
Mix the extract, salt and sugar with the pulp and let stand to dissolve. Mix the pulp in with the softened ice cream-partially, leaving a ripple effect is attractive-or fully incorporate the two. Place in a covered container and freeze until firm-best overnight at least.

 

Puff Pastry Tart: Serves 6-8– A Martha Stewart Recipe
1 cup shelled toasted pistachios + 1 Tbs.
½ cup sugar
1 stick butter pulse
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Flour for dusting
1 lb. box puff pastry-thawed
1 ¼ lb. apricots cut in ¼ inch slices
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. heavy cream
2 Tbs. raw sugar-granulated O.K.
¼ cup apricot jam
Pulse the 1 cup nuts, sugar and butter into a paste. Add next 3 ingredients and pulse to combine. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, press edges of both pastry sheets together to form one large sheet. Roll out to a 9-by-17-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread reserved pistachio mixture over dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Position rectangle so that a short end is nearest you. Arrange apricots on top in 4 vertical rows, alternating direction in which apricots face from row to row. Fold in edges of dough; use your index finger to make a scalloped border. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. . Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together yolk and cream; brush egg wash over edges of tart shell. Chop remaining tablespoon nuts; sprinkle nuts and turbinado sugar over apricots. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and fruit is juicy, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. . Meanwhile, heat jam with 1 ½ tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until thinned, about 2 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Brush glaze over fruit.

Apricot Galette: Serves 8-10
For Crust– (* Option –purchase a refrigerated pie crust)
1¼ cups flour
½ cup shortening – – this can be Crisco, butter or margarine
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbs. ICE water
For Filling–
1 ½ lbs. apricots-halved or quartered (@6 cups)
½ cup sugar + 2 tsp.
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. butter
1 egg white OR ¼ cup milk
*Option—To use a refrigerated pie crust, dust with powdered sugar and roll to 12” round. If rolling is not required, dust with 1 Tbs. powdered sugar and ¼ tsp. cinnamon, before adding fruit.
For crust– Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Using the blades of two knives, mix cut cubes of the shortening into the dry ingredients until clumps are the size of small peas, or use your fingers to blend the mix until it resembles gravel. Add ice water 3 Tbs. at first and then the 4th, if needed, turning constantly with your hands, until dough can form a ball. It should be as moist as modeling clay, but the less handling the flakier the crust. Chill wrapped in plastic, or simply put the bowl in the fridge while you do the rest. When ready, roll on a floured board to a 12” round, transfer to a parchment or foil covered cookie sheet.*
For Filling– Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix apricots, ¼ cup sugar and cornstarch in a bowl to coat well. Spoon the filling into the center of the crust, leaving a 2 ½’ margin. Dot top with the butter and fold the crust edges up over the filling, pleating them as you go to form a circle with an open center. Brush the crust with egg white or milk and sprinkle with extra 2 tsp. of sugar. Bake for 20 min. reduce heat to 375 deg. and bake 15-20 min. more or until browned and bubbly. Cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack. When sufficiently cool, use a spatula to slide the rustica onto a plate. Serve alone, or with ice cream, whipped cream, warm caramel sauce or cheese.
*An easy way to do this, is to cover the board with wax paper, liberally dusted with flour. Roll out the pastry, lay the parchment covered baking sheet over it, and flip the pastry, board and all over onto the sheet. Remove the wax paper and proceed with filling the pie.

Jun 27

FANCY ICE CREAM DESSERTS TO MAKE AT HOME

If July 4th had an iconic food like other holidays, I bet it would be ice cream. Cold, fun, refreshing, and readily available it’s wonderfully satisfying in hot weather. More than that, it’s easy to create a huge variety of fancy desserts at home and experiment with flavors using commercial ice cream.

Years ago, I bought an ice cream machine. I lived in an area famous for blueberries, loved cranberries and had been mashing bananas in softened vanilla ice cream, then refreezing the mix in popsicle molds for ages. I thought it would be easier to create ice cream in those flavors from scratch and I wanted to try using herbs and spices.

Well….my efforts were successful, but the machine…not so much. The process was too time-consuming and the machine took more freezer space than was justified by the results-only about 1 quart of ice cream. It took days to make enough ice cream for a full family dinner, it wasn’t easy and in no way could I have the choices I wanted always available. So the machine sits on a shelf, except for occasional request. I didn’t want to go back to the old, totally, handmade methods yet I did want way to easily make fancy ice cream desserts at home, which weren’t run-of-the-mill.

So I did some research which took me a step further in the direction of convenience (or laziness). I found that it was easy to make ice cream desserts at home using commercial brands. It converted with little effort into fancy, festive presentations. Some of the recipes below are adaptations, some are mine and a few are old classics but they’re all easy, delicious, decorative, homemade AND guaranteed to get you raves!

Don’t miss the special BONUS at the end of this post. It has 3 additional recipes which can help to make your ‘company’ desserts no-brainers in the future.

RECIPES

Truffle Bites: Yield 25- From The Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow,
3 cups ice cream-flavor optional
7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 oz. milk or white chocolate
¼ cup chopped, toasted nuts-almonds, hazelnuts suggested
Place a large cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 min. Scoop balls of ice cream with a melon baller and line them on the cookie sheet; freeze for at least 1 hr. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper and freeze it as well. Melt the chocolates in separate pots. Transfer the ice cream balls to the parchment covered sheet, and, gently spoon a little dark chocolate over half of them to cover, one at a time, and immediately sprinkle with chopped nut. Cover the other half of the balls with dark chocolate and drizzle with the milk or white chocolate. Freeze them as you go to avoid melting and keep frozen until serving.

Fruit Gateau: Serves 6-From- The Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow,
3 ½ cups mixed berries or diced, skinned soft fruit-if using large strawberries chop to size
3 cups ice cream- flavor optional
2 Tbs. powdered sugar
4 oz. meringues = 1 small per cup of other ingredients or 6 here—See recipe below*
Dampen a 2 lb. loaf pan and line it with waxed paper. Put the fruit in a bowl with the sugar and toss until it begins to break up but don’t let it get mushy. Put the ice cream in another bowl and break it up with a fork. Add the broken meringues and the fruit. Fold the ingredients together until lightly marbled. Pack the mixture into the prepared pan and press down lightly to level. Cover and freeze overnight. To serve, invert on a plate, remove wrap and slice.
*NOTE: This is delicious with an interesting texture. However, it’s difficult to slice. I think I’ll make it in individual molds from now on, perhaps even use muffin cups

Peach Melba: Per portion
1 large scoop ice cream-vanilla is customary but peach or strawberry are options
2 meringues-see recipe below*
1 peach half- canned peaches can be used, but fresh, skinned ones are better.
3 Tb. raspberry sauce- see NOTE below**
Place the peach half in the bottom of a dessert dish, top with ice cream. Press a meringue into each side of the ice cream scoop and pour the raspberry sauce over.
**NOTE: Melba Sauce is sold in gourmet sections, but fresh berries tossed with sugar are better, so are frozen raspberries sweetened to taste.

