Roll Into Spring - Jenny & Lindsay - April 2017

  

  

  

Savory Bacon Pineapple Bites (Small Town Woman)

·       1 pineapple peeled cored and cut in chunks

·       1 lb bacon (not too thin nor too thick)

·       Toothpicks

·       2 tablespoons honey

·       2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

·       3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

·       1 tablespoon fresh ginger

·       1/3 cup ketchup

·       2 tablespoons pineapple juice.(buy a precut pineapple and use that juice)

·       1 teaspoon Sriracha

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut raw bacon in half and wrap each half around a pineapple chunk. Secure with toothpick and place on cookie sheet.

2.     Combine honey, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ginger, ketchup, pineapple juice and Sriracha in small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes; stirring several times.

3.     Place bacon wrapped pineapple in oven. Baste every 8-10 minutes with sauce. Cook until bacon is browned and crispy; approximately 35-40 minutes.

Lemon Chicken Wrap (Flatout Bread)

·       1 Flatout flatbread

·       4-6 ounces of rotisserie chicken, shredded

·       5-6 zucchini ribbons (raw, made with a vegetable peeler)

·       Small handful of baby spinach leaves

·       1/2 cup cooked quinoa

·       1/4 cup radish sprouts

·       1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

·       1/2 lemon, juiced

·       1 tablespoon olive oil

·       1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

·       Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.     In a bowl, combine the mustard, oil, and lemon juice until blended, using a fork or a whisk. Fold in quinoa, zucchini ribbons, sunflower seeds, then add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture onto the flatbread, and then top with the spinach and the sprouts. Beginning at rounded end of flatbread, roll up into a wrap, then cut in half.

Mango Lassi (4 servings, 1 cup each) (Ellie Krieger)

·       2 ripe, sweet mangos

·       1 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt (I used Greek Gods Honey Vanilla and omitted honey)

·       2 tablespoons honey

·       2 cups ice (1 tray of ice)

·       (optional) lime juice to taste

·       (optional) fresh mint leaves to taste

1.     Peel and dice the mango and puree in the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until the ice is crushed and the drink is frothy. Serve in tall glasses with additional ice, if desired.

French Onion Soup Topped with Montasio Cheese Soufflé (Culinary Institute of America)

ONION SOUP BASE

·       Olive oil 4 Tbsp.

·       Onions, peeled and thinly sliced 4 ea.

·       White wine ½ cup

·       Homemade roasted chicken stock, or good-quality, low sodium commercial chicken broth 8 cups

·       Bay leaf 1 ea.

·       Thyme leaves, chopped 2 tsp.

·       Salt 1 ½ tsp.

·       Ground black pepper to taste

·       Sugar to taste

·       Lemon, juice to taste

CROUTONS – Your choice of favorite store bought croutons

MONTASIO SOUFFLÉ BATTER

·       Butter ¼ cup

·       All-purpose flour ¼ cup

·       Milk (whole or part-skim) 3 cups

·       Montasio cheese, grated 2 cups (may use Parmigiano Reggiano or Gruyere as substitute)

·       Cayenne ¼ tsp.

·       White wine ¼ cup

·       Lemon, juice 2 tsp.

·       Salt 1 tsp.

·       Ground black pepper to taste

FINAL PREPARATION

·       Egg whites, room temperature 8 ea.

·       Montasio cheese, thinly sliced 6 ea.

1.     For the soup base: Warm olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until well-caramelized, about 10 minutes.

2.     Turn heat to high and deglaze pan with white wine, scraping up any caramelized onion bits. Let onions and white wine boil for 1 minute.

3.     Add chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring liquid to a boil, and reduce heat so that the liquid is at a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste the stock and correct if needed.

4.     Remove soup from heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate if using at a later point.

5.     For the croutons: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Trim bread to fit inside of individual (heatproof) onion soup bowls. Place trimmed bread slices on a baking sheet, place in oven, and toast until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, and place in Ziploc bag if using later.

6.     For the Montasio soufflé batter: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk continuously, until roux is well blended and beginning to bubble, 1-2 minutes.

