Treble Clef Chef

Stuffed Shells with Lee's marinara and homemade ricotta

2013-04-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted on my blog. So long, in fact, that I wonder if I have any followers left. When I began my blog I vowed to myself that I wanted it to be fun and if it began to feel like "work" I would hang back a bit. I suppose that is exactly what happened.

The world of blogging has exploded since I started and frankly my dear, I have no desire to jump into that pool and try to compete with the big fish! I'm truly quite happy with simply making my little dishes and sharing them here for whomever wants to take a look.

That said, I made a stuffed shells concoction the other night that was delicious and so here I am, once again, sharing it with anyone who wants to know about it. I hope you give it a try. The inspiration came from the back of the Barilla shells box, but I changed a couple of things.

I made it with Lee's "Marry Me Marinara" (a marinara recipe I came up with that has become Lee's favorite, and mine too). Plus, I used Ina Garten's homemade ricotta. Both recipes can be found here on my blog but you can use store bought if you want....however, the result won't be as good. Just sayin.

If you are going to make the ricotta (which is as easy as boiling water), do it one day in advance). You can make the marinara the day of.

Ingredients~

1/2 box (12 oz) Jumbo Shells (I used Barilla brand)
4 C marinara sauce
1 1/3 C fresh ricotta
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 clove finely chopped fresh garlic
4 TBL total of chopped parsley and basil
salt and pepper to taste

Here's what to do~

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the shells for 9 minutes. Drain and then cool the shells on a sheet pan.

3. Mix together the ricotta, mascarpone, half the Parmesan, garlic, parsley and basil, salt and pepper. Fill the shells with this mixture.

4. Spray with Pam (or grease however you like) a 9X13 baking dish; add enough marinara to lightly cover the bottom of the dish. Arrange the shells (opening facing up) in the pan and cover with the remaining sauce, and remaining Parmesan. (Here's the truth of it - IF I'd had some grated mozarella, I'd have slathered it with that before baking, but I didn't have any. If you want to do that, we all know there's nothing more satisfying that pasta stuffed with cheese, covered with marinara and slathered with mozzarella. I say go for it).

5. Bake for 30 minutes.

I was planning on giving this a sprinkle of a bit of chopped parsley before serving, but I simply forgot! Enjoy.

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

2012-12-09T13:22:00.001-08:00

I love the taste of cranberries and orange (in my opinion, I have the BEST whole cranberry recipe in the world here on my blog, that I make every year at Thanksgiving....but I digress), and this bread has both, plus pecans! You can substitute walnuts if you like - they would taste fantastic as well.

I made this delicious loaf of quickbread last night and between Lee and I, it is already half-eaten this morning. I like to cut a slice and pop it in the toaster for a light crust. With a bit of butter......HEAVEN.

Super easy - and a wonderful go-to recipe to have in your collection. Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~
2 C four
1 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powderSchedule
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 C fresh orange juice (Trader Joe's is the BEST)
zest of one orange
2 TBL shortening
1 well-beaten egg
1 1/2 C fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 C chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions~

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9X5 loaf pan, set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

3. To the dry ingredients, add the orange juice, zest, beaten egg and shortening. You can mix by hand or use a mixer - making sure the shortening is well blended.
*note: I like to use Spectrum organic shortening
Click here to see Spectrum Shortening

4. By hand, stir in the cranberries and the nuts. Scoop mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*note: to chop the cranberries you can use a processor - be sure not to process too long - you want a coarse chop. Or you can chop by hand. A bit tricky, but if you place a couple of towels around your cutting board, the rollers won't get away!

5. Cool in pan, on a rack, for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool before slicing (if you can wait that long).

Enjoy!

Spiced Parsnip and Apple Muffins

2012-11-21T17:44:00.003-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and this recipe is just in time with cinnamony-spicy goodness for breakfast tomorrow, whilst I begin the cooking of the turkey.

If you've never eaten a parsnip, think carrot with a slightly earthy flavor. The taste of these muffins are similar to carrot cake, but not quite as sweet - which is how I like it.

Here's what to do:

Ingredients~
1 C toasted, cooled, chopped pecans
3 parsnips, peeled and grated (about 2 cups)
1 large apple, peeled cored and grated
2 C all purpose four
1 C sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 C golden raisins
2 large eggs
3/4 C safflower oil
1/2 milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions~
1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins with paper cups (I like to give the papers a quick spray with Pam, but you don't have to do that if you don't want to). Combine apple and parsnips in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir in the pecans and raisins and set aside.

3. In yet another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until thoroughly mixed. Gently fold the egg mixture and parsnip mixture into the flour mixture JUST until combined.

4. Using a cookie scoop, divide batter into muffin cups and bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 - 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Almond Graham Squares

2012-10-21T19:25:00.002-07:00

Do you remember "Magic Cookie Bars"? If not, it's a ridiculously easy recipe from about 30 years ago that is simply layering several things in a pan, including chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and sweetened condensed milk. It bakes together and forms a delicious cookie (I would scrape off the coconut because I don't like coconut.....which is why you won't find recipes featuring said fruit* here).

* Some say coconut is not a fruit, but a nut. Either way, I don't like it.

Once again, I didn't take pictures of the process because I wasn't sure of how these would turn out. Lee devoured them, as well as a couple of my friends. So....I'd say the recipe is a success.

I know you can buy a box of graham cracker crumbs - and feel free to do that if you are reeeeeeally in a hurry. But frankly, my dear, I think they don't taste as good as when you make them from scratch. They are SO easy to make. Just put graham crackers into a food processor and whirl away. I mean.....come on. OR....if you don't have a fancy processor, put them in a baggie and whack away with a rolling pin. DO IT.

These are truly easy to make - there are only 4 ingredients ~ It's like MAGIC!!

Ingredients~

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

2 C raw, sliced almonds

salt

Directions~

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with foil, then spray with cooking spray (such as Pam).

2. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, and salt; stir until moistened. Stir in 1 1/2 C of the almonds and spread the mixture in the prepared pan. If it seems very sticky and won't spread, use moistened fingers to gently pat into place.

3. Top with the reserved 1/2 C sliced almonds and pat them gently into the mixture.

4. Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Remove form pan, peel off the foil and cut into 16 squares with a serrated knife.

Store in an airtight container. YUM!

Rustic Fresh Peach Tart with Cornmeal Crust

2012-10-18T18:06:00.003-07:00

Lee had a gig the other day at a "fall festival" called the Pumpkin Extravaganza, where they had a petting zoo, a few carnival rides (a blues band...natch! ~Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps Click here for more info on this fabulous blues band!~ ) and lots of fresh produce. Lee loves peaches and brought home a bag full. So, you know what you do when you have peaches? You make a tart!

I felt a little adventurous so I decided to make a crust with a bit of cornmeal and added some fresh lemon zest and a tiny bit of vanilla extract to the peach mixture. The total combination was divine.

Ingredients for crust~

1 C flour (plus a little more for work surface)

1/4 C fine yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 TBL ice water (or up to 4, depending on humidity)

Ingredients for filling~

5-6 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into thick slices

1/2 C sugar

1 TBL flour

zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg mixed with 1 tsp water (for egg wash)

Directions~

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt several times to mix. Take off the lid and throw in the butter. Pulse until the mixture becomes like coarse meal with tiny lumps of butter in it, the size of peas.

2. Add 2 TBL of ice water and then pulse again, just a few times. The mixture should look crumbly, but holds together when you squeeze it. It may take up to 2 more TBL of water, depending on the humidity, but start with two.

3. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface, then gently dump the mixture onto the plastic. Push the dough together, and knead it GENTLY, only a few times. Then form it into a disc and wrap it up with the plastic. Put the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Cook's note: you have two choices when baking this tart:

a). Line a baking sheet with foil and roll the dough on parchment paper with flour. Transfer the parchment to the foil lined sheet. I've used this method many times and it works just fine.

b). Get a SILPAT. These mats were developed in France and can take super-high temps and NOTHING sticks to them! Here's a link:

Sur La Table Silpat Baking Mats, 11.65" x 16.5" (Google Affiliate Ad)

The juices from the tart may ooze out and if your baking sheet isn't lined with something, get ready to throw it away because the juices will become melded to the sheet. Trust me on this one.

4. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it warm slightly for about 5 minutes before rolling. Flour the parchment or silpat mat. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll out by rolling and turning, rolling and turning (1/4 turn every time) to a 14 inch circle. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet (still on the parchment or silpat).

I took this picture before I had completely rolled out the dough. It needs to be a 14 inch circle.

5. Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, toss together the peaches, sugar, flour, zest and vanilla. Mound the fruit mixture in the center of the dough, leaving a 2 inc border all around. Fold the border dough over fruit in a pleated pattern (no need to be exact here!). Brush the edges lightly, with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little more sugar.

No need to be fancy here...

Then slide the whole dang deal onto the baking sheet.

6. Bake until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a cooling rack; let cool 20 minutes.

Slice, serve with vanilla ice cream and ENJOY!

Multi Grain Apple Muffin Tops

2012-10-11T17:28:00.002-07:00

It was only about a week ago that the temperature here in SoCal was in the 100's...for a couple of weeks straight. Everyone was crying "Uncle"! Then, (in the words of Emeril) BAM! Temps dropped, and today it poured rain, along with thunder and lightening (very unusual for us).

Right about now you're probably thinking, "I thought this was a food blog, not a weather report". However, there is a reason for my weather-blathering. When it gets chilly and/or rains, mama has to bake.

I saw this recipe on a container of Multi Grain Hot Cereal (from Trader Joes - natch!) The name of it is "Country Choice Organic Multi Grain Hot Cereal. (I'm sure you could make this with good old fashioned whole oats if you don't want to search for this particular cereal - just don't use the quick cooking kind!).

Truly delicious!

The recipe looked pretty basic and healthy. I decided to add a fresh apple to the party, and instead of regular milk, I used buttermilk. YUM YUM YUM is the result. Lee ate 2 muffin tops, which would be a total of FOUR MUFFINS.

Now....you may be wondering, "what is a muffin top?". I have a "muffin top" pan, that simply bakes the "top" part of a muffin....that yummy, bake-over, flat part of a muffin that everyone rips off and eats first, when they get a muffin. You know what I'm talking about. However, you can make this recipe in regular muffin tins just as easy.

THIS....is a muffin top pan.

And THESE are muffin tops.

SO....if it's raining where you are and you MUST bake something, try this recipe.

Here's how you do it:

Ingredients~
Topping:
1/3 C uncooked grains or oats
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Muffins:
1 C uncooked grains or oats
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1 apple cored, peeled and chopped (small pieces)
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 egg

Directions~
1. Preheat the oven to 400. Line muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with Pam.

2. Prepare the topping by mixing the grains/oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the melted butter; mix well.

3. Prepare the muffins by mixing the grains/oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce, buttermilk, brown sugar, oil and egg. Mix well. Add the chopped apple to the mixture.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined.

5. Use an ice cream scoop for even measuring and bake for 18-20 minutes.

This recipe makes one dozen regular muffins, or 6 muffin tops.

Enjoy!

Warm Red Lentils with Vermouth

2012-10-10T11:35:00.002-07:00

I got a back of Red Lentils at Trader Joes the other day, and saw a recipe on the bag that was very simple and I thought I'd add my own touch to it by adding some traditional veggies - carrots, celery and onion. I also added some fresh bocconcini and lemon juice at the end and it was SO delicious. The warmth of the lentils begins to melt the cheese and the vermouth and the lemon add an amazing brightness to the earthy lentils. Delicious!

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

2 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into small pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1 C red lentils (other lentils will work just fine too)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBL vermouth
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C parsley, minced
Bocconcini, quartered
Lemon (for squeezing at the end)

1. In a large skillet, heat about 3-4 TBL olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery and onion to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute the vegetables until soft, about 8 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add lentils to the pan with the garlic. Saute, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes. Do not burn the garlic!

3. Add the vermouth and stir. Then add the broth, starting with 3/4 C and then the parsley. Stir and reduce to low. Cover and let simmer for 10 - 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
* How to tell if the lentils need more broth? Try one! If it is still a bit hard inside, add the rest of the broth. But they shouldn't be mushy. It's like pasta - the lentils should be al dente! Firm, not hard....not mushy. Hope that helps!

