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ann1962

A variation from recipe on the back of the package using these.

Cannoli shells
1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1 cup or so of whipped cream
1/4 c icing or confectioners sugar
handful of chocolate chips, chopped

Whip cream if you haven't already done so. Place one cup cream, ricotta and sugar in bowl. Mix gently. Fold in chopped chips.

Using spoon or piping bag, fill shells and serve immediately. Sprinkle with more icing sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

ann1962

Food in films here.

deevalish.livejournal.com

I've been making this recipe for about 7 years now. My siblings always request it at Thanksgiving and Christmas. What really gives this the extra something is the white truffle oil. You can substitue with extra virgin olive oil but the taste is very different.

Foccacia Bread Stuffing

2 Tbsp. + 3 Tbsp. butter
4 lg. shallots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. herbes de Provence
2 c. button or crimini mushrooms, sliced thickly
3 c. wild mushrooms (portobello, shiitake or chanterelles) sliced thickly
splash of white wine
8 c. cubed day old foccacia (about 2-3 9”x12” sheets)
salt & pepper
2 c. chicken stock
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz. white truffle oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet, add shallots and herbes de Provence. Turn heat down to medium and saute until golden, about 6 minutes.

Add all the mushrooms to the pan and increase heat to medium-high. Stir occasionally. If pan becomes too dry, add wine to deglaze.

After about 5 minutes, add garlic, saute for another minute or until mushrooms are golden. Empty into a large bowl and add bread cubes. Toss and add stock to moisten lightly. Add salt and pepper.

Place the stuffing in a buttered casserole dish and top with the remaining butter. Drizzle the truffle oil over the whole dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Current Mood: busy

ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com

4 bone in chicken pieces (I use the thigh/leg pieces, but thighs alone would probably work too)
4 large potatoes, cut into wedges
1/4 cup Zesty Italian dressing (this is a recipe from Kraft, so they say Kraft here. Any other kind would probably work okay)
1/4 cup Parmesan grated cheese (I use generic and it's fine. See above re Kraft, heh.)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Put your potatoes in the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish, then put the chicken on top.

Pour the dressing over the chicken, then sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for an hour or until chicken is cooked through. It could be up to an hour and a half, depending on how many potatoes you use. I tend to put lots in, because they're really good.

I really like this recipe, because it's hard to find ones that work well with bone-in chicken and everyone in my house will eat at least a part of it.

Current Mood: hungry

ann1962

I didn't have any tarragon but I made this sauce anyway.

1/2 lb brussel sprouts

1/2 onion, chopped finely
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp horseradish
1 c grated cheddar

[several mushrooms chopped]

Cook brussel sprouts.

Saute mushrooms, onion, and butter. Add herbs as it cooks. Sprinkle flour over and stir. Drizzle milk in while stirring with wooden spoon until thickened. Cook over low heat. Stirring. Stir in horseradish and cheese. [This is excellent cheese sauce as is.]

Mix in cooked brussel sprouts. Serve over pasta.

I'm not putting in the brussel sprouts because no one here but me likes them together. Also no pasta tonight. Just wanted this for the sauce with Brussel sprouts on the side.

From the Enchanted Brocolli Forest cookbook.

atpotch.livejournal.com

This is (loosely enough for legal reasons, I hope), based on a recipe in Jamie Oliver's Italy, but I intend to play around with it a little because, you know, I'm an idiot. And I need everything explaining to me very slowly. So then:

A Not Entirely Original Fish And CousCous Recipe: Serves 2 Idiots.

Cut up a red onion, or a white onion if you can't be bothered, and bung in about quarter of a bulb of garlic. Then bung in a load of parsley- it probably won't really hurt how much you put in. Less than a whole truck, preferably. Fry these for a few minutes in a reasonably light fat, (olive oil... or possibly lard, if you prefer).

Mix all these in with 200g, (erm....6 or 7 ounces?) of couscous. Bung something like a sieve or maybe a colander with some kitchen roll, or something that will basically hang the stuff over boiling water, over boiling water. Leave for twenty five minutes.

Just after that- there might be enough time for a glass of wine or five pages or Proust- fry another onion, this time just half of one with a fat clove or two thin cloves, or maybe three cloves, if you like, of garlic, for about five minutes. Cut up a red chilli, (or a non-red one, if you're feeling spicy), and mix that in. Very shortly afterwards, find yourself some fish, and add that. I'm being deliberately vague here- my initial recipe suggested bream, but I used good quality tuna steaks, which really aren't all that similar. Slowly pour in, (in several goes- like someone with an incredibly short attention span, but you're doing it for a reason), 700ml, (erm...25 fluid ounces?) of passata, and a much smaller amount of water. Slowly simmer this mixture away for the rest of the time until the couscous is done, adding some more of your parsley hoard and some salt and pepper if you're getting bored, (rather than drunk, which is a better choice by this point, cos there's not much to go).

