Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler

A Lolly original that I've been toying with in my brain the past few days. Today I decided this was the DAY!

For the apple filling, I used a quart of my apple pie filling canned last Fall. Click on the link for the recipe. Of course, you can simply use a 32 oz. can of apple pie filling instead.

You will need only two ingredients:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish. You could also use a deep dish pie dish.

Unroll the cinnamon rolls and with the first four, cut through the middle as shown.

Then divide each slice into fourths. Sprinkle them in the bottom of the baking dish.

Pour in the pie filling.

With the remaining four cinnamon rolls, slice through the middle and then fourth them as you did before and sprinkle them on top of the pie filling.

Bake for 15 minutes until cinnamon roll bits are browned. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly.

Drizzle the icing over the top of the cobbler and enjoy!

Blue Hawaiian

1 oz. light rum

2 oz. pineapple juice

1 oz. Blue Curacao liqueur

1 oz. cream of coconut

1 slice pineapple

Blend light rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut with one cup ice in an electric blender at high speed. Pour contents into a highball glass. Decorate with the slice of pineapple.

From www.drinksmixer.com

Tapas Thursdays: Roasted Spaghetti Squash topped with Mediterranean Vegetables

For this week's Tapas Thursday, I wanted to use some fresh vegetables from the garden and also incorporate a Mediterranean flavor based.  You will LOVE this dish.

1 medium spaghetti squash, washed, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

1 T. olive oil

1 medium zucchini, trimmed and chopped

1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1. t. chopped garlic

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

10 - 12 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1 T. capers

1 medium tomato, chopped

a few grinds of black pepper

1/2 t. McCormick's Mediterranean Seasoning Blend

a few sprigs of fresh oregano

Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.

Scrape out all the seeds.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place halved squash cut side down in a baking dish.  Let roast 30 - 35 minutes until the squash is easily pierced with a knife.

Carefully turn the squash over and, using two forks, gently pull the strands of "spaghetti" loose from the outside covering of the squash.

Continue until you have all the cooked squash loosened.

Place in a serving dish.

In a medium skillet, over medium high heat, warm olive olive and begin adding ingredients in the order listed until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy. Gently spoon over the spaghetti squash noodles and garnish with the oregano. Serve immediately.

Bastille Day 2014 Cheese Course

Yes, I could live on fruit and cheese.  Mainly cheese.  I love going into a great cheese shop and having a knowledgeable person direct me and give honest opinions.  It's very important to share with them the other food items on your dinner menu and the wines to be served.  Trust their knowledge and do your homework.  The cheese course will be an amazing part of your dinner party.

Beginning at the noon position going clockwise on the picture above we have sliced Granny Smith apples, Bucherondin, fig preserves, Gruyère, sliced pears, Pave Cardinal Hervé Mons Camembert, baguette slices and Saint Agur (my favorite!)

Roasted Beets with Thyme and Raspberry Vinegar

I love beets in all forms.  But roasting them brings out their natural sweetness. And as regular readers of the blog know, my love of every type of vinegar is legendary.  This recipe was a win/win.  

12 beets

3 T. good olive oil

1 ½ t. fresh thyme leaves, minced

2 t. kosher salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 T. raspberry vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in 1 1/2-inch chunks. (Small beets can be halved, medium ones cut in quarters, and large beets cut in eighths.)

Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve warm.

From Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris.

Herbed New Potatoes

These are freshly dug potatoes from the garden.  So they really are NEW potatoes!  If you don't have access to new potatoes, just make sure you use potatoes as close in size as possible so they will cook evenly in the same amount of time.  

4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 

2½ pounds small white or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled 

2 t. kosher salt 

½ t. freshly ground black pepper 

3 T. chopped mixed fresh green herbs, such as parsley, chives, and dill 

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt, and pepper and toss well. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife. From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning. Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. Don’t overcook! Toss with the herbs, and serve hot.

From Barefoot in Paris, Ina Garten

Steak au Poivre

Yes, I made the decision to get top of the line filets mignon for this recipe.  Yes, I will be serving bread and fruit the rest of the week.  Yes, it was worth every.single.cent.  Would I do it again?  Yes!  And once again, thank you Ina Garten for your wonderful Barefoot in Paris cookbook.

Steak au Poivre or pepper steak is a French dish that consists of a steak, traditionally a filet mignon, coated with loosely cracked peppercorns and then cooked. The peppercorns form a crust on the steak when cooked and provide a pungent but complementary counterpoint to the rich flavor of the high-quality beef. The peppercorn crust itself is made by placing the steak in a bed of cracked black (or mixed) peppercorns. Typically, the steak is seared in a hot skillet with a small amount of butter and oil to cook it. The steak is seared at a high temperature to cook the outside quickly and form the crust while leaving the interior rare to medium rare. The steak is then left to rest for several minutes and then served.

Steak au poivre is often served with pan sauce consisting of reduced cognac, heavy cream, and the fond from the bottom of the pan, often including other ingredients such as butter, shallots, and/or Dijon mustard. 

6 filets mignon, cut 1 1/4 inches thick

Kosher salt 

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper 

3 1/2 T. unsalted butter, divided 

1 1/2 T. olive oil 

3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots) 

1 cup canned beef broth 

1/2 cup good Cognac or brandy 

Place the filets on a board and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the filets with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the butter almost smokes. Place the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium. Sauté the steaks for 4 minutes on one side and then for 3 minutes on the other side, for medium rare. Remove the steaks to a serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. 

Meanwhile, pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the sauté pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and cook over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Cognac and cook for 2 more minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve the steaks hot with the sauce poured on top. 

  

Tuna Rillette

First of all we'll review what is a rillette? Rillettes are a preparation of meat similar to pâté. Originally made with pork, the meat is cubed or chopped, salted heavily and cooked slowly in fat until it is tender enough to be easily shredded, and then cooled with enough of the fat to form a paste. They are normally used as spread on bread or toast and served at room temperature.

Rillettes are also made with other meats, goose, duck, chicken, game birds, rabbit and sometimes with fish such as anchovies, tuna or salmon.

I chose tuna and followed Dori Greenspan's Around My French Table recipe. Delicious spread on a few slices of baguette. This is a few easy recipe. Open canned tuna, drain, add to food processor with some sliced shallots, a little heavy cream and some curry powder. A few seconds to mix it all together and into the fridge. A couple of hours later, a pinch of salt and pepper, a squeeze of lime juice and ready to serve! This mixture would also be delicious on celery sticks or stuffed into small cherry tomatoes.

Here's my adaptation of her recipe:

2 - 6 oz. cans tuna, drained (packed in oil, not water)

2 - 3 T. heavy cream

1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 t. curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

squeeze of lime

Puree' in small food processor until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Creme Brulee with Raspberries

With all the other preparations for my Bastille Day Meal, I took a short cut for dessert....please forgive me.  

I used a prepacked mix (the horror!) for my creme brulee.  Dr. Oetker (follow the link please) saved the day for me.

I added a few raspberries for garnish and voila!  Happy Dinner Guests!!

Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Cashews

Friends or family stopping by? Drop in guests you weren't expecting? Tired of munching on chips or popcorn? I have the solution with Dori Greenspan's recipe for Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts (Around My French Table). And as she notes, they're good with everything from cider to beer to Champagne....I will note they are also delicious with Sweet Tea or Dr. Pepper, but that's my opinion.  :)

Here's her recipe with her notations. Feel free to use a mixture of nuts, all of one kind and make sure you read her suggestions for mixing up the spices.  

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch cayenne

1 large egg white

2 cups nuts, whole or halves, but not small pieces, such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, or a mix

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with a silicone baking mat.

Mix the sugar and spices together in a small bowl. Beat the egg white lightly with a fork in a larger bowl – you’re not making a meringue, just breaking up the white so that it’s liquid. Toss in the nuts, stir to coat them with egg white, then add the sugar-and-spice mixture and continue to stir so that the nuts are evenly covered.

Using your fingers, lift the nuts from the bowl, letting the excess egg white drip back into the bowl (you can run the dipped nuts against the side of the bowl to de-excess them), and transfer them to the baking sheet, separating them as best you can. Discard whatever sugar-egg mix is left in the bowl.  

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the nuts are browned and the coating is dry. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the nuts to another baking sheet, a cutting board or a piece of parchment paper, break them apart, and let them cool completely. The nuts crisp as they cool.

Serving:  These are good with everything from cider and beer to Champagne.

Storing:  Kept covered in a dry place, the nuts will hold for about 5 days at room temperature.

Note: You can swap the spices at whim.  For a change, omit the chile powder and go for 5-spice powder (you can keep the cinnamon, if you’d like), curry powder (I’d use just a smidgen of cinnamon with the curry) or even cardamom (in which case, I’d cut out the cinnamon).  You can also make herb-flavored nuts using finely chopped fresh herbs or dried herbs (just make sure your dried herbs are brightly colored and still fragrant).  Keep the sugar and salt, drop the chile powder and cinnamon, and try mixing the nuts with fresh rosemary or thyme or dried herbes de Provence.

Broccoli and Zucchini Soup with Whipped Curry Cream

Doesn't this look tempting?  This elegant soup can be ready to serve in about 30 minutes.  As Sweet Harold said while eating...."I can just feel the vitamins coursing through me!"  You can enjoy this soup hot, room temperature or chilled.  Don't skip the whipped cream sprinkled with curry.  It was the PERFECT finishing touch.

4 cups water

2 cubes beef bouillon

Few grinds of black pepper

1/2 t. sea salt

broccoli florets from 1 large head of broccoli

1 1/2 zucchini, peeled and chopped into chunks

Boil water, add bouillon cubes, pepper and salt, stir to dissolve then add the chopped veggies and boil for about 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Purée soup using a blender - be careful, blenders don't really like hot soup and will spray it on your ceiling. Start with half the batch on low speed, ramp up to higher speed, then add the rest. The soup is then good to go.

Garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of curry powder.

From Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table."

Radishes with Butter and Fleur De Sel

This lovely combination will be offered to you in most French homes as a little nibble before your meal. Soaking the radishes in ice water for awhile before eating will cut some of their peppery flavor.  With a light coating of butter and a quick dip in the Cadillac of the salt world, fleur de sel, you're in for a great treat.

You'll need one bunch small radishes, if you can buy them with their greens still attached, trim them down to a little top knot to grasp.  Wash them well and put them in a bowl of ice water for at least 15 - 20 minutes.

Drain and dry thoroughly.  Apply a thin coat of non-salted better to the radish and then gently dip into the fleur de sel.  

These would be a great addition to a springtime buffet table. 

Adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris.

Endive, Pear and Roquefort Salad

This salad brought so many different flavors and textures together. Separately, you may not enjoy them, but layered together on a plate with this delicious dressing, you will be a fan.

The endive is a little bitter, the pear added a great crunch factor and then mix with the creaminess of the Dijon salad dressing, oh my! THEN the added bonus of some great Roquefort crumbles and the toasted walnuts carried it over the top. This was the perfect light salad.

4 to 6 heads of Belgian endive

1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

*1 egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons good olive oil

2 ripe Bartlett pears, halved, cored, and sliced

1/4 pound good Roquefort cheese

1/2 cup toasted walnut halves

Trim off the core end of each head of endive and slice it in half lengthwise. Cut out the cores, separate the leaves, and place 1 1/2 to 2 heads of endive on each plate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Toss the pears with some vinaigrette and place on the endive. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the endive leaves to moisten them. Crumble the Roquefort onto the endive. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve at room temperature.

*Ina suggests caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, she recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served, use shell eggs that have been treated to destroy salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method.

From Barefoot in Paris, Ina Garten

Raspberry Royale

As always, Ina Garten is my best friend in the kitchen. The majority of my recipes for the 2014 Bastille Day meal came from her cookbook Barefoot in Paris.

6 t. raspberry liqueur

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1 bottle of good Champagne, chilled

Pour 1 t. of raspberry liqueur into each champagne glass and add 2 or 3 raspberries. When guests arrive, pop the cork and fill each glass with Champagne.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4 - 6.

Bastille Day 2014 Table Setting

This year I brought out my favorite china of all:  Spode Fleur de Lis in Brown.

I decided to use a small juice glass (William Sonoma) instead of a soup bowl.

 

Centerpiece is a gorgeous pitcher filled with lavender

 

Perrier seemed the perfect choice!

 

 Every year I think that particular table is my favorite, but this year I really think it is!

Potato Digging Day!

Today was one of my most favorite days of the year!  Potato digging day.  We had a lovely crop and I can't wait to use them in lots of different recipes and just simply boiled with butter, salt and pepper.

Ham and Red Pepper Spread

This spread/dip combines the delicious richness of ham with the sharp tanginess of roasted red peppers.  You can spread or dip this with crackers, Belgian endive or slices of toasted baugette.  It would be perfect as a dip for vegetables.

Time from start to finish?  15 minutes.  Now everybody has time for that.

1 1/2 cups diced ham

1 cup diced roasted red peppers

1/2 t. smoked paprika

1 T. sherry vinegar

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Pulse ham, peppers, paprika and vinegar in a food processor until the ham is finely chopped.  Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.  Add cream cheese and parsley.  Stir until smooth.

Shrimp Pepper Popper

So simple, so elegant, so delicious.  I used a tiny bit of Creole cream cheese on top of miniature Melba toasts, a very small cooked shrimp and a little drop of my homemade red pepper jelly.  

Start to finish?  10 minutes tops.  You WILL want to make these.  Trust me.

This recipe will make about 2 dozen.

4 T. reduced fat cream cheese (Neufachatel)

24 small Melba toast or whole wheat crackers

24 small cooked ^ peeled shrimp

1 T. pepper jelly

Spread 1/2 t. cream cheese on each toast or cracker.  Top each with a shrimp and 1/8 t. pepper jelly.

From Eating Well.

Betty Crocker Apple Pie with Crunchy Pecan Glaze (circa 1970)

Sometimes the "retro" recipes are so much more comforting than the new ones being developed at the present time.  This is a tried and true classic.  Enjoy!

Pastry for a 10 inch pie (either homemade or store bought is fine)

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup Gold Medal Flour

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. cinnamon

dash salt

2/3 cup chopped pecans

8 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples

3 T. butter or margarine

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pastry if using homemade.  

Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pecans; mix with apples.  Turn into pastry lined pie pan.  Dot with butter.

Cover edge with 2 - 3 inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.  Top with glaze.

For the crunchy pecan glaze:

In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed), 1/3 cup chopped pecans and 2 T. light cream.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until of glaze consistency.

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Dining Out - Chicago - Lawry's Steakhouse

If you enjoy prime rib, Lawry's Prime Rib Chicago is the place to go.  

At Lawry's I ordered a medium English Cut described on the menu as "Three thing slices deftly carved to heighten the rich beef flavor."  $41.  To me it tasted like roast beef, but it was very tender.

Paw Paw ordered a medium rare Lawry Cut described on the menu as "our traditional and most popular cut."  $44

The mashed potatoes could've been a bit softer, but everything boils down to preference.  We shared a side of asparagus.

Not much more to say.  I'd give it 3.5/5 rib bones and Paw Paw also gives if a 3.5

Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Glaze

Such a simple salad no recipe is required.

Halve a few red and yellow grape tomatoes. Stem, hull and quarter a few strawberries. Place on a small salad plate with a slice of goat cheese. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar or store bought balsamic glaze.

Just like that, an elegant and delicious salad, read to serve to family and friends.

Southwestern Seasoned Grilled Burger with Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese and Pickled Jalapenos

It seems like all the burgers we're presented with now at restaurants and even at home are based on the premise of "bigger is better."  Stuffed with this or that or 1/2 lb. or more and layered with tons of condiments.  But sometimes for me, "simpler is better."

I made the burger patties thin so they cooked within minutes on the grill.  The only seasoning I used was to lightly sprinkle on some of my Southwestern Dry Rub.  Click on the link to get the recipe.

After taking off the grill, I added about a tablespoon of shredded pepper jack cheese and a few slices of pickled jalapenos.  These were delicious.

Bloody Mary with Smoked Bacon Rim Salt

I was in the mood for a nice cool, refreshing Bloody Mary.  Thankfully, I had all the makings for a perfect late afternoon cocktail.  Bloody Marys aren't just for brunch, you know!

When I don't make up my own special concoction, my all time favorite choice is Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix.  

And look at the goodies I have to use as garnishes!

I used a little lime juice to dampen the rim of my glass and then dipped it into the Smoked Bacon Rim Salt.  Then I added a few ice cubes and 1.25 or 1.50 oz. of your favorite vodka (you choose the amount!) and filled to the top with Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix.

I put a lime slice, a couple of the green beans, an okra pod and yes, a slice of cooked bacon.