4. To serve, put a portion in a bowl or plate, and top with 3-4 pieces of bocconcini. Squeeze some lemon, to taste, and a bit more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Easy Vegetable Curry

2012-09-25T12:46:00.006-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted, but my goal is to make this blog fun for myself and never a chore. Recently, I've been making simple dishes and this one tasted SO good, I decided to sit myself down and share it with you. Time to get back in the blogging saddle again!

This is a vegetable curry for beginners and also for those who don't like their curry blazing hot with spice. It's easy to ADD heat and if you like it that way, go for it. However, I am an admitted spice wimp.

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

1 TBL vegetable oil
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 C long-grain white rice
coarse salt and pepper
1 TBL red curry paste
1 C unsweetened coconut milk (from a 13.5 oz. can)
1 sweet potato (3/4 lb) cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can (15.5 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
fresh cilantro for serving

Directions~

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 TBL oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and half the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 C water, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer; cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

2. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add remaining onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add curry paste and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk and 1 C water; bring to a boil. Add sweet potato and cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Stir chickpeas into curry and increase the heat to high. Simmer rapidly until liquid reduces slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve curry over rice with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Shrimp and Orzo with Grape Tomatoes

2012-08-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

I know my photography skills are lacking and I'll be honest, this picture doesn't do this recipe justice. You have to trust me - this is SUPER easy and delicious. If you've never used orzo, it is a tiny, rice-sized pasta. It cooks super fast and is used in a lot of soup recipes.

After making this, I thought it would be even better by adding some Spanish Chorizo, so that's what I plan on doing the next time I make it. I'll notate below where I think it should be added, but you can do whatever your little heart pleases!

Ingredients~

2 TBL olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 C grape tomatoes, halved (about 1 lb)
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 lb orzo
3 1/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I use Trader Joes - always delicious)
1 C fresh basil leaves, torn
* AND sliced spanish chorizo - I would add about 1/2 C

Directions~

1. Preheat oven to 400 with rack in top position.

2. In a large, oven-proof/broiler-proof skillet (Like All-Clad), heat 5 tsp oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for just a minute (do not brown the garlic). Increase heat to high and add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and add chorizo. Keep cooking tomato mixture for another4-5 minutes until tomatoes are softened.

3. Add orzo and broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake until liquid is mostly absorbed about 10-12 minutes.

4. Toss shrimp with 1 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Remove skillet from oven and place shrimp on top of orzo. Heat broiler. Broil until shrimp are opaque throughout - about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

Enjoy!

Sweet Cherry Pie

2012-08-02T16:07:00.005-07:00

I bought a bag of sweet cherries the other day at Pavilions for $2.99! Normally it would've cost almost $10. I love sweet cherries and to buy them at such a good price makes me feel like the king of the world!

There's all kinds of information on the web about the benefits of eating dark, sweet cherries - here's just one link of many:Click here to see why you should be eating cherries!

Bring them home, give them a wash and put them in a bowl for noshing. OR make a pie.......! Come on! you can do this. I'm telling you, there is nothing better than a home made cherry pie.

Making a cherry pie truly is a labor of love. There's nothing difficult about it, but it is time consuming so allow yourself a day to enjoy the process.

Here's how to do it~

Ingredients for the Crust:
2 1/2 C all-purpose four (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 C (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 to 1/2 C ice water

Directions for the crust:
1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the butter pieces; pulse until the mixture is like coarse meal, with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

2. Sprinkle with 1/4 C ice water, then pulse briefly until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If necessary, add up to another 1/4 C ice water, one TBL at a time - Do not overmix!). (If you are wondering what is wrong with overmixing, simply imagine the difference between light and flaky vs. tough and leather-like).

3. Divide dough in half, and turn onto two large pieces of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough and form into two disks, 3/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour, or up to 3 days. (Dough may also be frozen up to 3 months - thaw before using).

4. On a floured surface, roll one disk to a 14 inch round. Wrap dough around a rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie tin. Gently unroll the pin and fit the dough into the bottom and sides of the tin without stretching or tearing the dough. Using kitchen shears, trim the dough to a 1-inch overhang all around; refrigerate until ready to use.

Ingredients for the pie:
2 lbs Bing Cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 TBL cornstarch
2 TBL fresh lemon juice
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 TBL water for egg wash
1 TBL sugar for sprinkling

Directions for the pie:
1. Preheat oven to 400 with rack in the lowest position.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; toss until the cherries are well coated. Pour into prepared bottom crust.

Using the cherry pitter. It misses some, and juice gets everywhere....but it's FUN!

I used kitchen shears to cut them in half after I'd pitted them. But if you don't have a pitter, simply cut them in half then pull out the pit. Same results!

3. On a floured surface, roll the second disk of dough to a 14-inch round. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch wide strips (use a straight edge knife or a pastry crimper). Discard the two shortest strips. Weave the strips over the filling to form a lattice. Click here to see how to do it. Using kitchen shears, trim the strips so they hang over the rim by 1-inch. Tuck the strips under the rim of the bottom crust to seal. Crimp with a fork all around the edge.

4. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the lattice with the egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar.

5. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling is bubbling rapidly all over, abtou 60 - 70 minutes. (Tent with foil when the crust starts to brown at about 40 minutes).

6. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature at least 3 hours.

ENJOY!!!!

Easy Goat Cheese Ravioli with Parsley Sauce

2012-08-01T13:14:00.003-07:00

These ravioli are ridiculously easy to make and perfect for summer cooking. Light and full of flavor, yet without making the pasta! HOW is that POSSIBLE? With wonton wrappers, silly! After all, the Chinese invented pasta. It may not be semolina pasta, but the wrappers work in a pinch.

The ravioli are stuffed with a yummy concoction of goat cheese, and ricotta, and topped with a super easy parsley sauce. On the side, you can make a quick saute of chard with lemon and oil. Honestly....I am craving it as I'm writing this. SO tasty!!!!

Here's how to do it~

Ravioli Ingredients:
3 oz. goat cheese
1/4 C ricotta (I used my home made which is as easy as boiling water and the taste is creamier than anything you'll ever buy in the store - the recipe is here on my blog!)
1 small garlic clove, crushed through a press or FINELY minced
a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
wonton wrappers (3 1/2 inch)

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese, ricotta, garlic, nutmeg and lemon zest with a fork. Season with salt and pepper (always use kosher and fresh ground)

2. Assemble the ravioli by preparing a baking sheet with parchment paper and then placing 6 wrappers at a time (not rappers.....that's a whole 'nother thing altogether) on the sheet. Spoon about a tsp of the filling in the center of each wrapper. With your fingertip, dampen the edges of the wrappers with water.

Fold a corner of each wrapper over to form a triangle; press the edges together to seal, eliminating as much air as possible. Repeat until the filling is gone (you may have wrappers left over).

(Ravioli may be made ahead of time by covering with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to one day. Or freeze on the baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer the beauties into a baggie and freeze for up to one month).

3. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil; reduce to a gentle simmer. Drop ravioli into the water, one by one, stirring them GENTLY to prevent sticking. Cook until al dente, about 5-7 minutes. (Cooking time is the same for frozen ravioli).

4. Using a slotted spoon (I used a fish spatula ....but a slotted spoon would be better) drain each ravioli as much as possible and transfer to serving plate. (The recipe calls to put the ravioli on a paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain, but mine stuck.....so I dont' recommend that!).

By the way, here's what happens to a ravioli when there's too much air inside - it explodes in the water. Icky and worthless. wah.

5. Drizzle with Parsley sauce and some grated Parmesan and serve immediately!

Ingredients for Parsley Sauce:
2 TBL finely chopped parsley
2 TBL Olive oil
1 TBL grated Parmesan (always use fresh - NEVER from the can!!)
1 tsp water
salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix all of the above in a bowl. (Did I say, EASY?!!)

Swiss Chard on the side~

Ingredients:
1 TBL olive oil
1 bunch Swiss Chard (also known as red chard), leaves torn into bite-sized pieces and stems cut into pieces (the stems can be tough so if you dont' like them....don't eat them!)
salt and pepper
2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add the chard and toss until tender for about 4-6 minutes. If all the chard won't fit at first, just add the rest when the first addition reduces down (it's like Spinach - it cooks way down). Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes more.

2. Drain and discard any liquid from pan; add the lemon juice and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Skillet Cake

2012-07-19T12:33:00.005-07:00

Fresh blackberries are an amazing treat. They are only around for a short amount of time, but when they are in season they are wonderfully sweet and there's nothing like them. (high in fiber too). And who's foolin' who?!! Add a little cake batter and viola! You're in heaven.

Here's how to make this easy and satisfying beauty of a cake:

Ingredients~

1 1/2 C flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
10 TBL unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 C whole milk, room temperature
1/3 C dark brown sugar
3 C fresh blackberries (if using frozen, defrost completely and drain on paper towels until very dry)

Directions~

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium/large bowl with a mixer (or a stand mixer), beat 6 TBL of the butter with the granulated sugar on high until light and fluffy.
Then beat in the eggs, vanilla and lemon zest.

3. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the milk. Beat until just combined.

4. In a 10 inch skillet, over medium heat, melt the remaining 4 TBL butter. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and arrange the blackberries evenly in the skillet.

I just want to say right here and now that I forgot to take my own picture of the berries in the skillet with the brown sugar/butter mixture. This picture is from a magazine....and if they reprimand me for having it here, I will take it down. Until then, this is their picture.....

but my skillet looked JUST like this. Really it did.

5. Pour batter gently over the berries and smooth the top. Bake until cake is deep golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.

6. Let the cake cool in the skillet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Summer Lasagna

2012-07-18T17:45:00.004-07:00

It's hotter than blazes outside right now (side note: "Hotter than blazes" - an old phrase used back when no one in polite society cursed) and the LAST thing I feel like doing is turning on the oven. However, my desire for lasagna continues in spite of all that.

If you've read any of my blatherings here at TrebleClefChef, you'd have noticed that I tend to prefer simple recipes (simple pleasures for the simple minded). *ahem*

To say this recipe is simple is a grand understatement, so listen up oh you "I can't cook" types - YOU CAN DO THIS! I dare you. I double dog dare you. oh....you get the point.

Here's how you do it:

Ingredients~

1/2 C ricotta (note: making your own ricotta is as easy as boiling some milk, and the flavor and texture is unmatched! I have the directions here on my blog, but you can buy ricotta if you don't want to go to the trouble)
3 TBL grated Parmesan
3 TBL plus 2 tsp olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
8 lasagna noodles, broken in half crosswise
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
2 zucchini (about 1 pound) thinly sliced
1 TBL torn fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish

Directions~

1. Fill a large pot with water and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover the pot to keep the water ready for the noodles.

2. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan and 2 tsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 TBL oil over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, then the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until broken down, about 3 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Bad picture......good tomatoes.

4. Put the skillet back on the heat, and add 1 TBL oil and the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, stir in basil, cover to keep warm.

5. Turn the water back up to high to resume boiling. Add the broken noodles and cook about 11 minutes, then drain the noodles.

6. To serve: place some tomatoes on the plate. Top with a noodle, a spoonful of ricotta, zucchini and more tomatoes. Repeat layering twice. Top with one more noodle then some tomatoes and garnish with some basil and a bit of grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2012-06-15T12:28:00.002-07:00

If I could transport a piece of this amazingly delicious pie to you via the Internet, I would. Oh the wonders of the combination of strawberries and rhubarb! They were meant to go together, each playing off the other like yin/yang...sweetness and tartness...opposites that attract. That and some vanilla ice cream makes it all a little bit of heaven.

The recipe I found was simply a rhubarb pie. But I added strawberries to the action because I wanted to. So there. It's a rather old-fashioned combination that I love.

The crumb topping is divine. Do yourself a favor - make this pie! There is nothing in the world like a slice of home made fruit pie.

Ingredients~
For the crust
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 C (1 stick) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 TBL ice water

Directions~
For the crust

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar, pulsing a few times to mix.

2. Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse about 6-7 times until it looks like coarse meal.

3. Add the 2 TBL ice water, pulsing to mix. Do not over mix! (that's what makes a tough crust). The mixture should hold together when squeezed. If it is still too dry to hold together, add more ice water, ONE TBL AT A TIME.