7.     Pour 1 cup of milk into the roux, whisking continuously, until milk is completely blended and there are no lumps. Repeat with remaining milk. Raise heat just high enough so that mixture is gently bubbling. Continue to whisk until sauce is smooth, shiny and thickened, about 6 minutes.

8.     Add the Montasio cheese and stir until completely melted into sauce. Add cayenne, wine, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine. Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate if using at a later point.

9.     For the final soup preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F.

10.  About 45 minutes before assembling onion soup, reheat soufflé batter to lukewarm. Remove from heat and set aside.

11.  Gently reheat onion soup base.

12.  Beat egg whites to a medium peak.

13.  Pour Montasio soufflé batter into a large mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of egg whites. Repeat with remaining egg whites.

14.  Ladle onion soup bowls ¾ full of onion soup. Top with 1 crouton and then a slice of Montasio cheese, pour 1 cup of soufflé batter on top of soup.

15.  Carefully place soup bowls onto a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake until the Montasio soufflé is well-risen and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

16.  Note: Almost every step of this unique onion soup recipe can be made a day in advance of serving.

Cheesy Baked Penne With Roasted Veggies (SkinnyTaste.com)

VEGGIES:

·       olive oil spray

·       1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

·       1 medium (8-ounce) zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes

·       1 medium (8 oz) fennel bulb, ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

·       1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

·       1/2 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces

·       6 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed

·       1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

·       1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

·       1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

·       freshly ground black pepper

·       1/2 tsp dried oregano

·       1/2 tsp dried basil

PASTA

·       12 oz Delallo Gluten-Free Penne

·       8 oz part-skim ricotta

·       1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

·       1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

·       8 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded

·       1 (25.25 oz) jar marinara sauce (we love Delallo Pomodoro)

1.     Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2.     Spray a large baking sheet with oil, toss the peppers, zucchini, fennel, asparagus, red onion and garlic with balsamic, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender on the lower rack of the oven, about 15 to 20 minutes stirring halfway,  until slightly browned tender.

3.     Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente, (undercooking slightly as it will continue cooking in the oven), drain.

4.     In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, 6 tablespoons of the Pecorino Romano cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.

5.     Spray a deep 13x9-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.

6.     Put half of the cooked roasted vegetables into the prepared baking dish, then half of the pasta and top with 1 cup of the sauce. Spoon the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce in an even layer. Cover with the remaining pasta, then vegetables, then the remaining sauce. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and 2 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese.

7.     Cover with foil and bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted.

Crepes with creamy chicken and mushroom filling

CREPES (Alton Brown)

·       2 large eggs

·       3/4 cup milk

·       1/2 cup water

·       1 cup flour

·       3 tablespoons melted butter

·       Butter, for coating the pan

1.     In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

2.     Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

FILLING (juliasalbum.com)

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       1 pound Portobello mushrooms, sliced

·       1 cup cooked or grilled chicken, cubed

·       2 tablespoons unsalted butter

·       2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·       1 and 1/2 cups milk

·       1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

·       1/2 cup freshly ground Parmesan cheese

·       1/4 or 1/2 chicken bouillon cube, or more, to taste

·       salt to taste

·       chopped green onions or chives, for garnish

1.     Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add sliced Portobello mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and tossing mushrooms until they get soft and release juices. Add cooked chicken, stir with mushrooms for 1-2 minutes to warm it up. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep covered. 

2.     In a medium pan or a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add 2 tablespoons of flour, cook and stir for about 1 minute to form a roux.

3.     Pour milk into the hot flour-butter mixture gradually, while whisking. Continue cooking the mixture, constantly stirring, on medium or high heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens – about 1 or 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, and gradually add /14 or 1/2 of chicken bouillon cube, to taste. Don't add a whole cube right away, just add enough to make the sauce flavorful.

4.     Add the white creamy sauce to the mushroom-chicken mixture. You don't need to add all of the white sauce to the mushrooms - add just enough to coat the mushrooms and chicken. You can always add more white sauce if needed. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

5.     There are 2 ways to fill the crepes. Place some of the mushroom mixture in the center of the crepe vertically in a shape of a thick line, then fold two opposite sides of the crepe inwards - like you see on the photos. Or, place some of the mushroom mixture on half of the crepe, then fold the other remaining half of the crepe over on top.

