Book Club part 2

I mentioned that I'd share the other two apps after I fussed over caramelized bacon for a few days weeks.

Without further ado, here they are! 

Balsamic Pears with Taleggio (click here for recipe)

 
photo courtesy of Wegmans.com

I cut this recipe out of the Wegmans magazine over six years ago and just now tried it.   I'm actually not kidding, and the proof is that we moved here four years ago, and Richmond doesn't even have a Wegmans. On that note, start rant. WHY, OH WHY doesn't this place have a Wegmans?! It is on the short -- very, very short -- list of things I miss about living in the DC area.   Considering the demise of Ukrops and its characterless replacement, the market here is totally ready for it. Please, Danny Wegman, I beg you to make it happen.   End rant. Sorry, that topic gets me amped.

Back to the topic at hand: yummy appetizers.  This little bite delightfully mingles a variety of textures with barely toothy fruit, crispy pastry and gooey cheese.  Even better: the complex flavor profile. Sweet, cinnamon spiced pears sing with a backdrop of balsamic vinegar accented with woodsy rosemary.  And then it's topped with a creamy layer of nutty cheese...need I say more?  I will!  It can be prepped in advance!  I made the pear mixture and froze it the week before.  I thawed it the day of serving, leaving only the steps of spooning it into cute little phyllo cups and topping with cheese before popping it into the oven for 8 teeny minutes.  Fab.

Jalapeno Cheddar Crackers

Who is the appropriate third amigo for a spicy/sweet bacon bite and tangy, fragrant pastry cup?  Why, a buttery cracker, of course!  This superdooper simple recipe is in Barefoot's latest book.  It sounded tasty to me, but what sold me was that this can be made weeks (in the fridge) or months (in the freezer) in advance.  This was just perf to pull off a hosting gig while hub was out of town.



Just slice, egg wash and bake.



My only comment is not about the recipe itself, but about the thickness of the crackers.  With such a rich result, I vote to slice thinner than the 3/8 inch width suggested. 

Ina Garten's Jalapeno Cheddar Crackers
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¹⁄8 teaspoon baking powder
14 tablespoons (13/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, 1/2-inch-diced
5 ounces extra-sharp white cheddar, grated
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
3 tablespoons ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Fleur de sel or sea salt

Place the flour, kosher salt, and baking powder in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheddar, jalapeño, and chipotle chili powder and pulse again. With the food processor running, add the ice water all at once. Continue pulsing until the mixture begins to form a ball. Dump the dough onto a floured board and roll it into a 14-inch log. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Cut the dough in 3/8-inch-thick slices. Place the crackers on the prepared sheet pan, brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle with the fleur de sel. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Holy Pig

One glance at the recipe title and I could focus on little else.  A mere two words have captured my heart and have yet to relent.  Friends, if you've never met CARAMELIZED BACON, get ready to start living.



I was scheduled to host book club last week and was in dire need of some fresh snack inspiration.  A potentially risky choice, I opted to prepare three dishes for the gals that I had never tried before myself.  But with two of them being Barefoot recipes, my fears were eased.  As a rule, she never lets me down; that reliability coupled with a divine concept like caramelized bacon, how could this NOT be fabulous?   Salty, sweet and spicy mingle together on a satisfyingly toothy backdrop... of bacon... Are you sold yet?  Did I also mention that this is simple to assemble and can be made in advance?

The only thing better than a couple of these little beauties is a whole tray filled with them. 



I'll share the other two recipes in the next post. This one deserves the spotlight.

Ina Garten's Caramelized Bacon

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 pound thick cut, applewood smoked bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor or mini chop, combine sugar, nuts, salt, pepper and cayenne until finely ground. Add maple syrup and pulse until moistened.

Top a foil lined baking sheet with a baking rack.  Cut the bacon slices in half, and place them on the baking rack, being sure they're not touching.  Evenly spread the sugar mixture on each slice.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes and let cool to room temperature before serving.

The Tomato Dilemma

Okay, so receiving a bag of home-grown tomatoes -- on top of an existing inappropriately large retail supply born of my inability to resist them -- is not really a dilemma.  But the desire to not waste, and more importantly, to enjoy every summery, juicy morsel, provides an opportunity to be creative.  Here are our tomato endeavors from the past week. 

Tandoori Spiced Chicken with Grilled Tomato Jam and Herbed Yogurt Sauce (click here for recipe)



This recipe is outstanding, giving you spice, savory, tangy and fresh all at once. The jam is divine and could be employed in countless other ways. So if you have any leftovers, keep them! I love the flavor complexity added by grilling the tomatoes. 



My only variation is related to the chicken... I applaud anyone who can handle the quantity of cayenne pepper called for in this spice rub. I am NOT one of those people, so I significantly reduce the measurement of that ingredient.

Classic California BLT

Simple. Fast. Close-your-eyes-delicious.

• Toasted Bread, spread with a layer of mayo - just keepin it real, friends.
• Thick-cut black forest bacon
• Sliced tomato sprinkled with salt and pepper (important!)
• Iceburg lettuce
• Sliced avocado

Not to be neglected, the corn was done on the grill and rubbed with chili lime butter - which was just softened butter stirred together with lime zest, lime juice, a couple dashes of sriracha and salt.

Asparagus with Grilled Tomato Tarragon Vinaigrette (courtesy of Bobby Flay)



I'm providing recipes below for everything on this scrumptious plate, but to point of this post: this vinaigrette is to die for and uses the same grilling strategy for the tomatoes described above.  I could (do) eat it with a spoon.  Grilled tomatoes plus tarragon equals amazing. 

Grilled Tomato Tarragon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 ripe plum tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Grilled asparagus
Hard boiled eggs (my new obsession, I've found)

1.  Heat grill to high.
2.  Whisk together the vinegar, garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the 1/4 cup olive oil until emulsified.   Let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature while you grill the tomatoes.
3.  Brush the tomatoes with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the tomatoes until blackened on all side, 2-3 minutes per side.
4.  Remove the tomatoes from the grill and let cool slightly.  When cool enough to handle, cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and remove the seeds.  Cut the tomato halves into small dice and add to vinaigrette.  Add the onion and season with salt and pepper.  Allow the vinaigrette to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. 
5.  Place the grilled asparagus on a large platter and spoon the vinaigrette over the top.  Top with sliced eggs.

This incredible side supported a ridiculous entree of Tea Rubbed Filet Mignon Steaks with Buttery Mushrooms (click here for recipe).  I don't think praise is warranted after you've read that title.  Our portion sizes were admittedly not reasonable, and I don't regret it.  There, I said it.

I don't have a spice grinder, so I used a mortar and pestle to make the rub.





 

Provencal Tomatoes (click here for recipe)

These little jewels are somehow sweet, light, satisfying and savory all at the same time.  They're stuffed with a mixture of herbs, bread crumbs and Gruyere cheese that plays perfectly off the sweet tomatoes.  To impersonate my girl Ina who authored this go-to recipe, how bad can that be??



End tomato rant.  Thanks for your patience... there were a lot of tomatoes.

Let's Party

Friends, this is it: the last hurrah of "oh just one more lap around" the hors d'oeuvres table, nibbling one or two (ahem, six) Christmas cookies for breakfast, all-day grazing from the cheese platter, and 4 pm extra meals holiday happy hours before DUM DUM DUM - January 1st drops the gavel to put all resolutions in session.  Time for the gym to get crowded again and Lean Cuisines to go flying off the shelves like hotcakes. Wait, I'm pretty sure we can't eat hotcakes after the New Year.

Wow, that sounds bleak.  Good news: we're not there yet!  We've still got 10 glorious days of guilt free indulgence remaining.  So let's live it up, shall we?  Here are some holiday apps to help get the party started.

This is my version of (yet another) Pinterest idea to simply fancy up the presentation a little!  I've already gabbed about how I love me a big, fat antipasto platter and have no shame in calling it dinner. Here's an old picture:



Now here's the fancied up version.  It's pretty much the same stuff, but way cuter, huh?



Up next is something I've seen all over blogland and the Food Network Magazine:  Toasted Ravioli!
  