You can see parts of it holding together...still a little crumbly. This is how it should look.

4. Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and knead ONCE or TWICE. Bring the wrap up over the dough and form into a disk. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to one day.

Ingredients~
For the pie

1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and chopped into quarters (about 3 cups)
3/4 pound fresh rhubarb, rinsed, ends trimmed, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 C sugar
2 TBL cornstarch
pinch of salt

Directions~
For the pie

1. Take the refrigerated dough out to warm up for only a few minutes. On a floured surface, roll the pastry to a 14 inch round (roll from the middle out, turning the pastry every time. Roll, turn, roll turn.)

2. Using the rolling pin, gently place the dough into a 9 inch pie tin. Carefully fit the dough into the bottom and sides of tin, being careful not to stretch or tear.

3. Using shears or a knife, trim the edge of the dough to a 1 inch overhang, fold under and press to seal. You can use the tines of a fork, or you can crimp (my favorite way to do it).

4. Refrigerate the crust for 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 400 with rack in lowest position. In a large bowl, toss the strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch and salt.

Gently spoon the fruit into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle with the Crumble Topping (recipe below). Place pie on a foil lined baking sheet and place in oven. Immediately reduce heat to 375.

6. Bake until topping is browned and crust is lightly browned (about 1 1/2 hours). If the topping or crust begins to brown too much, tent the pie with foil.

Cool completely before serving (or you will have a runny mess!).

Ingredients~
For the topping

3/4 C all purpose flour
1/3 C packed brown sugar
3 TBL granulated sugar
pinch of salt
6 TBL COLD unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions~
For the topping

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugars and salt. With your hands, rub in the butter (this means smashing together!) until large moist clumps form. Use immediately, or chill until it's time to top the pie.

Tah- Dah! Now, go have a slice of pie!!

Summertime Soba Salad with Shrimp, Sprouts (green beans)

2012-06-13T17:30:00.003-07:00

This is great for a quick and easy, cool summertime dinner! I love this recipe.

Soba noodles have a rich, nutty flavor that is unlike any other noodle because they are made from buckwheat. Highly nutritious and full of fiber and flavor. How do I know? I found it on the Internet, of course! (I'm a singer not a nutritionist, silly ).

Click here to see the nutritional benefits of Soba.

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

coarse salt

1 bag of green beans (I like Trader Joe's because they are always fresh)

1 pound frozen shrimp (again....Trader Joe's) Peeled, deveined, thawed

3/4 pound soba noodles (roughly one package of noodles - not one bundle!)

3 TBL soy souce

1 TBL toasted sesame oil

1 TBL rice vinegar

1 TBL sugar

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 C fresh basil leaves, torn into smaller pieces
Bean sprouts

Directions~

1. Cook the green beans by putting the bag in the microwave for 4 minutes (directions are on the bag). Alternately, you can steam or boil them until just cooked, then stop the cooking by putting them into a bowl of ice water, then strain. Set aside.

2. Fill a large pot with water and a bit of salt (about a tsp) and bring it to a boil.

3. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

4. Bring the water up to a boil again. Add the noodles and cook for about 6 minutes, then drain the noodles and rinse under cold water.

5. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

To serve, divide noodles among 4 bowls, top with shrimp & green beans. Drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with the scallions and torn basil leaves, and bean sprouts.

Enjoy!

Spicy Shrimp with Creamy Polenta

2012-04-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

What's the old saying? "April showers bring May flowers". Today is April 11 and we had more than showers here in sunny CA. It rained like Noah was building his ark all night long and into the day. I expect masses of flowers next month from last night's rain alone!

When the weather is like that, all I want to make is some sort of cozy, warm food. Are you like that too? I had everything I needed for this recipe except chicken broth for the polenta. I used water and a bit of milk and frankly my dear, I like the way it turned out better than with chicken broth.

I neglected to take step by step pictures this time (sorry about that!), but this is EASY!

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

For the polenta:

4 C water
1 C milk
1 C polenta
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 TBL creme fraiche
1/2 C heavy cream or half & half
3/4 C Parmesan cheese

For the shrimp:

2 TBL olive oil
2 large shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 C water
1 pound frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp hot sauce
finely chopped parsley for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and milk just to a boil for the polenta. With a whisk, add the polenta, a little at a time, whisking thoroughly each time. Season with the salt and pepper and turn the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, whisking OFTEN! ( I like to keep a lid on the pan to hold in the moisture).

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cooking til soft but not browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, plus the 1/4 C water to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low.

3. When the polenta has cooked for 20 minutes, add the creme fraiche, cream and Parmesan cheese, stirring between each addition. Stir it some more. Keep stirring.

4. Add the shrimp to the tomato mixture and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes or until shrimp have just turned pink. Don't overcook or you will have rubbery shrimp. Add the hot sauce and serve over the polenta. Garnish with parsley.

Enjoy!

Oh Galette!

2012-04-08T21:08:00.002-07:00

Why do I love the Galette? Because it's like "Pie For Dummies". You don't need any sort of expertise or crust making skills to make a galette. A galette is a rustic kind of food - country folk food - otherwise known as "not fancy" (although I really like being fancy....but that's for another post).

Here's what the internet has to say about the galette: Galette is a general term used in the French cuisine to designate various types of flat, round or freeform crusty cakes. In my opinion, "FREEFORM" is the operative in this sentence!

If you are wondering what you can put inside of the amazing galette, just do an internet search for fruit galette and also savory galette and you will find a myriad of recipes.

This recipe comes from a food magazine....that I love. The founder of the magazine has a name that rhymes with "Artha" and also has gone to jail. I love her.

I promise you - this crust is to DIE for. If you decide to make this, I hope you will leave a comment saying how fab the crust is so that others will know it's not just me.

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

2 1/2 C plus 2 TBL all purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1 C (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

5 TBL plus 1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 C ice water

1/4 C almonds (whole, skin on, toasted)

5-6 plums, halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (keep slices together to make it look pretty......or just throw them in there - it's a galette! Do whatever you'd like!)

1-2 TBL heavy cream

Directions~

1. In a food processor, combine 2 1/2 C flour, butter and 1 tsp sugar and salt. Pulse until the mixture is like sand or coarse meal. Sprinkle with 1/4 C of the ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. Only add remaining 1/4 C water, 1 TBL at a time, if the mixture doesn't hold together. Remove dough from processor and shape into a disk. Then wrap the disk in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about an hour.

See...sandy, but holds together...not too dry...not too wet.

Dump the mess onto the plastic wrap - then form into a disk.

Wrap the whole thing and it should look like this
(you can see my finger marks from smoothing it out).

2. Wipe the processor bowl and add the almonds, 3 TBL sugar and 2 TBL flour. Pulse until ground to a coarse meal.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Take the dough disk out of the fridge and let it warm up for several minutes on the counter. On a floured surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough disk to 1/4 inch thickness. It should be as wide of a circle as you can get for 1/4 inch thickness.

(I like to roll right on a silpat, then transfer the mat right to the baking sheet, but you can roll and transfer the dough by rolling it gently around the pin and then onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper).

4. Sprinkle the almond mixture over the dough. With a spatula, transfer the plums to the dough (or just throw them on there.....it doesn't matter....it's a galette!) and slightly fan the plums out a bit, leaving about a 2 inch border. Fold the edge of the dough over the fruit. Refrigerate about 20 minutes then brush the crust with a bit of heavy cream and sprinkle with 2 TBL of sugar.

Honestly...I made the edges of this crust a wee bit too large. But HEY! It's a galette!
You can do whatever you want to do!

5. Bake until crust is golden - about 70 minutes.

It is divine with a little vanilla ice cream. Just sayin'.

Blueberry Oat Bars

2012-03-28T14:23:00.002-07:00

Heathy, Fruity, Oaty (I know....there's no such word as Oaty).

Ooooh.....blueberries. LOVE them. I made these bars last night there's only a few left this morning. I'm blaming that on Lee (he has eaten most of them). However, I've done my share of grazing today.

This recipe is SO easy (I know....I say that all the time....but it's true).

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

1 1/2 C quick cooking oats

1 C all purpose flour

3/4 C packed brown sugar

3/4 C cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 C frozen blueberries

1/2 C blueberry preserves - I like Bonne Maman brand (you can substitute with raspberry or strawberry)

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Line a 8X8 pan with foil, set aside.

3. In a bowl, combine oats, flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with your hands or pastry blender (I just use my hands - it's easier) until the butter is the size of small peas. Reserve 1 C of mixture to use for the topping.

4. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.

5. Combine frozen blueberries, preserves and lemon zest in a bowl. Spread evenly over the crust. Then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture and press lightly into berry mixture. Bake for another 30 minutes.

6. Cool completely in pan, on a rack. Cut into bars.

Enjoy!

Braised Chicken Thighs with Winter Vegetables

2012-03-28T12:55:00.003-07:00

Fantastic flavor! One pan.

This recipe, as most of what I post, comes from a magazine. But sharing recipes is what my blog is all about and I am SO happy to share this one with you. I find that cooking can be "hit and miss". Sometimes the pictures look great but the flavor ends up not being anything close to what you'd hoped for. THIS RECIPE DELIVERS! Oh...the depth of flavor! Seriously, I wanted to eat the whole thing.

The recipe calls for skinless chicken thighs. I rarely use skinless or boneless chicken because, as we all know "FAT IS FLAVOR"!! and the fat is in the skin and bones. However, all the store had was skinless, boneless chicken thighs so that's what I bought....and STILL the flavor was fantastic. If you can find skinless WITH bones, buy them because the bones will add even more flavor.

Also, the recipe calls for Savoy cabbage - but again the store only had regular cabbage and it tasted delicious.

Lastly, I usually avoid red pepper flakes, but the small amount that is called for added a PERFECT bite along with the apple that added a slight tartness. SO yummy.

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients~

1 TBL olive oil

4 skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lbs) patted dry

salt and pepper to taste

3 slices bacon, diced medium

4 garlic cloves, smashed a bit and peeled

1 medium sweet onion (like Vidalia) cut into large wedges

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 small savoy cabbage, cored and thick ribs removed, cut into strips

1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 C low-sodium chicken broth

2 TBL Dijon mustard

Directions~

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large oven proof pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in batches until browned on both sides, about 6-8 minutes per side.

Bad picture. Good chicken.

2. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Reduce heat to medium, add bacon and garlic to pan and cook until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.

Bacon and garlic.....in chicken fat. What else is there for me to say? Heaven.

4. Add the onion, potato and carrots to the pan. Stir and season with a bit of pepper. Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

5. Whisk together the chicken broth, red pepper flakes and the Dijon mustard. Set aside.

6. Remove pan from oven and stir in the cabbage and apple. Pour the broth mixture over and gently stir to coat the vegetables. Add the chicken on top, and return pan to oven for another 20 - 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

I served this with a little brown rice to soak up the delicious juice/gravy.

Enjoy!

Fig, Ginger and Pecan Granola

2012-03-15T14:40:00.003-07:00

MMMMmmmmmmm.....home made granola. It's so easy to make, and one batch makes as much as a big box you'd buy at the store, except when you make it at home, there are no preservatives, no additives of any kind and you can mix up and change out the fruit/nut combo to your own liking. Which is what I did this morning.

In my pantry were: dried Black Mission Figs (I adore them), crystallized ginger (leftover from my Ginger Crack Cookie recipe), and toasted pecans. SO, that's what I used. POW! What a great bit of spice the bits of ginger makes to this wonderful concoction. I loved the result. But as I said, if you want to change it and use something else, be creative!

Everyone knows how delicious granola is on yogurt, or with milk, or on ice cream!! It's a fantastic whole grain snack just to eat plain too. Enjoy!

Here's how I made it:

Ingredients~
3 C old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
1/4 C canola oil
1/4 C honey
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 C add-ins, like figs, crystallized ginger, pecans or any other nut
or dried fruit you like

Directions~
1. Preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Put the oats into a large bowl and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Pour over oats and toss well.

4. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Let cool completely, then break up a bit and transfer to a large bowl and stir in add-ins.

In the oven....

5. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Thyme and Lemon Angel Food Cake with Strawberry Coulis

2012-02-25T16:48:00.001-08:00

Wow...that title sounds fancy. What's a "Coulis", you ask? It is a French word for "thick sauce". See! Not so fancy after all.

As for the cake, I thought I might have an original idea when I thought of this flavor combo, but alas and alack, this recipe was created by someone else. The Coulis is my idea though, so I feel a bit of originality here.

I've posted about Angel Food Cake before, under the title, "Let Them Eat Cake". As I said, Lee loves Angel Food and I'm glad because it is one cake I feel less guilty about eating, than others. The only fat in it comes from the egg whites. There is no other fat or oil. There's very little flour and sugar so the protein count is higher than the carb count. Since I can't count, I have no idea what those numbers would be. I'm sure it's on the Internet somewhere.

Here's the cake:

Ingredients~

1 C cake flour (very important...it is milled much finer than all-purpose)
1/2 C powdered sugar
10 egg whites, room temperature
1 tsp cream of tartar (this helps give volume to the egg whites)
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBL lemon juice
1 C granulated sugar
3 TBL stemmed thyme leaves
2 TBL finely grated lemon zest

Directions~

1. Preheat your oven to 350.

2. Sift flour and powdered sugar together.

Lumpy before...

...Smooth after.

3. Beat egg whites with a mixer (or if you want a Popeye arm, you can do this by hand with a whisk) at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. beat until soft peaks form.

4. Beat in lemon juice, then beat in granulated sugar in 2 TBL increments, allowing each to become incorporated before adding the next.

5. Beat in thyme and lemon zest.

6. Fold flour mixture, by hand, into egg mixture with a rubber spatula. (Don't know how to fold? There are a ga-zillion how-to videos on YouTube!).

Spoon batter into an un-greased 10-inch angel food or tube pan. Do not smooth or pat the batter down.

7. Bake for 35 minutes or until cake is lightly browned and springy to the touch. Invert pan, cool completely. (If you pan doesn't have "feet", you can balance the pan on a soda bottle). Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow spatula or long knife. Serve with Strawberry Coulis.

For the Coulis~
1/2 pkg frozen strawberries (about 1 1/2 C), thawed.
1/4C sugar
1/8 tsp almond extract

In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries and the sugar. Over medium high heat, bring to a boil, then transfer mixture to a blender. Puree until smooth. Add the extract and whirl a few seconds more. Strain and let cool. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

I know....it looks like I added some food coloring...but I didn't!

I strained the mixture into a squeeze bottle, but if you don't have one,
just strain it into a bowl and use a spoon to serve!

The aftermath...only one day later.

Roasted Pork Loin with Veggies, Potato Mash and Reduced Balsamic Glaze

2012-02-22T16:05:00.000-08:00

I was craving veggies and pork the other night, but needed to keep the budget LOW, and the flavor HIGH. I ended up just throwing this meal together and was so happy with how it turned out that I thought I'd tell you about it.

I am notorious for over-cooking pork. But I decided to go against my pork-cooking fears and cooked it for less time than I usually do, and let it rest for 10 minutes. It was SO moist - slightly pink inside. Just perfect. If you are as afraid of pork cooking as I was, here's an article on the newly revised pork-cooking temps by the FDA: Click here to see the article! Just be sure the inner temp gets up to at least 145 degrees to be safe.

I'd never made a balsamic reduction before and didn't want to take the time of looking for instructions on the internet. If you decide to Google it, you may find that I did it completely wrong, but ignorance is bliss because the taste was divine over the pork and mash.

Now... as for the mash....if you have a mashed potato recipe you love, then go ahead and make it. I would say that I haven't yet mastered the mashing of potatoes....but these turned out purty darned good.

Here's what I did:

Ingredients~

For the roast:
olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems (about 2 sprigs)
1 small pork loin (plain - not pre-marinated)
2 cloves of garlic, minced fine
2 TBL dijon mustard
salt and pepper

For the side (obviously)
1 TBL olive oil
1 small head of broccoli, cut into slices

For the mash:
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 TBL butter for the mash
dash of heavy cream for the mash

1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar
1 sprig of thyme left whole
2 TBL butter

Directions~

1. Heat the oven to 350, with the top rack in the upper third of the oven.

2. Rinse the loin and pat it dry. Do not cut off any of the fat! Season it all over with just a little bit of salt and pepper. Chop the garlic and thyme leaves at the same time, then mix that with the Dijon in a small bowl. Slather the loin with the Dijon/garlic/thyme mixture.

3. In a small roasting pan, drizzle a little olive oil (about 1 TBL), and put the loin in the middle of the pan (I think my pan was about 12 x 15). Put the veggies all around it and give them a little salt and pepper. Don't pack them in....you don't want them to steam.

4. Put the roast in the oven for 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, take it out and cover the pan with foil and the loin and veggies sit for 10 minutes.

5. Get some water boiling and then put the potatoes in for about 15 minutes, or until you can easily slide a knife into them. When they are done, drain them in a colander and put them back in the hot pot off the heat. Add the butter and the cream, and mash until creamy (don't over mash or beat the life outta them or they will become like glue. Icky.

6. Put the balsamic vinegar, sprig of thyme. sugar and just a PINCH of pepper in a saucepan and heat until it is simmering. NOTE: Turn on the stove fan and keep your face outta the pan - trust me on this....it will take your breath away!). Let it simmer until it is reduced and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Afterward, take it off the heat, remove the thyme and gently whisk in the butter. It should be smooth and silky.

This is before the butter......

7. Heat up a large saucepan, on medium high. THEN, add 1 TBL olive oil and immediately add the broccoli. Cook, stirring a lot, until the broccoli has browned at the edges and is "al dente", about 5 - 8 minutes.

To serve, lay down some mash, top it with some sliced pork and balsamic glaze, put those veggies on the side and dig in!!

Jam Sticks

2012-02-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

Seems I have a bit of a sweet tooth lately. (LATELY?!!!!!). My friend Andrea Adams no longer calls me Cassie... she calls me "Sweet" (I call her "Savory" because she is such an amazing cook - I think I'll have to ask her for one of her recipes to share with all of you!).

As I was saying, I wanted a little goodie and so I got out my very old, very used, Betty Crocker Cookbook and found this wonderful recipe for "Jam Sticks". I had never been a big fan of jam until Lee took me to Laduree in Paris (there's also one in NYC!!) where I tasted my first macaron. It's my understanding that the macaron was created at Laduree....but I might be wrong.

I digress. In the display case were jars of Confiture of Cassis, Framboise and d'Orange (fruit jam of Cassis, Raspberry and Orange) among other flavors. It's like eating fruit from a jar - nothing like the overly sweet jam you find here in the states. It....is.....divine. So, of course, making JAM Sticks was my choice! (natch).

(NOTE: I made a 1/2 recipe but I will post here as Betty suggests).

Here's how you make 'em:

Ingredients~

1 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 jam (any flavor you like)
More confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions~

1. In a stand mixer or a hand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour, soda and cream of tartar just until mixed - do not over beat. Cover and chill for 45 min to an hour.

2. Heat oven to 375.

3. Divide dough into 12 parts. Line baking sheets with parchment (or you can grease them instead if you don't have parchment). Shape each part into an 8 x 1 1/2 inch rectangle on the pan (trust me....it's challenging to do it on another surface and then transfer - I tried it). You can fit about 3 of these on each pan. With a wooden spoon handle, make a furrow lengthwise down the center of each rectangle. Spread 1 tsp of jam in furrow. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer to cutting area and cut diagonally into 1 inch slices. Cool completely in racks. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Bean Apple Tart

2012-02-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

"Some days, you just gotta have pie". You may quote me. However, if you're going to be technical and call me on the fact that this recipe is not a pie, but rather a tart, then I stand corrected.

OH how I wanted an apple pie the other day......but I wanted something that would be ready a lot faster than a traditional pie, and also a bit lighter tasting. And this, my dear friends, is why I like to make rustic fruit tarts. They are easy and delicious.

This tart does not have a gooey, sugary filling, but a more fresh texture to the apples (which is what I prefer). I decided to add the seeds of half a vanilla pod, with a capful of vanilla extract and POW! What fantastic flavor!

If you have a pie crust recipe that you love, go ahead and use it for this. But after experimenting with a pure butter crust, a 1/2 butter & 1/2 shortening crust, and a pure shortening crust.....I'm inclined to go with the pure shortening crust. It ALWAYS turns out flaky. My choice of shortening is a NON-Hydrogenated brand called "Spectrum". I found it at Pavillions, but I'm sure it's available anywhere now because people are finally getting hip to the fact that we are killing ourselves with hydrogenated foods!

This crust recipe comes from my friend (and very fine drummer), Doug Mathews - who is a crazy good foodie type.

Ok...here's how you do it:

Ingredients~

(for the crust)
1/4 C warmed milk (not too hot!)
1 1/4 C flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
6 TBL shortening

(for the filling)
4 apples (I like Gala but you can use whatever kind you like)
1/4 C sugar
squeeze of lemon (about a teaspoon - not too much)
1/2 vanilla pod
1 capful of vanilla extract
2 TBL unsalted butter

a little milk for brushing the crust
2 TBL sugar (for the crust)

Directions~

PRE-HEAT oven to 400.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1 tsp sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. Add shortening, and mix with hands until crumbly and sandy. Add warmed milk, just until combined (you may not need all of the milk) and mixture forms a ball. Do NOT overwork the dough!

3. Form into disc between some plastic wrap and chill for about 15 minutes.

4. Peel, core and slice apples. In a bowl, combine apples with lemon juice, 1/4 C sugar, the vanilla extract and seeds from the vanilla pod.

I love using a melon baller to core apples. Easy!

Split the bean in half, lengthwise, and scrape out the precious seeds with the back of your knife.

5. Roll out the dough into a large circle (about 14 inches). I like to roll my crust on a silpat mat, with plastic on top, then transfer it, but if you have a way you like to do it - go for it!
Transfer the crust onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

6. Pile the apple mixture in the middle and begin to bring the crust over the apples, folding and creasing as you go around.

7. Dot the fruit with the 2 TBL of butter. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with a little milk and sprinkle with the 2 TBL of sugar.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes. If crust begins to brown too much, cover the edges with some foil as you would with any other pie (as you would).

Let it cool a bit before devouring.

Enjoy!

Hazelnut Meringue Cookies

2012-02-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

Resistance is futile. (If you know where that quote is from, then live long and prosper). When the craving for a meringue comes upon you, there's no use resisting. So, I set out to make this recipe, which is entitled, "Hazelnut Meringues". The picture in the book looked nothing like mine when they came out of the oven. In fact, I almost threw the batter out and gave up on this recipe because I knew the egg whites weren't "whipped" as they should be for meringues. But, I followed the recipe and decided to make them anyway and WOW! Lee practically ate the entire batch of cookies (with a little help from me). They turned out to be more of a Macaron than a Meringue and that's why I call them a Cookie (does that make sense to you? because it does to me).

NOTE: The recipe calls for 1 1/4 C "blanched" hazelnuts. I'd never blanched hazelnuts before and pictured dumping them in some boiling water, as you would vegetables, for a minute or two, then rinsing. However, that didn't sound appealing so I scoured the Internet for nut-blanching options. Sure enough, to "blanch" nuts, means to remove the skins and the way to do it is this: in a 350 oven, put the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Then, take them out and put them in a towel, and cover them up. Let them rest for another 15. Then rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins. EASY.

Just outta the oven...

Beginning to rub the skins off...

et Voila!

Here's how to do it~

Ingredients

1 1/4 C blanched hazelnuts (6 oz) (if you don't have the patience to blanch and skin, go ahead and toast them for about 15 minutes in a 350 oven)

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1 C confectioner's sugar

kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350, with racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven.

2. In a processor, pulse hazelnuts until finely ground (pulsing is better than running the machine because there's less chance of it becoming hazelnut butter!).

3. In a medium, heatproof metal bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), combine the egg whites, sugar and a pinch of salt. Set the bowl over, (not in) a pot with 2 inches of simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and using an electric or stand mixer, beat on high until very thick and glossy, about 3 minutes.

4. With a rubber spatula, fold the hazelnuts into the egg white mixture.

5. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small cookie/ice cream scoop, drop batter onto sheets, 2 inches apart. (Or you can drop by heaping tablespoons). Bake for 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!