6.     Sprinkle the top of crepes with chopped green onions or chives.

Cannoli (All Recipes)

Shells

·       3 cups all-purpose flour

·       1/4 cup white sugar

·       1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·       3 tablespoons shortening

·       1 egg

·       1 egg yolk

·       1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

·       1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

·       2 tablespoons water

·       1 egg white

·       1 quart oil for frying, or as needed (I used an air fryer instead.)

Filling

·       1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese

·       1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

·       1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste

·       4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (optional)

1.     In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the shortening until it is in pieces no larger than peas. Make a well in the center, and pour in the egg, egg yolk, Marsala wine, vinegar and water. Mix with a fork until the dough becomes stiff, then finish it by hand, kneading on a clean surface. Add a bit more water if needed to incorporate all of the dry ingredients. Knead for about 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

2.     Divide the cannoli dough into thirds, and flatten each one just enough to get through the pasta machine. (Unfortunately, pasta roller is a must. Hand rolling does not get the dough thin enough.) Roll the dough through successively thinner settings until you have reached the thinnest setting. Dust lightly with flour if necessary. Place the sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a form or large glass or bowl, cut out 4 to 5 inch circles. Dust the circles with a light coating of flour. This will help you later in removing the shells from the tubes. Roll dough around cannoli tubes, sealing the edge with a bit of egg white.

3.     Heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a deep-fryer or deep heavy skillet. Fry shells on the tubes a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Use tongs to turn as needed. Carefully remove using the tongs, and place on a cooling rack set over paper towels. Cool just long enough that you can handle the tubes, then carefully twist the tube to remove the shell. Using a tea towel may help you get a better grip. Wash or wipe off the tubes, and use them for more shells. Cooled shells can be placed in an airtight container and kept for up to 2 months. You should only fill them immediately or up to 1 hours before serving.

4.     To make the filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar using a spoon. Fold in lemon zest and chocolate. Use a pastry bag to pipe into shells, filling from the center to one end, then doing the same from the other side. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar and grated chocolate for garnish when serving.

Strawberry Nutella French Toast Roll Ups

·       6 slices fresh white sandwich bread, crusts removed

·       ½ punnet strawberries, diced small

·       4½ tbsp Nutella

·       ¼ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar) (Note 1)

·       1 tbsp butter

Egg Mixture

·       1 egg (large)

·       2 tbsp milk (full cream or low fat)

·       Pinch of salt

1.     Combine Egg Mixture in a bowl with a flat base large enough to lie the roll up in. Whisk to combine.

2.     Spread sugar out in a small dish.

3.     Use a rolling pin to roll the bread flat. This makes them easier to roll up (and stay rolled up).

4.     Spread each piece of bread with around ¾ tbsp of Nutella.

5.     Sprinkle strawberries along the bottom of each piece of bread.

6.     Roll up bread. The Nutella will keep it sealed.

7.     Melt butter in pan over medium high heat.

8.     Roll each roll up in the Egg Mixture, shake off excess then place in the pan. Repeat with remaining roll ups.

9.     Cook for around 4 minutes until each side is golden, rotating every 1 minute or so.

10.  Remove from pan and immediately place in the sugar. Roll to coat in sugar, then remove. Repeat with remaining roll ups.

11.  Serve immediately, while warm.

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Rolls

·       1/2 cup warm water

·       2 tablespoons active dry yeast or 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

·       2 tablespoons sugar

·       3.5 ounce package instant vanilla pudding (see note above)

·       1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, melted

·       2 large eggs

·       1 teaspoon salt

·       6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

·       1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

·       2 cups brown sugar

·       4 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting

·       8 ounces cream cheese

·       1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature

·       1 teaspoon vanilla

·       3 cups confectioner’s sugar

·       2-3 tablespoons milk

1.     In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.

2.     In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend.

3.     Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled (if using boxed pudding, it will take quite a while to double because of the cold milk - see note above).

4.     Roll out the dough on a lightly greased or floured surface to about 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface.

5.     In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife.

6.     Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again.

7.     Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency).