the DIY food blog - real food for real people

Gluten Free, Corn Free and Dairy Free Pizza Crust

2016-12-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

About three months ago we were both diagnosed with food allergies. I won't go into the disappointment because you all know how much we enjoy food, cooking, wonderful flavorful ingredients, etc! So, here we are faced with the challenges of gluten, corn and dairy free cooking. I have to tell you corn sneaks into almost all prepared food items. It doesn't come in the form of corn but comes rather surreptitiously in the form of acidic acid, dextrose, ascorbic acid, maltodextrin, yada, yada, yada! The list goes on! However, we are slowly coming up with recipes to deal with the latest food challenge. Tom was craving pizza. Of course, because he can't eat any of the ingredients of a normal pizza he craved it even more. Even though this pizza didn't taste like pizzas of the past, it was very delicious! We used goat cheeses, Canadian bacon, peppers, Kalamata olives and we made our own tomato sauce. We topped it with the basil from our hydroponic garden that we're growing in the kitchen window. This recipe is for the crust only. You can put whatever toppings you like. For all of you who are gluten, corn and dairy free we think this recipe is quite good!

SERVES: 4 (makes 2 10" pizza crusts)
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 C brown rice flour
1 C white rice flour
1 C tapioca flour
3/4 t corn free xanthan gum
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
3 T sugar, divided
1 package yeast
1 1/4 C water, divided
1 T olive oil

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 400* F
2. In a small bowl, add yeast to 3/4C warm water. Add 1 T sugar and stir until yeast and sugar are dissolved.
3. In a large bowl combine the three flours, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder and 2 T sugar. Whisk together.
4. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture. Add the olive oil and remaining 1/2 C warm water. Using a wooden spoon, mix all ingredients until well combined.
5. Cover a pizza stone with parchment paper, place 1/2 of the dough in the center and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is very thin. It will be about 10" in diameter.
6. Remove the top parchment paper and place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. There will be cracks in the dough. Remove from oven and repeat the process for the second crust.
7. Top the pizza with your favorite ingredients and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy and lightly browned.
8. Remove from oven, cut and serve.
NOTE: Since there were just two of us for dinner I baked the second dough, wrapped it and put it in the freezer for next time.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Killer Spicy Sweet Babyback Ribs

2016-09-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

Tom and I are purists when it comes to cooking. We wouldn't think of using a prepared barbecue sauce. It's so easy to make your own sauce! Since we like a lot of flavor, ours tends to be a bit spicy. We've been making variations of this sauce for many years! It's always our favorite, even though we've made and published many other sauces and rubs for barbecued ribs. Whenever we think about a new sauce, we realize it's hard to beat this one! So here's the latest version of a tried and true killer recipe for baby back ribs.

Makes: 1 rack of baby back ribs
Prep Time: 20 minutes plus overnight marinading
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 rack of baby back pork ribs, about 2-3 pounds
Marinade:
1 t dried coriander
1 t black peppercorns, cooked until smoking then ground in a spice grinder.
1 T crushed garlic
1 t sriracha
¼ C ketchup
1½ T brown sugar
1 T molasses
1 t orange juice concentrate
1 T cider vinegar
1 T low sodium soy sauce
Pinch of red pepper flakes

PREPARATION:
Before Cooking:
A. Before marinating the ribs, remove the white membrane on the underside of the ribs. Start the removal with a sharp knife then use a paper towel to grab it and simply pull it off.
B. Mix all the marinade ingredients and pour over ribs in a flat casserole dish. If you have any extra marinade, don't pour it on and save it for after the ribs are cooked.
C. Marinate the ribs for at least 1 hour; but preferably for several hours or overnight before cooking.
Cooking:
1. Spray the BBQ grill rack with oil so the ribs won’t stick. Place ribs on the grill, bone side down over low to medium heat; about 300*F.
2. Cook for about 20 minutes; and when the ribs start getting burnt on the underside, place them on aluminum foil so they cook but don’t burn. Cook for another 20 minutes or so until done. A cut next to a bone will show no red.
3. Cut into individual ribs and serve hot with the side dish of your choice. For tonight's dinner we're grilling some corn on the cob. YUM!!!

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Fresh Fruit Galette

2016-08-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

Thursday mornings I set aside to go to the local farmer's market. The fruits, veggies and meats are amazing! We love the summertime fruits and look forward to indulging ourselves with them whether it be for breakfast, dessert or just for a snack. I've made all sorts of combinations of pies, galettes, Dutch Babies and individual hand pies. They are all delicious! Here's how I made this one using my usual, flaky, buttery (but no butter) pie crust. You can substitute almost any fruit or berry. Just use your favorites, add the seasonings and enjoy!

SERVES: 6-8
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 40-45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons COLD water
1/3 cup walnut oil

Milk for brushing on top of the crust to give it a shine

For the filling:
3 large fresh peaches
3 ounces blueberries
3 ounces blackberries
1/2 fresh lemon juice + zest
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg

1/2 t vanilla

PREPARATION:
1. For the crust, mix the flour and salt together. Add the walnut oil and mix with a fork. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of COLD water over the mixture and mix together with a fork. Form into a ball and roll between 2 sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin, forming a circle. Roll it thin.
2. Wash and dry the peaches and slice into 1/4" slices. Wash and dry the blackberries and blueberries. Place in a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, mix the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Pour over the peaches and carefully mix. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla. Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients and place inside the pie crust. It will mound a bit in the middle. Fold over the edges of the crust as shown in the photo. It may crack but don't worry about that, it's supposed to be rustic.
4. Preheat oven to 400*F.
5. Place the galette on a foil lined baking sheet with sides. (It does leak a bit.) Brush the exposed edges with milk and place in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. The galette is done when the crust turns light brown. Cool on a rack.

Bon appetit,

Tom and Anita

DIY Rotisserie Grilled Chicken

2016-08-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite dinners! Rotisserie grilled chicken that's been marinated overnight in olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. It's always tender and juicy and awesome in taste! We buy organic, pasture raised chickens, the biggest we can find so we have plenty of leftovers to make other dishes. It takes about an hour on the rotisserie. Put it together with your favorite side dish and you're ready for a feast.

SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 10 minutes then overnight marinating
COOK TIME: 1 hour +/- depending on size of chicken

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 pound organic chicken
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C fresh squeezed lemon juice
Zest from 1 lemon
1 t salt
1 t oregano
4 large garlic cloves, sliced thin

PREPARATION:
1. Mix all marinade ingredients together and whisk to combine.
2. Wash and dry chicken, place in a 2 gallon sealable plastic bag.
3. Pour marinade over the chicken and make sure it covers all of the meat. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator overnight. Turn occasionally while marinating.
4. When ready to cook, place the chicken on the rod for cooking, tucking in the legs and wings. Light the rotisserie, place the rod in the slot and you're ready to cook. While the chicken in cooking, baste with the marinade about every 15 minutes or so.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Riverfront Ribs St. Louis Style

2016-08-01T10:44:00.002-07:00

This is the summer of cooking ribs. We have been enjoying buying meat from Family Friendly Farms at our local farmer's market. Among all the fine meats, they have a variety of ribs for sale. Their meat is all natural, grass fed from animals raised right on the farm. Their meat is first quality and scrumptuously delicious! There is a huge difference from fresh meat versus what you can purchase at the grocery store. We've been eating really well this summer! Of course, being foodies, we always eat well! This recipe is so tender and tasty! It's really worth the time and effort put into it. So, happy grilling you all!

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes plus 1 hour inactive time
COOK TIME: 4 hours, 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 rack St. Louis style ribs
4.5 ounces ketchup
1/4 C honey
1/4 C white vinegar
1 T water
1 T molasses
3/4 t chili powder
1/2 t liquid smoke
1/4 t dry mustard
1/8 t nutmeg
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, diced

PREPARATION:
1. Take the meat out of the fridge and let it set at room temperature for an hour. Meanwhile, make the BBQ sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Turn one side of a gas grill on low heat. Place the meat on indirect heat for 2 hours. If using a charcoal grill, place the charcoal on one side and the meat on another side.
3. After 2 hours, double wrap the meat in heavy duty aluminum foil and place back on indirect heat for another 2 hours. Place on direct heat for 30 minutes longer.
4. Unwrap the meat after 4.5 hours and brush with the BBQ sauce. Grill for about 5 minutes on one side then flip over and brush with more sauce and grill for another 5 minutes.
Remove from grill and serve with the extra BBQ sauce and your favorite side dish.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Kickass Korean BBQ Ribs

2016-07-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, we've never cooked Korean ribs. Our local meat vendor at the farmer's market tempted me the other day so I couldn't resist bringing them home and giving them a try. Tom and I made up what we thought would be a tasty and somewhat authentic Asian marinade. This recipe is delicious and it's so easy to put all of the ingredients together and marinate the ribs for a few hours or preferably overnight. The ribs were excellent and so was the sauce! We served the ribs with Bush's Asian Grillin' Beans. It was a perfect fit! When I went to the farmer's market this week I bought two more packages of ribs.

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 3-4 minutes per side on medium heat

INGREDIENTS:
8 Korean style ribs
1 C soy sauce
1 T fresh ginger, minced
1/4 C sesame oil
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 T sesame seeds
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 C brown sugar
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 green onion, diced

PREPARATION:
1. Cut and dice ginger, garlic and green onion.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
3. Put the meat in a 2 quart zip lock bag and add the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before you're ready to grill.
4. Turn the grill to medium heat and when it's hot, add the ribs. Baste with the sauce while the ribs are cooking.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Roasted Beet and Pear Salad

2016-07-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

We've got a heat spell going on here in Northern California so we've been eating a lot of cold bean and veggie salads. I've been going to the local farmer's market every week to buy all of our organic meats, veggies and fruits. So, between our wonderful herb garden and the goodies from the farmer's market we've been eating really well and healthy! This salad is made from wonderful fresh ingredients and is so tasty on a hot summer day. Since the beets turn everything red, don't add the Feta until you're serving. Combine the salad with any meat for a cool treat as your side dish...

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 50-60 minutes for the beets

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of fresh red beets, roasted
1/3 C roasted, slivered almonds
1/4 C mint leaves
2 slices red onion, diced
1/8 C Italian parsley, diced
1/2 pear, chopped
1/2 can of 15.5 ounce Great Northern white beans
Fresh ground black pepper
Flavored balsamic to taste (I used strawberry flavor)
Feta cheese, crumbled on top

PREPARATION:
1. Roast the beets and let them cool completely. Peel them and cut them into chunks. Place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Cut up the onion, pear, Italian parsley. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the beets, except the Feta.
3. Stir to completely mix ingredients together.
4. When serving, sprinkle with Feta cheese.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Perfect Peach Pie

2016-07-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

The peaches from the local Farmer's Market are always fabulous! This year there is a new vendor who has 45 varieties of peaches. She is a peach expert. She tells me a new variety is available every two weeks. So far the peaches have been juicy and super sweet. We love their flavor and couldn't wait to make a peach pie. We're lucky enough to have wonderful fruits and veggies that are organically grown from the local farmers. This is a weekly must do for me!

This pie recipe that is awesome too! It's not too sweet or too tart, just the sweetness we love. And the crust is always fabulous...so flaky and buttery even though I always use almond oil instead of butter. I put this recipe together after reading many recipes. This is my version of a delicious peach pie!

SERVES: 8-10 depending on size of piece
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the filling:
2 1/2 pounds of fresh peaches (I used 7 nice sized peaches)
2 t lemon
3/4 C brown sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t salt
1/4 t vanilla

For the pie crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons COLD water
1/3 cup walnut oil
Milk for brushing on top of the crust to give it a shine

PREPARATION:
1. For the crust, mix the flour and salt together. Add the walnut oil and mix with a fork. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of COLD water over the mixture and mix together with a fork. Form into a ball and roll between 2 sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin, forming a circle. Roll it thin to cover the bottom and sides of your pie plate. This makes enough for the bottom of a 9" pie plate. Make another batch for the lattice work topping. Spray the pie plate with cooking spray. Remove the bottom layer of wax paper and, keeping the wax paper on the top layer, place the crust into the 9" pie plate and press down flat. It should just fit inside. Remove air pockets by poking the dough with a fork. Place the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling. Place the second circle of dough in the refrigerator keeping the wax paper on the top and bottom.
2. Wash and dry the peaches and slice into 1/4" slices. Place in a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Pour over the peaches and carefully mix. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients and place inside the bottom pie crust.
4. Preheat oven to 400*F. Take the remaining rolled out pie crust and cut it into 1/2" strips for the lattice work top. Add one strip at a time and make sure it attaches to the bottom layer of crust. Add the second layer of crust perpendicular to the first layer.
5. Brush the top with milk and place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. The pie is done when the crust turns light brown. Cool on a rack.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY King Crab over Farfalle Pasta

2016-07-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

We can't resist a crab meat treat every now and then and, of course, we always love pasta. This is a really simple dish with a delicate flavor and a super easy to make dinner. By the time the pasta is finished cooking you're ready to put all of the ingredients together and serve. Delicious, quick and easy! Great combination!

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 12 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces cooked king crab meat
1/3 C garlic flavored olive oil (if you don't have it on hand use olive oil and add about 4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped)
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
6-8 ounces farfalle pasta (or your favorite pasta)
Parmesan cheese for garnish

PREPARATION:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on the pasta.
2. While pasta is cooking, saute all of the remaining ingredients in a large non-stick saute pan.
3. When pasta is ready, add to the pan, mix thoroughly and serve.

PLATING:
Serve on a heated plate and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY LO Chicken Tacos and Spanish Rice

2016-07-02T13:06:00.001-07:00

pic

Tom and I are always trying to come up with new ideas for leftovers. As it turned out not only did we have leftover (aka LO) chicken but we also had some LO rice. Since we both love Mexican food we thought it would be fun to create some chicken tacos with a side dish of Spanish rice. It actually turned out to be a really yummy meal! We raided the fridge, cut some cilantro from our garden and put the meal together. It's a delicious meal that tastes great, looks awesome and goes together in about 30 minutes! Here's how we did it!

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the tacos:
LO chicken, shredded in strips (about 1/3 pound)
Napa cabbage, cut in thin strips (about 4 leaves)
Cheddar cheese, grated ( about 1/2 cup)
Cilantro, chopped (about 1 T)
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
Dash of red pepper flakes
Tomato salsa (either homemade which is our preference or already prepared)
2 medium sized flour tortillas (or corn if you prefer)

PREPARATION:
1. Saute the cooked chicken just to heat and char a bit.
2. Cut the cabbage, grate the cheese, chop the cilantro
3. Mix the cumin and chili powder and red pepper flakes. Add this mixture to the chicken.
4. Heat the tortillas in a non stick pan. When you flip the tortilla over, add the chicken and cheese. Place in a 300*F oven and heat until cheese melts. Remove to a heated plate and open the taco and add the cabbage and salsa.

For the Spanish rice:
1 1/2 C cooked rice
1 can 14.5 ounce tomatoes
2 green onions, sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 large garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced

PREPARATION:
1. Mix the chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes together, set aside.
2. Cut up the green onions, garlic, jalapeno and celery and add to a saute pan large enough to hold all of the ingredients with the rice.
3. Saute for about 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and the seasoning. Stir to combine then add the rice. Stir to combine and heat until all of the ingredients are hot.

PLATING:
Serve the Spanish rice on a warmed plate and add the taco to the other side of the plate. You can garnish with avocado slices and/or cilantro.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Jamaican Jerk Chicken

2016-06-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since we've posted on our blog and shared with our cyber friends. But we're still cookin' in more ways than one. Tom and I have been pursuing our other creative abilities. Tom's passion of the day is music composition and I've been working on a big outdoor art project creating mosaic stepping stones. I've also joined together with a small group of my artist friends and we've been painting together once a week. We're all having lots of fun and enjoying life. Since we still love to eat, we're still enjoying cooking. Meanwhile, summer is upon us and we're grilling when the weather is not too hot. We've barbecued this jerk recipe for years! It's always super delicious and we love to gnaw on the chicken wings. The skin gets nice and crispy too. You can use any chicken parts you like to eat. There is enough marinade for more parts so feel free to add as many pieces of chicken as you like!

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes + overnight marinating
COOK TIME: 20-30 minutes depending on heat of BBQ

INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken thighs (or parts of your choice)
12 chicken wings
1 T allspice
1 T dried thyme
3/4 t cayenne pepper
1 1/2 t black pepper
1 1/2 t sage
3/4 t nutmeg
3/4 t cinnamon
2 T granulated garlic
1 T sugar
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C low sodium soy sauce
3/4 C white vinegar
1/2 C orange juice
Juice of 1 lime
3 green onions, sliced thin

PREPARATION:
1. Combine all of the ingredients except the green onions in a large bowl and thoroughly mix together.
2. Add the chopped green onions.
3. Place all chicken parts in a large resealable plastic bag then pour the marinade over the chicken. Make sure the marinade thoroughly covers the chicken. Place in the refrigerator overnight. Turn occasionally.
4. When you're ready to cook the chicken, turn on the grill and preheat. When grill is ready, remove the meat from the marinade and grill on each side until done. While grilling, baste with the marinade. The wings take about half the time of the thighs. If you're cooking chicken breasts, they will take longer to cook than the thighs. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. Happy grillin'!

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Moist Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

2016-04-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

It's still rhubarb season and I couldn't resist making another strawberry rhubarb dessert. We like to think our desserts are healthy so we make them using lots of fruit. This coffee cake is super moist and loaded with fresh fruit. I like to use less sugar so the desserts are not overly sweet.

This one has just enough sweet and a bit of tart from the rhubarb. It's a great combination of flavors. I added my usual spices for a bit more taste.

MAKES: 12 servings
PREP TIME: 45 minutes
COOK TIME: 42 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
6 stalks of rhubarb, cut in 1/2" pieces (1.4 pounds)
11 ounces of strawberries, quartered

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup oil
3/8 cup brown sugar
3/8 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish.
2. Cut up the rhubarb and strawberries and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine.
4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add to the dry mixture. Add the sour cream and yogurt and thoroughly mix.
5. Add the cut up fruit and pour into the baking dish.
6. Mix the topping together then crumble onto the cake. Put in the preheated oven and bake about 42 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Fresh Apricot Pie

2016-03-30T06:59:00.002-07:00

It's summer and we're enjoying the fruits and veggies from the local Farmer's Market. We live in the foothills of the Sierras but about 45 minutes west of us the altitude is lower and it's much warmer there. We're lucky enough to have wonderful fruits and veggies that are organically grown from the local farmers. This is a weekly must do for me!

Here's another pie recipe that is awesome! It's not too sweet or too tart, just the sweetness we love. And the crust is always fabulous...so flaky and buttery even though I always use almond oil instead of butter. I put this recipe together after reading many recipes. This is my version of a delicious apricot pie!

SERVES: 8-10 depending on size of piece
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 35-40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the filling:
2 1/2 pounds of fresh apricots
1 t lemon
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 t cinnamon
3/4 t dried ginger

For the pie crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons COLD water
1/3 cup walnut oil
Milk for brushing on top of the crust to give it a shine

PREPARATION:
1. For the crust, mix the flour and salt together. Add the walnut oil and mix with a fork. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of COLD water over the mixture and mix together with a fork. Form into a ball and roll between 2 sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin, forming a circle. Roll it thin to cover the bottom and sides of your pie plate. This makes enough for the bottom of a 9" pie plate. Make another batch for the lattice work topping. Spray the pie plate with cooking spray. Remove the bottom layer of wax paper and, keeping the wax paper on the top layer, place the crust into the 9" pie plate and press down flat. It should just fit inside. Remove air pockets by poking the dough with a fork. Place the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling. Place the second circle of dough in the refrigerator keeping the wax paper on the top and bottom.
2. Wash and dry the apricots and cut into either 4 or 6 slices depending on the size of the apricot. Place in a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, mix the sugars, cinnamon, ginger and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Pour over the apricots then add the lemon juice. Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients and place inside the bottom pie crust.
4. Preheat oven to 425*F. Take the remaining rolled out pie crust and cut it into 1/2" strips for the lattice work top. Add one strip at a time and make sure it attaches to the bottom layer of crust. Add the second layer of crust perpendicular to the first layer.
5. Brush the top with milk and place in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The pie is done when the crust turns light brown. Cool on a rack.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Roasted Chicken with Pineapple Chile Sauce

2016-03-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

We've been enjoying fresh pineapple lately. We've added it to our morning combo of fruits and yogurt so we always have it on hand. So we decided to make a spicy pineapple sauce to go with the chicken.

As always, we marinated the chicken overnight so it was really juicy and flavorful. The pineapple is the star of the show as it is super tasty. We added some herbs and a serrano chile. It was yummy! We like to cook a whole chicken so we can get creative with LO chicken for another dinner or two.

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the marinade:
1/4 cup frozen orange juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
Fresh ground black pepper
For the chicken:
4 slices of fresh pineapple
1 serrano chile, diced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1.5 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 slice of pineapple for the sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

PREPARATION:
1. Prepare marinade ingredients and place in a 2 gallon plastic freezer zip lock bag. Cut the chicken in half, lengthwise and add the chicken to the marinade and place in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400*F, place marinated chicken in a baking pan with the 3 pineapple slices under the chicken. Roast for about 50 minutes until the meat thermometer registers 165*F.
3. While the chicken is cooking, add the chile, garlic, paprika, brown sugar, pineapple slice and apple cider vinegar to a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Place this mixture in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
5. When the chicken is done, brush the sauce onto the chicken and roast for about 2-3 minutes. Put remaining sauce in a gravy boat and serve with the chicken.
6. Remove chicken from the oven and let rest for a few minutes then cut the pieces up and serve with a pineapple slice and your choice of side dish.

PLATING:
Serve chicken on a heated plate with a pineapple slice, extra sauce and your choice of vegetable. Anything with a slightly sweet flavor would be a good choice. The lightly cooked peas were delicious.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Roasted Cauliflower and Spicy Balsamic Chicken

2016-03-24T11:18:00.002-07:00

We haven't made cauliflower in many moons and I'm not sure why. It's delicious! Specially when you add lots of seasoning and Parmesan cheese. It really soaks up the flavors. You just cut up the florettes, add the seasoning, give it a toss and pop it in the oven at 450*F for 25 minutes. This is a simple meal that is packed with flavor!

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the cauliflower:
1 head of cauliflower, separated into florettes
2 teaspoons Italian herb blend
3 extra large cloves of garlic
5 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat the oven to 450*F and grease a large casserole dish.
2. Place cauliflower florettes in a 2 gallon plastic zip lock bag and add the olive oil, herb blend, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Then add the mixture to the casserole dish.
3. Stir at the halfway point (12-13 minutes) At the end of 25 minutes add the Parmesan cheese and broil until it turns a golden brown (2-4 minutes)

For the chicken:
INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken thighs with bone and skin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sriracha

PREPARATION:
Mix the balsamic and sriracha together and brush onto the chicken. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until done.

PLATING:
Place chicken on a heated plate and add cauliflower on the side. Garnish cauliflower with parsley if desired.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Jamaican Rabbit Stew

2016-03-22T06:12:00.000-07:00

We had this rabbit in our freezer for a month or two and it was time to cook it up. We discussed several options and, since our Jamaican chicken stew was so flavorful we took the same recipe and changed it up a bit and added the rabbit instead of the chicken. It was awesome! It didn't even take long to prepare. With all of that delicious gravy, we couldn't resist putting it on some papperdelle pasta. Quite a tasty meal and very warming. The rabbit was tender and delicious.

Serves: 3
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
3 rabbit cut into pieces

For the marinade:
2 t salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
4 t molasses
1/2 cup water
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 green onions, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Pinch of red pepper flakes

For the sauce:
Cooking oil for frying- we chose Mazola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper in 1/2" pieces
1 green pepper in 1/2 " pieces (or you can use an assortment of mini peppers)
2 t dried thyme or a bundle of fresh thyme
1 t Sriracha (more if you like it spicier)
2 T ketchup
2 C hot water, divided
1 t salt
2 t beef gravy base
1 tablespoon molasses
4 t corn starch

PREPARATION:

1. Wash the rabbit and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a large ziploc freezer bag.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients and add to the bag. Cover all the rabbit parts with the marinade. Marinate overnight in the fridge, turning occasionally to make sure all the pieces are soaking up the marinade. We set the bag on a plate in case of leaks.
3. Heat the oil in a large cast iron pot then add the rabbit and fry until it is browned. Remove and set aside.
4. Remove most of the oil and add the onions and peppers and cook til softened.
5. Add the thyme, Sriracha, ketchup, molasses, beef gravy base and 1 cup of water to the mixture. Simmer for about 5 minutes then add the second cup of water with the corn starch added to it.
6. Add the rabbit back to the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the gravy has thickened.
7. While the rabbit is cooking, prepare the pasta according to directions.

PLATING:
Place the pasta on a heated plate then place the rabbit on top making sure to spoon out some gravy and veggies.

Bon appetit mon,
Tom and Anita

DIY Sauteed Pork Chops with Organic Cherry Sauce

2016-03-19T06:13:00.001-07:00

Pork chops are a favorite with us and we've made them every which way...so here's another idea if you're in the mood for making pork chops with a delicious sauce.

We bought frozen organic cherries as it isn't cherry season yet. They were almost as good as fresh cherries. You can see how nice and plump they are. We paired this dish with baked yams, which we also love. The dinner was awesome, almost like eating dessert for dinner.

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: about 30-35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
2 pork chops about 1" thick
Granulated garlic
Fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil to coat pan
For the sauce:
1 large shallot, diced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1.5 tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons corn starch mixed with juice from the cherries
6 ounces frozen dark sweet cherries, pitted

PREPARATION:
1. Sprinkle the pork chops with granulated garlic and pepper. Heat saute pan medium hot and saute the pork chops until browned on both sides and inside temperature reaches 145*F. This takes about 8-10 minutes per side. Reserve in a warm 200*F oven.
2. In the same pan, saute the shallot, add the thyme. When the shallot is a light brown, add the wine, vinegar, and sugar.
3. Mix the corn starch in about 2 tablespoons of the juice from the cherries. Add that mixture and the cherries. Cook until thickened and heated thoroughly.

PLATING:
Place the pork chop on the plate and spoon the delicious cherry sauce over it. Serve with your favorite side dish.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Baked Corned Beef with Sauteed Cabbage and Baked New Potatoes

2016-03-17T08:30:00.001-07:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
This is last year's post which we're doing again this year. Just wanted to share it with our foodie friends!
Naturally being of Irish descent, I cook Corned Beef and Cabbage at St. Patrick's Day every year. Until this year it was a traditional boiled Irish Dinner. But times they are a changing; and so this year we decided to try baking the corned beef and sauteing the cabbage and onions. And to top it all off, we baked a few new potatoes which we served with butter.
The recipe was modified from a posting of Corned Beef and Cabbage on Simply Recipes. This recipe included baking and boiling. The baked corned beef was delicious and the sauteed cabbage and onions was also. So we will do this again.

This is what the corned beef looked like on the cutting board ready for slicing. The cloves and glaze are beautiful on the browned beef fat cap.

The baked corned beef being sliced. The firm texture and beautiful crust make my mouth water even looking at this picture.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time:
Corned Beef: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Sauteed Vegetables: 20 minutes - Cooked while baking the beef
Baked Potatoes: 1 hour, 30 minutes - Cooked while baking the beef
Total: 1 hour, 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Corned Beef:
2# of corned beef, we used one that was pre-packaged and seasoned
1 package of whole cloves, about 3 dozen or so will be used
¼ – ½ C of Sweet-Hot mustard
2 – 3 T of brown sugar
Vegetables:
1 head organic cabbage, sliced radially about 1 inch at outside
1 yellow onion, sliced radially about ½ inch at outside
4 fairly large new potatoes
6 large cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 T caraway seeds
Black pepper to taste
Apple Cider vinegar

PREPARATION:
Corned Beef:
1. Since baking doesn't remove any salt from the corned beef, it should be put in a pot of water, brought to a boil, the water discarded and these steps repeated once to reduce the high salt content.
2. When the meat has cooled, insert the cloves into the fat cap every inch or so after poking a hole with a pointed knife.
3. Spread the mustard evenly over the whole fat cap, then sprinkle with the brown sugar.
4. Preheat the oven to 350*F, Then spray oil in a suitable Dutch oven, place the meat inside glazed fat cap up cover and place into the oven for about 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the top starts to brown and the internal temperature is at least 140*F.
5. Cool meat on a tented cutting board for at least 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
New Potatoes:
1. Wash the new potatoes and place on a rack in the oven with the meat after 15 minutes. They will cook in about 1 ½ hours.
2. When cool enough, cut in half and top with butter and parsley or chives.
Cabbage and Onions:
1. Cut the cabbage in half then slice it radially so that the outside is 1 inch wide.
2. Cut the onion in half then slice it radially, so that the outside is ½ inch wide.
3. Cut the garlic laterally into thin slices.
4. Using a large deep pan or Dutch oven, pour in 2 T of oil and saute the onions on medium heat until they start to turn clear.
5. Add the garlic and caraway seeds and continue for 1 minute.
6. Add about one third of the cabbage and continue until it starts to wilt and brown on the edges.
7. Add another third, stir well and continue as before.
8. Add the last of the cabbage and the apple cider vinegar, stir thoroughly and continue until it is pretty much all the same and is ready to serve.

PLATING:
1. Slice the corned beef and arrange the slices on the plate
2. There will be some blackened pan gravy in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir it, add a little water if necessary and spoon a little over the meat.
3. Lay some of the sauteed cabbage and onions next to the meat and sprinkle with a little Apple Cider Vinegar.
4. Cut the potatoes lengthwise, spread the edges and add a pat of butter and some chives. Arrange on the plate and serve that delicious meal.

The baked corned beef as it looks in the Dutch oven after cooking. The blackened pan gravy is delicious when spooned over the meat.

The corned beef in the Dutch oven before cooking.

The onions sliced and ready to saute. There is considerable shrinkage in cooking and we like large pieces that one can appreciate when eating.

Likewise for the cabbage. Once it is cooked, the large pieces are flexible and a bite has some substance.

Hope you all had a Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Puff Pastry Mini Tarts with Blueberry Filling

2016-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm still experimenting with Puff Pastry....I never realized that when you cook this puff pastry in a mini cupcake pan it puffs up so much. I made a wonderful blueberry filling and there was no place to put it. So, I poked the puff pastry and made some space. It crushed really easily and made room for the filling. I put a dab of lemon curd on the bottom then filled the rest with the blueberry filling. Oh yum! They were delicious!

As it turns out they were really easy to make and lots of fun to eat. Here's how...

MAKES: 13
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes for the dough
8-10 minutes for blueberry sauce

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons corn starch
Lemon curd
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
Powdered sugar (optional)

PREPARATION:
1. Don't forget to thaw your puff pastry for 40 minutes. When thawed, roll out the dough to about 1/8" thick and cut into 2" squares. (I took the dough that was left in between the cutouts and rolled it out again and made more.)
2. Press the dough into the mini muffin tin that has been sprayed with cooking spray and poke holes in the bottom with a fork. The dough will be sticking out on all four sides.
3. Place in a 350*F preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes until light brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice with the corn starch mixed together in a non aluminum pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. The blueberries will start to pop.
5. When the filling has cooled, place a dab of lemon curd in the bottom of each puff pastry then add the blueberry sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

PLATING:
Once again, there is no plating, just set as many as you can eat on a plate and enjoy!

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Hot Italian Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers

2016-03-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

We found two hot Italian sausages in the depth of our freezer and decided we needed to cook them up. After discussing it briefly, we opted for adding a few yummy ingredients and stuffing some peppers. Our local grocery store had some nice orange and yellow Bell peppers that were flat on the bottom. The reds and greens were all shaped with irregular bottoms that wouldn't stand up straight so we didn't use them.

We sauteed the sausage to get it nice and crispy, cooked some rice then added some good seasonings and voila here they are! They were really delicious too! It's a pretty quick and easy recipe.

MAKES: 5 stuffed peppers
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 5 minutes to saute the sausage
22 minutes for the baking the peppers
15 minutes for the rice

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 pound of hot Italian sausage (or mild if you prefer)
5 bell peppers of assorted colors
3/4 cup cooked rice
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
5 slices of extra sharp cheddar cut about 1/4" thick
Italian parsley for garnish

PREPARATION:
1. Cook rice. When done, rinse with cold water to keep it from sticking together. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. While the rice is cooking, crumble the sausage into small pieces and saute until fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside in the bowl with the rice.
3. Add the shallot and garlic to the saute pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the sausage and rice. Add the Parmesan cheese, marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir to thoroughly combine.
4. Core the peppers and remove the pith, careful not to puncture the skin of the pepper. Add the sausage mixture to each pepper.
5. Place the stuffed peppers on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes in a 400*F oven. Add the cheese slices and cook for another 2 minutes until cheese melts.

PLATING:
Place the peppers on a warmed plate and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Baked Chicken Parmesan over Angel Hair

2016-03-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

We're revisiting chicken Parmesan only this time we decided we'd bake it in the oven as opposed to sauteing it in a pan. It was super delicious and very warming on a cold, rainy spring evening. Not that I'm complaining about the rain (it's been storming for over a week with more to come) because California needs the rain desperately. My mind is going to the Caribbean or Mexico or Hawaii where I'm visualizing the warm sunshine and beautiful beaches...hahaha!

Anyway, back to dinner...it's a really delicious dish you can quickly and easily put together whether you saute it or bake it. FYI, it's quicker to saute it if you're trying to save time. So here's the recipe.

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 27 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to 1/4" and cut into two pieces
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
fresh ground black pepper
Fresh grated mozzarella cheese
8 oz marinara sauce
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces of your favorite pasta (we used angel hair)
Italian parsley for garnish

PREPARATION:
1. Place bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, granulated garlic and pepper on a plate. Mix together.
2. Whip the egg in a medium sized bowl large enough to dip the chicken.
3. Place the chicken breast between wax paper or plastic and pound to 1/4" thickness as evenly as possible. Cut in half or quarters.
4. Dredge the breast in the egg then in the bread crumb mixture. Make sure to get a nice even coating on.
5. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Place the chicken in a pan with sides on it and cook for 20 minutes then flip to other side. After flipping the chicken, cook for 5 minutes. Place the oven on broil and add enough of the heated marinara sauce to cover the piece then add the grated cheese to the chicken and broil until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
6. Before cooking the chicken get your pasta water ready and cook whatever pasta you desire according to the directions on the package. Also heat the marinara sauce before adding it to the chicken.

PLATING:
1. Place the pasta on a heated plate. Spoon the remaining sauce over the pasta. Set the chicken with the sauce and melted cheese on top of the sauce.
2. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Bon Appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Chocolate and Raspberry Tartlets

2016-03-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

I've been experimenting with prepared Puff Pastry and Phyllo dough. I have to tell you, the puff pastry is a lot easier to work with! I've been having lots of fun creating all kinds of tasty desserts and Tom is loving it! Treats every night! I decided to use frozen raspberries for this one for two reasons. One is that they are not as firm as the fresh and I could fit more into the tartlet. The other is I could buy them organic. We always use organic ingredients, given a choice.

These little guys were really good. The chocolate was a big hit. After all, who doesn't love chocolate; and now it is being recognized for brain health and functioning! The prep on these took awhile but it was a fun process.

MAKES: 11 tartlets
PREP TIME: 45 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Flour for rolling out the puff pastry
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed (remember it takes 40 minutes to thaw the puff pastry...don't rush it!)
Nutella for spreading on the bottom of the tartlet (or you could melt chocolate)
4 ounces of frozen raspberries, thawed
Cinnamon and sugar mixture for sprinkling on top'
Powdered sugar for garnish

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat the oven to 400*F
2. Beat the egg and water mixture then set aside.
3. Sprinkle flour on your work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a 12" square. Cut 3" circles in the dough and place on a cookie sheet. I used a glass to cut the circles and I placed them on a baking sheet. You could also use foil or parchment paper. When you've cut the circles, take the remaining dough and roll it out again to make more circles.
4. Add a layer of chocolate to the bottom half, then stack a few raspberries on top. Take the top half and roll it out a bit thinner so that it is larger than the bottom half and place on top of the raspberries. Brush the edges with egg and press with a fork to seal. Repeat until you've made all the tartlets.
5. Brush with the egg then sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove and let cool. When ready to serve, sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

PLATING:
No plating for this one, just grab 'em and eat 'em! They're yummy!

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Cinnamon Apple Strudel in Phyllo

2016-03-05T07:01:00.001-08:00

I swear, this is the last time I'm using Phyllo dough...I don't know why but by the time I finished with this dessert (which turned out excellent, by the way) I threw the remaining Phyllo dough in the garbage. I've never done that before but I have to admit, it felt great to do it! I couldn't believe this dessert turned out so well after struggling with the dough. It tore and split and wouldn't divide very well but it tasted amazing with the apple mixture filling. It was so frustrating that when Tom came into the kitchen I said "don't talk to me" and he said "ever???" which made me laugh!

Tom loves apple desserts so I was bound and determined to get this one together...but never again for the Phyllo. The filling is super tasty so next time I'll make it with my own pie crust recipe instead. If you're ready to tackle this project here's the recipe.

SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 40 minutes
COOK TIME: 40-45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
3 apples, chopped (I used 2 Fuji and 1 Granny Smith)
6 layers of Phyllo dough
1/4 cup brown sugar
Walnut oil (for brushing)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup raisins

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. In a large bowl, mix the spices. Cut up the apples and add to the spices then add the raisins. Toss to coat.
3. Stack layers of dough and brush each layer the walnut oil before putting on the next layer of dough.
4. Add the apple and spice mixture to 1/2 of the dough lengthwise. Fold the top edge over the filling and the roll the dough up to seal on the other 3 edges.
5. Brush with walnut oil and sprinkle with more cinnamon/sugar.
6. Place on a cookie sheet in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is a light brown. Remove from oven and cool. It flakes up while cooling.

SERVING:
Cut the log into 6 slices and serve warm. It would be great with a dollop of vanilla ice cream too!

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

Ps; Puff pastry would be delicious and might be easier.

DIY Jumbo Garlic Shrimp on Tagliatelle Pasta

2016-03-03T06:31:00.000-08:00

Well it's time for one of our favorite meals, garlic shrimp in pan sauce over tagliatelle pasta. It's not the first time we've posted this over the years but it's been quite awhile and any newbies to our site might appreciate not having to search.

More and more, we like to make one pan (pot) meals where none of the essential goodness of the ingredients gets lost. It's healthier, more natural and brings out the real taste of the healthy ingredients that we cook. This essentially is one of those meals except for boiling the pasta. None of the vitamins, minerals, fiber or flavor are lost in discarded juices.

Enjoy this Italian American dish with a Caesar salad, a little garlic bread and perhaps a good Chianti. Bono gusto!

SERVES: 2
PREP TIME: 15 minutes +/-
COOKING TIME: Pasta: 10 minutes or less
Shrimp: 5 minutes or less
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces of tagliatelle pasta
9 very large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 medium to large garlic cloves, skinned and sliced thin
1/4 to 3/8 cup of extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of red pepper flakes
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
zest from 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground coarse
Parmesan cheese for serving

PREPARATION
The Pasta
1. Boil the pasta in salted water according to the directions on the package
2. Drain thoroughly and stir into the warm pan sauce when it has been prepared.
The Garlic Shrimp
1. Using a ten inch high temperature saute pan, heat the olive oil to medium high heat.
2. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on the first side.
3. Turn the shrimp add the red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes more. The shrimp should be cooked through with some brown on the high spots. If you are going to reserve them at 200 degrees, be careful not to over cook.
4. Reserve if necessary in a 150 to 200 degree Fahrenheit warming oven with the serving plates.
The Pan Sauce
1. Add a bit more olive oil, if needed, and add the pasta.
2. Turn the heat down to low, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and the fresh ground black pepper and stir until everything is mixed and all of the pasta is coated in the sauce.

PLATING THE MEAL
1. Spread the pasta on the warmed plates.
2. Place the shrimp on the pasta.
3. Spoon a little of the sauce and pan bits over the shrimp and pasta.
4. Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan and serve.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita

DIY Apple Rose with Puff Pastry Shell

2016-03-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

While visiting our grandson, Simon, he mentioned he wanted to make some apple roses for dessert. I've been wanting to make this myself after seeing pics from several people publishing the apple roses they made. Tom's favorite dessert is anything that includes apples so I was all in with this idea.

Making this for the first time is a bit challenging but by the time we got to the fourth one, it was a bit easier. The first one was actually comical so we didn't photograph it; but we persevered and came out with three that you could definitely tell were roses. They were awesome in taste! We basically used Chef John's recipe from allrecipes.com. I always like to add extra spices to whatever I'm baking so here's how we put it all together.

If you ever need an afternoon cooking project for your young aspiring chefs, this is a challenge but turns out delicious!

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: about 45 minutes
COOK TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
2 red apples of your choice, cored and very thinly slices
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 puff pastry sheets, thawed
1/4 cup walnut oil (he uses butter)
1 egg
2 teaspoons water
Confectioner's sugar to sprinkle on top after they are cooked

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Apply walnut oil to 4 ramekins then sprinkle with sugar.
2. Core and thinly slice the apples and arrange on a plate. Microwave until they are soft. He microwaved his for 45 seconds, it took us about twice that amount. The apples have to be soft enough to bend easily.
3. Mix sugar and spices together in a small bowl and stir to combine.
4. Roll out the puff pastry (Pepperidge Farms puff pastry works the best because it's shaped in a long rectangle). Using a rolling pin, flatten to 1/8" thick and about 12"-13" long and 3" wide.
5. Spread the walnut oil over the dough and top with a generous amount of the spice mixture. Place the apple slices horizontally along 1 long edge of the dough almost even with the dough. The apple slices will overlap about 1/2 way into the next apple slice.
6. Fold the bottom half of the dough over the apple slices to form a folder of dough with the rounded edges of the apple slices exposed.
7. Beat the egg and water together in a bowl. Paint the surface of the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle with the spice mixture.
8. Starting from one end, roll the dough to form a rose shaped pastry. Seal the roll with the end of the dough strip. Apply the egg wash to the outside as you're rolling it up.
9. Transfer the rolled up roses to the ramekins and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Place the ramekins on the middle rack of the preheated oven.
10. Bake until well browned, about 45 minutes. Remove ramekins with tongs and place on a baking sheet to cool 5-10 minutes. Remove apple roses from ramekins. When roses are cooled, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar before serving.

PLATING:
Serve on a dessert plate sprinkled with confectioner's sugar.

Bon appetit,
Tom and Anita