*Meringues: Yield about 25 small or 12 large
Meringues are very useful . The only thing to beware of is that egg whites will not beat if there is even a trace of any other substance, including water but especially egg yolk, on the beaters or in the bowl. Tip: egg whites beat better at room temperature.
Cookie Sheet and Waxed Paper:
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
2 drops cider vinegar
½ tsp. flavoring – – Vanilla is usual if used with other ingredients. I like Maple to serve alone
Cover the cookie sheet with the waxed paper. Carefully separate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, dry bowl. It might be wise to break them separately, over another bowl, then transfer each white into the beating bowl. That way, if there’s a bit of yoke in the last white, you don’t have to start over. With clean, dry beaters, beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, @ 1 ½ – 2 min. Still beating, add the vinegar, gradually pour in the sugar, and continue beating until glossy peaks form when you lift the beaters. Add the flavoring, beat to mix.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Drop the meringue batter on the covered cookie sheet by the teaspoon or soupspoon depending on desired size, forming little mounds about 2 inches apart; cook 1 hour. While still warm, remove the meringues from the paper, and allow to cool on a rack.

*NOTE: Meringues are handy to have on hand. They can be eaten as cookies and are lower in calories. They keep in an air-tight tin for months. The batter can also be cooked flat or in shapes and used to replace pie crust or pastry shells.

Banana Popsicles: Makes 6 as per usual mold set*
2 cups softened vanilla ice cream
1 cup mashed RIPE banana=1 large or 2 small—dark spots from ripening don’t show after mixing
Mash the banana to a paste with a fork and stir into the ice cream until fully mixed. Freeze in molds. Rec
* Can substitute for the cream in the Cake recipe below

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(1 qt.) 32 oz. ice cream-vanilla—see Note for using other flavors
8 oz. caramel sauce
3/4 cup chopped toasted nuts-pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts
Soften the ice cream. Rinse and line a 1 lb. loaf pan with plastic wrap. Stir 1/3 of the ice cream into the caramel sauce and mix well, heating if necessary. Cool then stir in the nuts. Spread 1/3 the caramel mixture into the pan and top with ½ the ice cream. Repeat layers ending with the caramel. Tap to level the surface and freeze for at least 6 hrs. To serve, dip pan in hot water, invert onto a plate, remove wrap and slice.
NOTE: Only vanilla combines with the caramel sauce well taste wise. If using another flavor of Ice cream buy enough vanilla ice cream or substitute 2/3 cup whipped cream.

Ice Cream Cake: Serves 10-12
(1) 2 1/2 quart freezer proof mold or large round, deep mixing bowl
Layer pans, tube pan or sheet cake pan to bake the cake
1 box of cake mix, cooked according to directions, cooled and removed from the pan(s)
½ gal—Or 1.5 qt. container ice cream.
Bake the cake according to box directions, remove from pans and allow to cool.
Soften ice cream to consistency of whipped topping.
Rinse bowl or mold with water and shake out excess but do not dry. The film of water freezes and forms a protective coating on the container that makes it easier to unmold the finished dessert.
Smear a dollop of softened ice cream over the bottom of the mold. If it has a decorative top be sure to fill it all in. Then begin to fit chunks of the cake into the mold in layers. Be sure to separate the layers of cake, the pieces of cake in the layers and the cake pieces from the sides of the mold with enough ice cream that they don’t stick together or become exposed when the dessert is unmolded.
Also, have a thick enough layer of ice cream on the bottom of the mold to form a firm base when plated for serving.
Freeze the mold for several hours or overnight.
Remove from freezer and dip the mold in a larger bowl, or pan, of hot water, for the count of ten (10). Cover the bottom with a serving plate and invert to unmold.
Serve at once or store in the freezer until needed.
Pass any appropriate toppings: whipped cream, wet nuts, sauce, fruit etc. on the side.

Bonus
Chocolate Cups: Serves 6- From-The Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow,
These are an elegant way to dress up a couple of scoops of ice cream. Just add whipped topping, some fruit or other decorations and you have a party dessert! Make them ahead and you’ll always be set.
8 oz. chocolate broken in pieces-dark, white or milk
Waxed paper
1 baking sheet
(1) 3 inch round cookie cutter—OR tuna fish cans, washed and open at both ends
Cover the baking sheet with waxed paper. Cut (6) 12 x 5 inch strips of waxed paper. Fold each in half lengthwise and roll to fit inside the cookie cutter when standing on the baking sheet and tape paper in circles. Stand the cookie cutter on the baking sheet, fit a paper roll inside it and, with a teaspoon, spoon a little chocolate inside, spreading it over the bottom to form a base and unevenly up the sides. Careful not to crack the chocolate shell, remove the cutter and go on to the next cup. This is where tuna cans make the job easier; they stay in place until the cups harden, allowing several to be made quickly.
Each cup holds 2 normal scoops of ice cream.

Coconut Ice Cream: Serves 6– This doesn’t belong in either of the above categories, but it’s a fun addition, especially with the current popularity of coconut.
14 oz. can coconut milk
¼ cup sugar
2 limes, zested and juiced
Toasted coconut shreds, toasted almond slivers and/or chocolate shavings for garnish
Boil sugar with 2/3 cup water to dissolve, stirring constantly; cool then chill well. Add lime and coconut milk. Pour into a freezer-proof container and freeze 4-6 hrs., beating or processing twice in between to break up ice crystals. Freeze until firm. Serve in scoops topped with choice of garnish.

Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream-An easy way to surprise people with unusual flavors.
3 cups (1 ½ pts.) half-and-half
(1) 14 oz. can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup lightly mashed fresh blueberries –OR other pureed or mashed fresh fruit, such as peaches, strawberries, bananas and raspberries*
Food coloring (optional)
COMBINE all ingredients in ice cream freezer container; mix well. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
REFRIGERATOR-FREEZER METHOD
Combine sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl; stir in 1 cup prepared fruit and food coloring, if desired. Fold in 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream (do not use non-dairy whipped topping). Pour into 9- x 5-inch loaf pan or a 2-quart freezer container; cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
*NOTE: I found blanching the blueberries slightly before mashing them softens them enough so their texture blends well with the cream when frozen.

 

 

Jun 6

SH0RTCUT DINNER RECIPES MAKE RELAXED MEALS

Shortcut dinner recipes are favorites of busy people all year, but when the weather heats up, they’re everybody’s go-to. These are recipes modified, primarily, to make the cook’s kitchen time easier, and more comfortable. They aren’t necessarily faster, but they achieve the desired dish with less effort. After all, nothing is quicker than sautéing or pan broiling a chicken tender or fish fillet and making a pan sauce but it does require standing over a hot stove, which can be tedious even with air-conditioning.

Creating a shortcut recipe often involves adjusting ingredients, usually altering prep and, almost always adapting cooking methods. Frequently, microwaving becomes involved for at least part of the cooking. However it’s achieved, three things are required of the finished product. It must mirror the original in taste, texture and appearance. The Popovers and Sherbet do this. If it’s a new creation, then it must fit seamlessly into its category. The Chocolate ‘Crazy’ Cake and My Key Lime Pie are examples of this.

Below are 16 shortcut recipes for you to see. Most are from other sources, some are general knowledge and a few are my own. Several may seem inappropriate going into summer, but I’ve included notes to make them seasonal. If you study them, you’ll begin to see patterns emerge which you can relate to some of your favorite recipes and find ways to shortcut them.

If you try them you’ll never go back to the original recipes. Popovers, reputed to be so difficult are a cinch now; spaghetti sauce in half an hour? And the chocolate cake not only doesn’t need beating, it doesn’t need eggs or shortening either making it truly low-cal-about 146 cal. per portion.

RECIPES

Quick Popovers:

Yield 8
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
Combine ingredients and mix well. Fill greased custard cups or popover tins* ¾ full. Place in a cold oven and bake at 450 deg.30 min. DON’T PEEK or they won’t rise!
*NOTE: Regular muffin tin cups aren’t deep enough to allow the dough to rise to the point of forming the large central air bubble which is the hallmark of popovers. They will still be good but they won’t have the hollow center or be so light.

Flour Tortillas

Quick Crackers or Dippers-Cut a 3-4 inch. diameter circle in the center of a 10 inch flour tortilla and divide it into 6 wedges. Cut the remaining ring in 1 ½ inch segments. Place the pieces on a cookie sheet, lightly spray with oil and sprinkle with seasonings of choice-salt, garlic powder, paprika etc. Bake at 300 deg. until dried and crisp-about 10 min.
Pizza Crust– Tortilla size depends on servings. Lightly brush one side of a flour tortilla with water and press a second on top. Build the pizza as per usual with desired ingredients, leaving a 1 inch margin. Bake at 425 deg. for 12-14 min. until bubbling and golden.

SOUPS: In summer, as in winter, soups make great meals when paired with sandwiches and/or salads. Top: Try the popovers. The recipes below are from The Complete Book of 400 Soups by Anne Shesby

Cucumber Bisque:

Serves 4
3 large cucumbers, seeded and sliced but not peeled
1 small onion-diced
4 cups chicken stock
(4) 4-5 oz. salmon fillets or 16 large shrimp-optional
Salt and pepper
Sour cream for garnish-optional
Chopped chives for garnish
If using, poach the salmon or shrimp in boiling water until cooked-the salmon about 8 min. and the shrimp about 4 min. (or buy cooked) Peel the skin off the salmon or clean the shrimp, leaving tails on and chill. Boil the vegetables in the broth until soft, about 15 min. Blend until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with seafood on top, garnished with sour cream and chives or, if not using seafood, just cream and chives.

Arugula and Blue Cheese Soup:

Serves 4
8 oz. arugula leaves—any heavy spines removed
5 oz. blue cheese
2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 cup light cream
Heat stock and add arugula until leaves wilt about 3 min. Crumble the cheese into the pot and stir until it starts to melt. Blend the mixture until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in the cream, heating only until well incorporated. Remove from heat and chill. Stir well and serve cool, garnished with chives or paprika. Don’t refrigerate long or cheese will congeal and change the texture.

Bean, Tomato and Pesto Soup:

Serves 4
(2) 14 oz. cans lima beans rinsed and drained-or a white bean, but no other colors
¼ cup tomato paste
1/3 cup pesto
3 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable stock
Sour Cream for garnish
Place all ingredients but cream in a pot and simmer gently about 8 min. Blend the soup until slightly chunky and chill. Serve swirled with dabs of cream.

MAIN DISHES

Tuscan Bean Salad:

Serves 2—For more, simply double (leftovers make good brown bags)
(1) 6 oz. can of tuna- drained-solid or chunk white preferred—oil or water optional
(1) 15 oz. can cannellini beans – or navy or Great Northern white beans – drained
2 Tbs. salad or canola oil
1Tbs. balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
¼ cup fresh basil leaves-chopped or 1 tsp. dried
Oregano-to taste- optional
Whisk the last 6 ingredients in a bowl. Rinse the beans under running water and drain. Stir in the drained tuna. Allow to stand a few minutes for the flavors to meld and/or refrigerate up to 8 hrs.

Spaghetti:

There are as many recipes for spaghetti as there are for tuna salad. This is my own quick version with two twists I learned in Italy. The first is in the recipe, the second is the use for it below.*

1 lb. sausage or turkey sausage roll

(1) 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 Tbs. oil

2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin (1/8 to 1/16 inch)*

½ cup raisons

2 tsp. garlic powder – or to taste

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. pepper and salt to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste-optional

1 lb thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta.

Grated Parmesan

In a stockpot, over medium heat, brown the meat in the oil, when all pink in gone, add all the other ingredients, but the pasta, Simmer about 40 min. until the sauce reduces a bit and the carrots are very tender. Cook the pasta in a separate pot just to al dente. Drain and put in the pot with the sauce, toss briefly, THEN turn the contents out into a serving bowl. Pass the Parmesan.
Spaghetti sauce freezes beautifully, so make extra if you wish, and freeze it in separate containers of the size your family needs for a meal, or in single servings for quick kid’s meals. If not thawed, put a few tablespoons of water in the saucepan as you start to reheat it to avoid sticking, but once it’s thawed, it can heat while the pasta cooks.
*A favorite cold meal for Italians is Spaghetti Pie and it’s a handy use for leftovers as well. In fact it started with farm wives frying the leftover dinner pasta into a ‘cake’ which they could slice and place in the lunch pails of the men working the fields.
1)Toss the pasta with the sauce and for each ½ lb. mix in 1 egg lightly beaten
2) Store chilled overnight
3) Choose a skillet that will hold the pasta, compacted, to almost its full depth
4)Pour at least 2 Tbs. oil- more for larger pans-into the skillet and swirl.
5) Heat the skillet until a piece of pasta sizzles when dropped into it. Pour in the pasta and place over low flame
6)Allow the pasta to stay on the heat, undisturbed until the bottom loosens and the top is firm
7) Invert the pie twice, so it’s plated top side up
8) Chill and slice in wedges to serve.

Salad Nicoise:

Serves 4-6 Ideally this should be made with grilled Tuna steaks thinly sliced, and all fresh vegetables but canned works well. Just be sure the tuna is solid white Albacore.

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¾ lb. redskin or new potatoes—OR (2) 15 oz. canned tiny whole potatoes- drained

¾ lb. whole green beans—10 oz. bag frozen whole green beans or cut will do

4 hard boiled eggs – peeled, halved lengthwise and chilled

1 large red or Bermuda onion in fairly thin slices

3 large or 4 medium tomatoes peeled (optional) cut in medium slices and chilled

(1) 2 oz. can anchovy fillets drained oil reserved for dressing

(1) 5 oz. can colossal pitted ripe olives – drained

(2) 7 oz. cans solid white Albacore Tuna in water – drained

Kosher salt

White wine

Dried tarragon

Fresh ground black pepper

Cut the potatoes in quarters, or halves, depending on size. Boil them separately or together with the beans until the potatoes are done and the beans still crisp @ 10 min. Drain well, run under cold water to stop the cooking and cool.(Microwave the beans as package directs and drain the potatoes) Place the potatoes and beans in an oblong container, so they can spread to marinate, with ½ cup white wine and 2 tsp. dried tarragon. Allow to marinate at least ½ hr. or all day. Separate the lettuce leaves, wash well and allow to air dry. Cover a large platter with the leaves. Pile the tuna, topped with the anchovies in the center, and attractively arrange the other ingredients, in separate sections, in a surrounding circle. Sprinkle with the salt and fresh pepper.