Courtesy of landolakes.com






















This actually is not that bad for you!  Though nearly every recipe I found renders "toasted" synonymous with "fried in oil", I knew there had to be a version that didn't require the splattering and calories of a quarter cup of oil.  After some digging, I found this baked recipe in a totally random place:  Landolakes.com.  Whowouldathunkit.  Here is the recipe, and I made Barefoot Contessa's easy marinara sauce on the side for dipping.  We actually prepared a whole wheat version of these as a main course instead of an app one night, and they were seriously awesome.  They were tasty, satisfying, and pleasantly crunchy (without frying!).   Sorry, by the way, that the above is not my photo.  In the midst of our evening chaos, they were on plates and then in our bellies before the thought crossed my mind to pick up the camera. 

Butternut Squash, Sage and Ricotta Crostini (Click here for recipe)



I saved the best for last.  Okay, so I know in my last breath I was all anti-fried food and health conscious.  Can you ignore that I said that for a sec?  Fried sage is my new best friend, and I don't regret it in the slightest.  Its savory freshness is just perfect against the sweet caramelized butternut squash, creamy ricotta and fresh lemon.  And a crunchy toasted baguette offers a divine backdrop to all this goodness.  Sold.

Merry Christmas all, and of course, happy feasting!

How 'bout them apples?

I heard on a radio show that apple picking is for boring people.  Call me the dullest girl ever because I love it....so much that I sometimes want to join in with my kids' festive squealing.  Our family enjoyed a gloriously sunny day at Carter Mountain last weekend that yielded mounds of pink ladies, Granny smiths, and fujis just waiting to be transformed into something fabulous.

Here are an appetizer, main course and dessert that have been the products of our harvest thus far.

Caramelized Onion and Apple Tart (Click here for recipe)



The marriage of caramelized onions and apples is brilliance.  But the real hidden treasure is the layer of creme fraiche hiding underneath.  I didn't think this recipe paid due attention to the onion preparation, so I cooked them longer...at a lower temperature...added a touch of butter in addition to the oil...and splashed a bit of balsamic vinegar at the last minute.  While this appetizer may seem a bit fussy, it's actually quite quick to throw together (particularly if you do the onions in advance), requires minimal clean-up since you line the baking pan with parchment paper, and is low maintenance since it hangs out in the oven for 30 minutes to give you a moment to get yourself together before guests arrive.  I'm putting this on my fall favorite list!

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette  (Click here for recipe)

Everything in this title called my name, but the pomegranate vinaigrette was something I had to try, like, immediately.  After a quick gander of the recipe asking for pomegranate molasses, my heart fell thinking I'd never find it.  Thanks, Whole Foods, for coming through!  I will most certainly find some fabulous uses for this sweet little bottle.

We added sliced grilled chicken to the salad to beef (er, chicken) it up to a main course.  It was satisfying and delish.  For those wanting to make this: may I beg a favor?  Please don't skip the walnut toasting part.  It completely transforms their flavor into wow, particularly covered with the tangy and sweet dressing. 

Happy aside: my blue cheese obsessed - like, totally obsessed - daughter worked this salad.  Big brother did pretty well with his plate (though sans blue cheese) too!

Mini Apple Pies



This was an impromptu event commencing with, "we need to make something else with these apples....how about apple pie.....how about today?"  I had a large muffin pan that I've been wanting to employ and thought it would be a fun departure to make little individual pies.





Pie crust ingredients are generally on hand (here's my favorite recipe).  But I didn't have the citrus called for in Barefoot Contessa's recipe for the apples and had zero motivation to leave the house for those items.  So, in lieu of lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, orange zest, and fresh orange juice, I used....the kids' morning orange juice.  Hey, where there's a will, there's a way!  All that matters in the end as far as I'm concerned is a sweet and cinnamony flavor, buttery and flaky crust, and a scoop or four of creamy vanilla ice cream. 

mmm Gorgonzola

I'm not sure what my deal is right now, but dishes incorporating this cheese's salty goodness seem to beckon me unmercifully as of late.  Rather than resist, I've decided to offer it permanent residence in my fridge.  

A seasonally versatile ingredient, it's as amazing melting in an oozy sauce over filet mignon in the winter time as it is on a summer salad.  I love that it perfectly compliments sweet ingredients like my new fave dried cherries (you've created a monster, Kate), while still being able to stand up to peppery steaks.  It partners particularly well with balsamic vinegar, and the two meals below celebrate this fab flavor marriage.

Steak and Gorgonzola Piadini  (Click here for Recipe)



The thin bread of this sandwich adds a subtle, crispy backdrop while allowing the other ingredients to shine.  I totally did not make my own bread as the recipe suggests, but instead picked up Lavash at the store and subsequently rejoiced because it was easy AND tasty.  The Lavash is speckled with gorgonzola before the initial grilling, which brings out the cheese's mellow, sweet notes vs. the sharper quality of the cold crumbles added at the end.  As promised, the arugula is dressed with tangy balsamic vinaigrette, adding a welcomed brightness to the other rich flavors.

I flipped the sandwich for this photo to capture the gorgonzola tumbling out from among the slices of juicy steak.  I mean, yum.



Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza

This next dish was born from a California Pizza Kitchen creation that combines salty gorgonzola, sweet pears, sweet/savory caramelized onions (aka heaven) and fresh arugula on a honey whole wheat crust. 



(So it doesn't look like a pizza in the traditional round sort of way.  It's laziness, really, as the shape comes from the way I carelessly cut the dough ball into pieces...we make flatbreads enough that it's just become a habit.)

My attempt to replicate this at home commenced with sauteing 2 vidalia onions, thinly sliced into half moons, for about 30 minutes in a Tbsp or two,each, of butter and olive oil until caramelized.

Meanwhile, I cut two pears into slices, brushed them with melted butter, dusted them with sugar and baked at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until they were tender.



I rolled out store-bought whole wheat pizza dough, brushed it with olive oil, and sprinkled it with kosher salt and pepper before hub took it to the grill for 3ish minutes on each side.  You could also very easily do this in a 400-450 degree oven.  After the crust had some color, I topped it with a layer of the caramelized onions, roasted pears and gorgonzola and then put it back on the heat for a minute or two to melt the cheese. 

While CPK's pizza is topped with greens coated in a creamy, over-the-top gorgonzola dressing, I opted for the go-to balsamic flavor combo.  The quick dressing: equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil, a little squeeze of dijon mustard, a bit of honey, and then kosher salt and black pepper to taste.  I tossed the arugula in this mixture and scattered it over the pizza. 

I could not stuff my face fast enough with this.  The wolfing actually and embarrassingly left me with a sore jaw.  Yeah, I just admitted that.

Cook Schmook

Who says an awesome dinner requires cooking?  One our favorite meals is an antipasto platter of yummy items simply collected from the olive bar and deli counter at the store.   On the occasion that we "make" this, we take a totally casual approach by assembling everything on a huge, inviting plate and parking it on the couch in front of a funny TV show to enjoy the effort-free feast.  A baguette slice offers the foundation for impromptu, open faced sandwiches built with random selections from the smorgasbord of goodness.



I am going to take a second to ramble about some components of this particular platter, as I believe each deserves a tribute. 

Bufalo mozzarella - this is the creamy and far more flavorful cousin of fresh mozzarella...requires no salt, no pepper, just your face. 

Sopprossata - our usual go-to is Genoa salami, but this was a glorious, salty substitute.

Peppadews - I seriously love these.  They are tangy and sweet with a wee bit of spice all at the same time.  We love to keep these around, as they are the perfect, zesty addition to a boring sandwich.

Roasted red pepper stuffed olives - Ryan happens to not care for olives of any kind, which sort of pains this olive-obsessed girl.  So I just get them anyway and ask him to overlook them.

Cipollini - these little balsamic marinated onions have kind of changed my life.  I simply adore their vinegary bite and could just eat them all day with a fork.

Cherry Pepper Poppers - we go halfsies on these oil-marinated hot peppers stuffed with proscuitto-wrapped provolone; this results in a manageable amount of heat vs. getting burned out (not to mention looking ridiculous) stuffing a whole one in my mouth.

The moral of this story is that no-fuss assembling can be as exciting and delicious as an all day cooking fest.  Awesome ingredients equals awesome meal.