DRESSING RECIPE

Wisk all ingredients together well

4 Tbs. minced shallots – onions will substitute

2 Tbs. dry mustard powder-OR 1Tbs. prepared hot mustard

5 Tbs. red wine vinegar

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

2 ¼ cups olive oil plus the oil from the anchovies

2 tsp. dried tarragon

Taste and add some of the marinating white wine if it won’t dilute too much

Marinating Made Easy
One easy way to cut marinating time, is to start the meat or fish, marinating in a plastic bag in the refrigerator at time of purchase. If it’s to be used at a later date, freeze the bag, marinade and all. The time needed to freeze and to thaw, usually is enough to marinate. If the recipe requires overnight marinating, refrigerate it for a few hours before freezing. If using this technique to marinate lamb or veal cook the meat partially frozen, because when those meats thaw, they release their juices and tend to dry and toughen.

SIDES

Microwave Ratatouille: Serves 2-Slice 2 medium zucchini and/or yellow squash and 2 small onions into a microwave safe bowl. Top with 1 Tbs. oil, and ½ tsp. lemon pepper. Microwave 3 min. Add ¾ cup salsa * or (½) 15 oz. can diced tomatoes or an equal amount of peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes, and a sprinkle of red pepper, if desired, and microwave an additional 2 min. Optionally tip with grated cheese.

Spinach Tart: Serves 4- (2) 10 oz. boxes, chopped spinach. Drain, put in a greased pie plate or shallow casserole. Mix with 2 raw eggs and 2 packets chicken or beef flavored bouillon granules. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and bake along with meat .for 30 min. at 250 degrees, or 20 min at 350 degrees. Can also be microwaved for 1 ½ min. on high

DESSERTS

My Easy Plum Sherbet: Serves 4-This can be done with any fruit
(1) 30 oz. can of purple plums, pits removed, OR any other canned fruit
Pinch ginger-optional OR seasonings appropriate to the fruit used
Process the fruit to a puree, adding enough syrup to get the proper texture-more equal cream than water. I use all of it with plums, but not with pears. (Save any extra syrup to flavor a granita.)
Place the puree in a sealed container, freeze to almost firm. Reprocess until the mixture lightens in color and becomes very smooth. Refreeze.
For ‘creamier’ texture stir in about ½ cup whipped topping before refreezing.
Keep sealed in the freezer. Keeps as long as a commercial product.
NOTE: This can be made into an elegant dessert by punching a hole in the center of a scoop with a wooden spoon handle and filling it with a complimentary flavored liqueur.

My Key Lime Pie

I always had trouble with Key Lime Pie, despite many recipes, even “authentic” ones from the Florida Keys, until devised this, which seems to be foolproof, perhaps because it’s so easy. The lime juice is best fresh, and, if possible, of the “key” variety. Key limes are small, dark green, very smooth with rounded ends. Their juice has an intense flavor, without the biting acidity sometimes found in regular lime juice. I understand the juice is sold in the baking supply aisles in some stores, but have never encountered it. The limes themselves, can often be found, usually labeled and bagged, in Supermarkets, especially ones with large Hispanic sections. It requires at least 15 to yield enough juice for one pie. If you can’t find them, the common Persian variety limes will do, but I might increase the amount of juice in the pie by a tablespoon or more. Test to taste the strength of the acidity and flavor of the juice. Do NOT use concentrated juice unless it’s labeled Key Lime, or lime drink mix.

(1) 9 inch baked pie shell. Home made or purchased, regular or graham cracker.

(1) 14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk MIXED WITH
About 2/3 cup sour cream-sufficient to equal 2 cups

½ cup fresh Key Lime juice OR see above

1 Tbs. lime zest

½ envelope unflavored gelatin
Whipped cream, extra lime zest or chopped mint leaves for garnish
Soften the gelatin by soaking 5 min. in the lime juice. Combine the condensed milk, sour cream and zest in a bowl. Dissolve the gelatin by heating the lime juice 30 sec. in the microwave. If it doesn’t dissolve

easily, heat it an additional 5 sec. or so, but be sure it is completely liquid before proceeding. Add the lime juice with gelatin to the bowl with the milk, sour cream and zest. Wisk well to incorporate. Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell and chill at least 2 hours until well set. Serve garnished.

Crazy Cake:

Serves 14-16
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
3 Tbs. baking cocoa
1 Tbs. vinegar
3 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water
Sift the first 5 ingredients, the dry ones, into an ungreased cake pan. With the back of a soup spoon, make 3 depressions into the top of the mixture. Pour each of the next 3 ingredients into a depression. Then pour the water over the top and mix well with a fork until batter is completely incorporated and smooth. Bake at 350 deg.35-40 min. until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before slicing. Can be left in the pan or plated, iced or plain; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips can be added to the batter. Recipe doubled makes a sheet cake or 2 layers. Keeps well.

 

 

 

 

May 16

MERINGUES – DESSERTS FOR ALL SEASONS

When I say that I like meringues, I’m usually greeted with a look of pity for being so old-fashioned but I do like them. They’re easy to make, have a long shelf life and are fun to work with. Notice I use the plural, meringues not meringue, there is a difference.

Meringue is a 17th century, arguably Swiss, Italian or French, concoction of sugar and egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks mostly used as a topping for pastry. Meringues are sweet molded, confections made by baking meringue until it forms a hard crust.

Both forms were popular until the mid-20th century. After WWII, frozen or packaged products replaced hand-made ones and meringues don’t freeze or ship well. There is a powdered version, but it’s as labor intensive as ‘from scratch’. Meringue topping lasted a while longer, until salmonella awareness led to avoiding raw eggs. Lemon Meringue pie was an American favorite, on menus from diners to elegant restaurants, but it too has disappeared. Whipped cream, and more often, whipped toppings have replaced meringue.

Actually meringue topping can be quite safe if baked until the top is golden and browned in spots but brulee torches quickly flame brown the top without baking. They’ve become common kitchen utensils and I’ve even seen them recommended for Baked Alaska, another vanishing dessert. Each year, I make a pumpkin meringue pie, but I place it in a 500 deg. oven for 5 min.to brown the top and cook the eggs.

However, none of those worries apply to meringues, which are baked in a low, 250 deg. oven for a couple of hours, until a hard shell forms. It’s the shell that allows meringues to hold a shape and makes them so versatile. Piped into rosettes, shaped into swans, simply spooned onto a baking sheet, they are wonderful small treats. Shaped into pie shells, cake layers, Parfait cups and even bird’s nests, meringues can turn other ingredients into elegant dessert presentations.

Better yet, meringues are fat- free, so they’re low in cholesterol as well as in calories. With fruit they’re the perfect healthy dessert and by replacing batter or dough, remove some of the guilt from ice cream and custard fillings. Best of all, they are truly simple to make needing only a bowl and a beater. Once in the oven they demand to be left alone until done. That sounds more like a modern approach to cooking than an antiquated item to me. See for yourself in the recipes below. You’ll be glad you did because meringues are perfect all year long. They appear frosty giving them a seasonal appeal in cold weather and a cooling appearance when it’s warm. They’re perfect for the low-maintenance spring and summer holidays ahead.

RECIPES

Basic Meringues:

Yield about 25 small or 12 large-recipe doubles or triples easily
IMPORTANT The only thing to beware of is that egg whites will not beat if there is even a trace of any other substance, including water but especially egg yolk, on the beaters or in the bowl.
TIP: egg whites beat better at room temperature.
Cookie Sheet and Waxed Paper:
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
2 drops cider vinegar
½ tsp. flavoring**
Cover the cookie sheet with the waxed paper. Carefully separate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, dry bowl. It might be wise to break them separately, over another bowl, then transfer each white into the beating bowl. That way, if there’s a bit of yoke in the last white, you don’t have to start over. With clean, dry beaters, beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, @ 1 ½ – 2 min. Still beating, add the vinegar, gradually pour in the sugar, and continue beating until glossy peaks form when you lift the beaters. Add the flavoring, beat to mix.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Drop the meringue batter on the covered cookie sheet by the teaspoon or soupspoon depending on desired size, forming little mounds about 2 inches apart; cook 1 hour. While still warm, remove the meringues from the paper, and allow to cool on a rack.
** Vanilla is usual if used with other ingredients. I like Maple to serve as individual treats. It’s also greaton autumn to give a seasonal presentation and taste.
NOTE: meringues are handy to have on hand. They can be eaten as cookies and are lower in calories. They keep in an air-tight tin for months. The batter can also be cooked flat or in shapes and used to replace pie crust or pastry shells.

Peach Melba:

Per portion
1 large scoop ice cream-vanilla is customary but peach or strawberry are options
2 meringues-see recipe above*
1 peach half- canned peaches can be used, but fresh, skinned ones are better.
3 Tb. raspberry sauce**
Place the peach half in the bottom of a dessert dish, top with ice cream. Press a meringue into each side of the ice cream scoop and pour the raspberry sauce over.
**NOTE: Melba Sauce is sold in gourmet sections, but fresh berries tossed with sugar are better in spring as are frozen raspberries sweetened to taste.

Milano Style Cookies

This is sildenafil tablets 50mg see that store now a very bad thing as this can lead to divorce, breakup and conflicts in relationship. This combo can ensure sildenafil tablets australia overall reproductive health improvement and can turn around the youthfulness in man. We have impotence when unfulfilled sexual acts are the cialis generic order majority when almost never you can satisfy yourself and your partner. The Vata dosha and Pitta dosha in levitra tablets the body is primarily responsible for causing weak erection in men. Place the batter on the paper lined sheet with teaspoons or tablespoons maintaining the egg shape of the spoon. Bake as directed in the master recipe. When cool, spread jam or icing of choice on the flat side of half the meringues and cover with the remaining halves.

Fruit Parfaits

Mound the meringue in high piles on the cookie sheet and make deep wells in the center of each with the back of a spoon. Bake as directed in the master recipe and before serving fill the wells with fresh fruit, pie filling and/or custard. For extra stability try the recipe below for nests.

Meringue Rounds:

Use plates to draw templates on waxed paper. The rounds can be layered like cake separated by different fillings. Cook as for meringues in the recipe above.

Angel Nests:

Add 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. cornstarch to just 3 egg whites per cup of sugar. Shape them on a template, using the back of a fork to raise the sides into nests. Bake at 250 degrees for 60 min. Leave in oven for 30 min. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a dry place until ready to use, up to a week. Fill centers with fresh fruit and serve with whipped cream, or topping, on the side. These can also be made in individual portions, and are most attractive. Judging by the timing to cook basic meringues, I don’t think there would be much adjustment to the directions either. Something you might want to try.

Meringue Pie Shells

Follow the directions for the dacquoise below, omitting the chocolate and reducing the recipe by 1/3 if only one pie is needed. Fill with custard, fruit or mousse.

Chocolate Dacquoise:

Serves 6-8
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
4 Tbs. shaved chocolate
Line (3) inch pie tins with waxed paper. Separate eggs, make meringues of whites and sugar. Melt 2 oz. chocolate and add to beaten whites, mixing well. Divide egg mix between the tins spreading evenly. Bake at 275 deg.60-70 min. until crisp. Melt 6 oz. chocolate with 2 Tbs. water until smooth-keep warm. Heat yolks and 2 Tbs. water in the top of a double boiler, whisking to increase volume and cook slightly. Fold yolks into chocolate mixing well. Place one meringue layer on serving plate. ‘Ice’ with 1/3 of yolk mixture, repeat with second meringue layer and then the third, ending with yolk mix. Garnish with chocolate shavings over the top. Cool and serve in wedges cut with a serrated knife.

Fruit Gateau:

Serves 6
3 ½ cups mixed berries or diced, skinned soft fruit-if using large strawberries chop to size
3 cups ice cream- flavor optional
2 Tbs. powdered sugar
4 oz. meringues = 1 small per cup of other ingredients or 6 here—See recipe below*
Dampen a 2 lb. loaf pan and line it with waxed paper. Put the fruit in a bowl with the sugar and toss until it begins to break up but don’t let it get mushy. Put the ice cream in another bowl and break it up with a fork. Add the broken meringues and the fruit. Fold the ingredients together until lightly marbled. Pack the mixture into the prepared pan and press down lightly to level. Cover and freeze overnight. To serve, invert on a plate, remove wrap and slice.
*NOTE: This is delicious with an interesting texture. However, it’s difficult to slice. I think I’ll make it in individual molds from now on, perhaps even use muffin cups

 

 

 

 

 

May 9

DESSERTS FOR MOTHER’S DAY

Restaurants love Mother’s Day because it’s traditional to gift Mom with a dinner where she can select what she wants and enjoy in a purely social setting. However, times and people change. Now most Mothers work away from home, not in it. With the availability of neighborhood bistros, take outs, from gourmet to fast food and frozen entrees, commercially prepared dinners are a regular option.

In addition, our growing obsession with foods, cuisines, and popular diets has sparked an interest in cooking. Moreover modern home design merges the kitchen into social areas. Everyone nowadays feels comfortable in a kitchen and most know how to use one. Fixing dinner is usually a family affair.

Although it’s still pleasurable for Mom to choose exactly what she wants and consume it at leisure with her family in a relaxed, chore free environment, there’s a growing desire to make it a ’special’ occasion once again, not just another dinner out. The easiest way to do that is to ‘personalize’ it by making a physical contribution.

Of course the family can always make the whole dinner at home. However, a better solution to this dilemma, especially for children, is to leave the restaurant after the entrée and surprise Mom with an elegantly ‘fancy’ dessert, a dessert made especially for her by her family, even the youngest members. If the gathering includes an extended family, this provides a wonderful chance to extend the visit.

Below are 9 delicious, glamorous desserts which are easily made and allow ample opportunity for children to help, with only minimal supervision. All are spectacular enough to impress a finicky guest so imagine how they’ll please a mother!

There are 3 pastry desserts, 3 cakes and 3 torts. Most can be made ahead, all assemble quickly and several can be created from pre-cooked ingredients. About half require a bit of basic baking, but nothing a teen-ager couldn’t handle. So take a look, I bet once you do, you’ll want to try more and want to repeat them often.

RECIPES

Fruit Pizza:

Serves 8-10

If making the crust: mix 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, cut in 2/3 cup shortening, add 3 to 4 Tbs. ICE water to form dough, and roll to a 12 inch round. To fit a pizza pan-disposable ones are fine.
If buying; purchase a roll of sugar cookie dough, not pie dough. Roll dough to fit a pizza pan, prick several times with a fork and bake as for cookies, 350 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until lightly browned, or as directions on package state.
Cool completely in pan.
1 ½ lb. raw fruit- seasonal preferred, frozen acceptable
1/4 -1/2 cup clear jelly –see directions
Water
Decoratively arrange raw fruit over the crust. The amount you will need depends on the chosen fruit, roughly about 1 ½ lbs. In spring or summer use a combination of strawberries and blueberries. Peaches, kiwi, grapes are all good in season.Top with a glaze made from a clear jelly, apple or current, melted with 1 Tbs. water per ¼ cup jelly. Optionally double this amount. Flat fruit slices take less. Chill until completely set. Serve in wedges and optionally pass whipped cream, or ice cream.

My Key Lime Pie:

Serves 8
I always had trouble with Key Lime Pie, despite many recipes, even “authentic” ones from the Florida Keys, until I developed this, which seems to be foolproof, perhaps because it’s so easy. There is one universal rule in making this pie however, the lime juice must be fresh, and, if possible, of the “key” variety. Key limes are small, dark green, very smooth with rounded ends. Their juice has an intense flavor, without the biting acidity sometimes found in regular lime juice. I understand the juice is sold in the baking supply aisles in some stores, but have never encountered it. The limes themselves, can often be found, usually labeled and bagged, in Supermarkets, especially ones with large Hispanic sections. It requires at least 15 to yield enough juice for one pie. If you can’t find them, the common Persian variety limes will do, but I might increase the amount of juice in the pie by a tablespoon or more. Test to taste the strength of the acidity and flavor of the juice. Do NOT use concentrated juice unless it’s labeled Key Lime, or lime drink mix.
(1) 9 inch baked pie shell. Homemade or purchased, regular or graham cracker.
(1) 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk MIXED WITH
Sufficient sour cream to equal 2 cups – about 2/3 cup
1/2 cup fresh Key Lime juice
1 Tbs. lime zest
1/2 envelope unflavored gelatin
Whipped cream
Soften the gelatin by soaking 5 min. in the lime juice. Combine the Condensed milk, sour cream and zest in a bowl. Dissolve the gelatin by heating the lime juice in the microwave 30 sec. If it doesn’t dissolve easily, heat it an additional 5 sec. or so, but be sure it is completely liquid before proceeding. Add the lime juice with gelatin to the bowl with the milk, sour cream and zest. Wisk well to incorporate. Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell and chill at least 2 hours until well set. Serve topped with whipped cream.

Wonton Fruit Cups:

Serves 12
24 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup fruit preserves—flavor complimentary to fruit filling
1 cup lemon yogurt or instant pudding-pie filling, flavor optional
1 ½ cups diced fruit
Line a 12 cup or (2) 6 cup muffin pans with a wonton wrapper. Brush with ½ the butter. Place a second wrapper diagonally across the first and brush with remaining butter. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 10 min. or until golden. Remove and cool. Spread 1 tsp. fruit preserves in each cup. Fold yogurt or pudding with 1 cup fruit and spoon into cups. Garnish with remaining fruit.

Dump Cake:

Serves 12
4 cups blueberries or strawberries, halved if large or 2 cans pie filling (other chopped fruits can be used later in the season)
½ cup sugar-if using fresh fruit
½ cup melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
(1) 18.5 box of cake mix-flavor optional
Place fruit in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan and mix with sugar and cinnamon. Scatter dry cake mix over the top and pour melted butter evenly over it. Do not stir! Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven about 30 min. until golden on top. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping.

Pan Cake:

Makes 16 brownie sized squares from a square pan ** or 8 full slices from a round one
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
Sift these ingredients into an ungreased 8 inch cake pan. Using the back of a spoon make 3 well in the flour mix. Into each of the wells pour:
3 Tbs. vinegar-I like white
3 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour 1 cup water over all
Stir with a fork until very well mixed. Bake at 350 deg. for 35-40 min. Cool and remove from pan or bake and serve from a baking dish. Can be iced or sprinkle 2 Tbs. powdered sugar over the top. Can also be served with whipped topping or ice cream
*NOTE: This is a treat for those watching their calories. Only 116.5 per square (with sugar topping=197) per slice=233 calories (with sugar topping 394)
*NOTE: Doubled this recipe makes a wonderful sheet cake. I baked it for several years for the birthday and also graduation of a relative allergic to eggs. I took it to a local supermarket to be professionally iced and no one ever guessed that it was a diet recipe.

Easy Berry Cream Cake:
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Serves 6-10
This a quick, elegant answer to the problem of providing a nice dessert when there isn’t time to prepare one from scratch, and a tasty end to a meal anytime. Any berry will work, as would peaches, but blueberries tend to discolor the cake, and peaches offer a rather bland appearance. The best options are strawberries or raspberries.

The full recipe below uses a whole angel food cake:

A) Quicker version can be made with:

1 lb. loaf pound cake (commercially made is fine)
the same amount of berries
(2) 8 oz. containers whipped topping
Cut the cake in 2 or 3 layers, depending on size, spread with topping and scatter with berries-See directions below for treatment of berries.

B) Full Recipe:

1 Angel Food cake – purchased or made from a mix
2 pkgs. frozen strawberries – with juice
1 box Vanilla Pudding mix
1 pt. whipping cream
Cut the cake into 3 layers using toothpicks, a ruler and a knife. (See Tips this week) Select, and put aside a few choice berries to use as garnish. Combine the pudding mix and berries with juice in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and chill.
Whip the cream and fold into the chilled berry mixture. Spread on the three cake layers. Garnish the top one with the reserved berries.

Brownie Torte:

Serves 8-10
9 oz. chocolate brownies-crumbled
11 oz. white or milk chocolate broken in pieces
2 ½ cups heavy, whipping cream
Unsweetened cocoa for dusting
Line the base of a spring-form pan with waxed paper. Sprinkle the brownie chunks over the bottom and slightly up the sides pressing to form a dense base. Melt the chocolate gently with 2/3 cup of cream, stirring until smooth. Pour into a bowl and cool. Whip the remaining cream and fold into the chocolate then pour into the base. Tap gently to level, cover and freeze overnight. Remove from pan, plate and transfer to the refrigerator about 30 min. before serving. Just before serving dust top with cocoa.

cream. Repeat layers ending with the caramel. Tap to level the surface and freeze for at least 6 hrs. To serve, dip pan in hot water, invert onto a plate, remove wrap and slice.

Java Torte:

Serves 8-10
2 packages Ladyfingers – separated
1 rounded Tbs. instant coffee
½ cup water
(1) 1 lb. bag mini marshmallows
1 ½ pints whipping cream
¼ cup toasted slivered almonds – see Recipe # 6
In a bowl, microwave coffee and water until coffee is dissolved. @ 1 min. Add marshmallows and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Stand Ladyfingers around the sides and cover the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan, leaving no spaces. Whip cream and fold into the coffee mixture, making sure it is fully incorporated. Pour the cream mixture into the prepared pan. Freeze until firm. Remove sides of pan and top with almonds to serve.
Tip—If the marshmallows cause difficulty dissolving in the coffee mixture, gently microwave the liquid in 15 sec. intervals until they do. Add up 1 Tbs. water, by the teaspoon, if and as needed.

Easy Go-Litely Tiramisu:

Serves 8-10
(2) 3oz packages of Ladyfingers = 21 pieces required*

(2) 8oz containers frozen non-dairy whipped topping

(2) 8oz containers of whipped cream cheese Or Mascarpone**

½ cup Cream Sherry – Kahlua, Amoretto, or Rum may also be used***

2 Tbs. sugar dissolved in – –

½ cup triple strength coffee = 3 tsp. instant to ½ cup water microwaved 30 sec.

4 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

Shavings of semi-sweet chocolate about 2 Tbs. curls****

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

Plastic Wrap

Line a Loaf Pan 9 inches x 5 inches x 3 inches with plastic wrap leaving several inches of overhang. Separate the ladyfingers lengthwise into 42 pieces. Make coffee syrup of sugar and coffee. Soften the gelatin in ¼ cup of the liqueur. Heat the other ¼ cup in the Microwave and combine the two to dissolve the gelatin. If not completely dissolved, return to the Microwave for 5 sec. intervals until it is. Beat the whipped topping, and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy, add the gelatin mix and beat until well incorporated. There are 42 Ladyfinger halves, 18 will be used for the bottom of the pan and to divide the layers. Line the pan bottom with 9 ladyfinger halves. Stand the remaining 24 upright to line the sides of the pan using 4 on each end and 8 along each side. Reserve 9. Brush half the coffee syrup over the ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan, then fill the pan half way with the cheese filling, and sprinkle it with 2 Tbs. of the cocoa powder. Next, place the reserved 9 ladyfingers in the pan, brush with the coffee syrup and sprinkle the other 2 Tbs. of cocoa powder over them. Fill the pan with as much filling as will fit leaving only the tips of the ladyfingers exposed. Chill for several hours until firm, then using the plastic wrap edges; carefully remove from the pan to a plate. Do not invert. Remove the plastic. Cover with chocolate shavings.

*Cut up, purchased, lightly toasted pound cake can be used in place of the ladyfingers, but the dessert is heavier and left-overs can become soggy

.

**Italian Mascarpone Cheese is the correct way to make Tiramisu, but it isn’t always available. If you can get it, wonderful, but if you can’t soft cream cheese will do.

Feb 7

3 WEEKDAY VALENTINE’S DAY DINNERS

In 2019, Valentine’s Day is a Thursday, so most major plans for celebrating are probably scheduled for the bookending weekends. It’s hard, though, not to give the actual day a nod but how, without interfering with busy, tight weekday schedules? So in this post, I’m giving detailed directions for three complete dinners, from starters through desserts, which will suit not only those able to dine a deux on a week night but can also be served to a family to ‘celebrate ’ a fun holiday.

This concept resonates with me because Feb. 14th was my Grandmother’s birthday, and the anniversary of her engagement to Grandfather. All through my childhood it was an occasion for a big family dinner. Nana, wanting to share her ‘day’ with us, gave everyone token gifts because she wanted us to know she loved us and that love is more than just romance. I miss those dinners, they are lovely memories and perhaps it’s not such a bad idea for a family to set aside a day to appreciate being a family. Why not Valentine’s Day?

Which brings me back to this post, these three dinners are designed to seem a bit upscale, befitting an occasion, but actually they’re not. They really don’t require more prep time, effort or expense than a normal weekday meal. The recipes are, actually, quite simple, especially with a couple of helping hands. In fact, many aspects of each can be made ahead and all have been modified to easily extend to include more servings by doubling or tripling the ingredient amounts.

Through the years, I’ve done several Valentine’s Day posts, including one on seafood last year when it fell on Ash Wednesday. So if you want more recipe ideas just go to the ‘Select Month’ window in the right margin of any page of this blog and choose February from each year.

STARTERS

Melon con Prociutto


One easy appetizer uses deli ham, from smoked turkey to real Prosciutto Crudo, suit your taste and budget. Get it thinly sliced, not shaved.
1) Slice a melon, traditionally a cantaloupe, in 1 inch wedges, remove seeds and rind, wrap with slice(s) of ham, secure with toothpicks and cut in about 3 pieces.
2) Similarly, a kosher dill pickle spear can be treated in the same way. Secure with 3 toothpicks and cut in thirds.
4oz of meat should yield about 24 appetizers with pickle, and about 20 or 22 with melon, because the meat may need to overlap more.
NOTE: Draping a piece of real Prosciutto Crudo, or even a thin slice of high quality ham over a 2 inch wedge of melon is the classic Italian first course Prosciutto con Mellone, an ever popular, elegant and always acceptable choice to serve guests and perhaps the better presentation for a family meal.

Bruschetta


Bruschetta traditionally, are ½ to ¾ inch slices of stale Italian bread, cut on an angle, lightly oiled and rubbed with garlic on one side and browned in the oven(350 deg. for 10 min.) French bread can be substituted for Italian. They support a great variety of toppings, and once browned, depending on the topping, may or may not be returned to the oven. Some suggested toppings are listed below, but your imagination can truly be your guide—
1) Chopped fresh tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste and fresh, or dried herbs-basil, parsley, thyme or oregano. If substituting canned diced tomatoes, drain them very well and limit the oil.
2) Spread the toasted bread with pesto add slices of fresh mushrooms, or sautéed ones and /or carmelized onions or thin slices of tomato and top with slivers of brie, Fontana, gruyere or camembert. This can be served as is, or briefly run under the broiler.
3) Go veggie! Saute chopped onions and peppers in a little olive oil ( This actually can be done by placing them with the oil, just enough to coat, seasoned with lemon pepper to taste, in the microwave on high, allowing 2 min. per cup) top with chopped bits of oil cured sun-dried tomatoes and / or a choice of cheese. Do not allow to stand long.
4) Try Mexican! Replace the tomatoes with drained salsa and top with cheddar and fresh cilantro. Add a bit of cumin and coriander to taste during cooking (optional). Can be run under the broiler, or served at room temperature, but again do not allow to stand long.
5) For seafood lovers, make a Lamaise dressing of one part ketchup to three parts mayonnaise, add mace to taste. Spread it on the toasted bread and top with shrimp, whole or chopped, crab or lobster interspersed with julienne curly leaf lettuce or spinach.
6) Be elegant and top the bruschetta with thinly sliced smoked salmon and / or caviar decorated with a sprig of fresh dill. Optionally, a thin spread of cream cheese on the toast would mute the salty taste, for those who don’t care for it. This, especially, makes an excellent first course, as, in fact, do several of the suggestions above.
7) For a speedy presentation, use drained, canned, flavored, diced tomatoes and/or optionally, serve them in a bowl, with a spoon, surrounded by the toasted bread. This prevents them from becoming soggy.

Cream Cheese with Tapenade

Tapenades and cream cheese are naturals together. If you are in need of something to serve fast, open an 8oz. package of cream cheese, and spoon about 4-6oz. of tapenade, jarred or your own, diagonally over it. Serve with crackers or other spreadables. Chopped marinated mushrooms, artichoke hearts, smoked oysters or mussels also work well this way, as does a spicy chutney. Another presentation is to cut the cheese diagonally, reverse the sides to form a triangle, cover it with tapenade and use a cinnamon stick as a trunk to form a tree.
Spanish tapenades are now found in the relish aisle of most markets. Olive and sun-dried tomato tapenades are the most popular variety, usually sold only in small 4 oz. jars, which keep for 2-3 weeks, in the refrigerator but it’s so easy that I prefer to make my own and do it ahead. A tapenade is simply a combination of any of several ingredients, marinated in olive oil to meld the flavors. Possibilities are: sliced olives, black and/ or green, chopped onion, chopped garlic, chopped peppers red and / or green, fresh and / or roasted, sweet and/ or hot (very little of the latter) slivered pimento, capers, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, if oil cured, use the oil for the marinade, even ones re-hydrated in water are good and I find a bit of the tomato water softens the oiliness of the marinade. I’ve had tapenade with anchovies, or smoked oysters added at serving time. Just about anything goes so long as it isn’t sweet or sour, and proportions are to taste. I would suggest starting with the olives, which come pre-sliced in cans, think tomatoes, onions, garlic and go from there.

BONUS: Cream cheese

has numerous uses in appetizer recipes, and another quick, easy and tempting one is to mix it to taste with bottled horseradish and spread it on rounds, about 1/8 inch thick, of Lebanon bologna. If you are not familiar with this deli meat, it’s made of beef, looks fatty, but is actually very lean, and has a smoky, salty tang that is interesting, unique and pleasant. Spread on one slice, it can be rolled, or covered with another and cut in wedges.

ENTREES


Chicken Oscar:

Serves 2
2 boneless, skinless breasts
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. butter
¼ tsp. sage
Salt and pepper
6 shelled, deveined large shrimp-raw preferably but cooked are fine or 1/3 cup crab meat OR
(1/2 ) 15 oz. can artichoke hearts drained-see note*
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup chicken broth-OR 1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules + ¼ cup water
3 Tbs. heavy cream or half-and- half
Grated Parmesan for garnish
Dust chicken with flour and sauté, with seasonings, in butter over medium heat until juices run clear. Remove to a plate and keep warm.(Can be made ahead to this point) Add liquids, artichokes or raw shrimp to skillet and cook shrimp until pink and remove if liquid hasn’t thickened. If using artichokes continue cooking as liquid thickens, about 3-5 min. Plate chicken, pour over sauce and top with artichokes or shrimp. Garnish with cheese and serve.
NOTE: Marinated artichokes, well drained, are a nice alternative for the canned ones and lend an interesting taste contrast. They need no cooking, simply add them after saucing the meat and optionally omit the cheese.

Pork Chops Basil:

Serves 2
4 thin center cut pork chops or slices of loin
¼ cup flour
½ Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. dried basil leaves
¾ cup apricot nectar
1 Tbs. scotch or whiskey-optional
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Mexican Snapper:

Serves 2 From Light Menus by Louise Mariano
8-10 oz. red snapper or cod fillets
¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 Tbs. butter
Lime juice
Salt and pepper
½ avocado- diced
Place fish in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with herb and almonds. Microwave butter with lime juice until melted, season to taste and pour over fish. Bake at 350 deg. for 30 min. garnish with avocados and serve.

SIDES


Salad of mixed greens with a vinaigrette dressing complements any of these entrees
Suggested Sides: Asparagus is traditional with Chicken Oscar but a seasonable, fresh or frozen green vegetable appropriate to the entrée can be served with any of these OR try:
Spinach Pie (1) 10oz box of chopped spinach, thawed. Drain the spinach and mix in a lightly oiled soup or pie plate, with 1 egg and 1 envelope of either chicken or beef bouillon, sprinkle with nutmeg and bake at 350 deg. for 30 min. or microwave on high for 10 min.

Potatoes:

1)8 or 10 tiny fingerling potatoes, depending on size, peeled in one strip around the middle, rolled with 1 Tbs. oil and sprinkled with 1 Tbs. rosemary, roasted on a foil covered cookie sheet at 400 deg. for 30-35 min, until brown.
2) (1) 15 oz. can small whole potatoes in 1 Tbs. melted butter on a foil lined cookie sheet and broil until browned. Can be made ahead and reheated.
3) For Pork: Bake 2 sweet potatoes in the microwave 8-9 min. until soft. Split and drizzle with Maple syrup to serve.
For Fish: 1 pkg. pre-cooked rice with 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice and 1 Tbs. chopped cilantro added before serving.

DESSERTS

7 Perfect Desserts for a Valentine’s Dinner


It would take too much space to include the full dessert recipes, so I’m simply listing them and giving brief descriptions, You can find them in full on the Feb. 9, 2017 posting. Just look on the right margin of any page on the site to see the drop-down ‘Select a Month’ Menu. While there, check out the Valentine’s Day articles from past years to get more dinner ideas. All the desserts below are quite simple. Two are more spectacular, three need a few finishing touches and two are table ready but all can be quickly served with little effort. Don’t let the first two scare you, they’re really simple to make and the recipes are easily divisible.

Bananas Foster with Grapes

– The classic dessert with the added taste and visual twist of grapes as well as the option to be served en flambé.

Cherries Jubilee

-A classic rendition with the modern option of directions to do the major prep in advance and finish just before serving.

Cranberry Crisp

-Batter and berries can be prepped and stored, chilled, ahead, then baked just before serving.

Cranberry-Nut Torte

-A cross between cheesecake and pie this can be made a day ahead and served chilled or at room temp

Chocolate-Burnt Almond Crunchballs

-My father’s favorite dessert. Toast slivered almonds until they are very dark and brittle. Put them in a wide bowl, such as a soup dish, and roll a large scoop of complimentary flavored ice cream in the nuts to cover. Freeze to firm-up, and serve with chocolate sauce. Sauce is more effective under not over the ice cream.

Biscotti-Classic Almond or Chocolate

-Can be baked 1-2 weeks in advance and simply presented plated with saucer of sweet wine or coffee for dunking

 


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