Then pour half of the parsley, passata, garlic, onion, chilli sauce onto the couscous, (which you may need to pour a little water on (first!) if it's still too grainy after its steambath), and leave it to sit around. Bung the rest of the tomato sauce with the fish on an almost ludicrously low oven, (80C...160F, Gas 1), for as long as you can be bothered. Half an hour was suggested, but my accomplice and I got bored after about twenty minutes. In the meanwhile, if you're not completely distracted by your lovely, lovely Chianti, make a rocket salad by getting some rocket and squeezing some lime in. Maybe chop up some peppers. You know the sort of thing.

I did this with olives, lemons and peppers as a starter and sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

The sticky toffee pudding was out of a pot from Sainsbury's. But then, I am an idiot.

TCH

arethusa2.livejournal.com

1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. melted butter

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the first four (dry) ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat together the rest of the ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together just until blended. Do not overmix. Spoon into a muffin pan and top with streusel mix. Bake approx. 20 minutes.

Streusel Topping
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tb. flour
1 Tb. butter

Mix with a fork until well blended. Sprinkle on top of unbaked muffins.

ann1962

Melt and allow to cool to lukewarm 3/4 cup clarified butter.

Heat until lukewarm in the top of a double boiler over - not in - boiling water:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar

Stir constantly. Remove from heat and beat until thick but light and creamy. When cool, sift and add gradually:

1 cup sifted cake flour.

Add the melted butter and:
1 tablespoon rum or brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind.

Bake in shell forms about 8 minutes; muffins about 15 minutes, until a delicate brown. Cool on a rack, shell side up.

[This method is not unlike pâte à choux which are incredibly easy to make.]

ETA after first batch: They took at least 15 minutes in my pan. They taste fine, albeit, pretty sweet. The shell design doesn't show at all as the layer touching the pan stuck, so when they came out, it was just like cut cake. I think the next batch will go in a muffin tin with liners.

Current Mood: adventurous

ann1962

1 14 oz tin artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 gloves garlic, finely chopped, or more to taste
salt and pepper to taste

(Optional: Green onion/scallions are also good in this. Finely chop 1/2 cup and add)

Mix all ingredients and put in an oven proof dish. Small pie dish works well. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.

Serve with crackers, or veggies to dip.

ann1962

I just made this and the filling is delicious. Even if you don't make the cake part, this would be an excellent topping for fruit, or other cake, or even a dipping sauce.

Current Mood: cream filled

mamculuna.livejournal.com

From http://www.carrie-me.blogspot.com/ comes my brother-in-law's recipe for guacamole/salsa, with her and my nephew's adaptation:

"Best recipe ever:

Chop coarsely (i/2 cubes, more or less):

3 ripe avocados
1 large red onion
2 ripe tomatoes
1 jalepeno pepper - no seeds and chopped almost to death

cilantro
salt to taste
secret ingredient: Rose's Lime Juice

The key is to mix it all with your hands - it's the personal touch that makes it good. You might ask how Rose's Lime Juice came to be the secret ingredient - good story. The Boy and I were making Guacamole to go with our margaritas one summer afternoon after studying for the bar when we realized we were out of pure lime juice. No way were we going back to the store and no way were we not having our Guacamole. But it just wasn't right without the lime. So we added Rose's figuring, why not? It was the closest to lime juice we had on hand. And let me just say that the touch of sweetness is just what the chef ordered."

Now I personally like less onion, more finely chopped, more and hotter peppers, and fresh lime juice--but it's all good.

midnightsjane.livejournal.com

Easy and delicious, I made this tonight.

Recipe is from the March 2006 edition of Canadian Living Magazine:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried basil (I used more)
1 can (28 oz/796 ml) stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (I bought a jar of them, easy to use)
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Heat oil in saucepan, cook onions, garlic and basil until softened, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes, stock and red peppers; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Puree soup in blender or food processor.

Makes 4 servings.

Current Mood: full

atpotch.livejournal.com

This took me about four minutes.

1) Toast some wholemeal bread. You can toast white bread, of course, but frankly you should know better.

2) Spoon an avocado out of itself, and use the satisfyingly large stone as part of your juggling connection.

3) Mash inexpertly with a fork.

4) Spread the avocado onto the toast, possibly after confidentially smearing a small amount of butter underneath.

5) Squeeze the juice of a lime onto the green baize, (cut the lime in half first, it makes it easier).

6) Get some of that pepper which isn't the red, yellow pepper type, you know, the slightly spicy stuff, and sprinkle it on top, preferably through a mill, whatever one of those is.

7) Eat.

Easy, healthy, tasty. Food for people like me...

;-)

TCH

midnightsjane.livejournal.com

I made this yesterday for a pot luck, and it was a great hit. As requested, I'm cross-posting from my LJ.

Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Bread Pudding

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (I used more)
1 tbsp. each fresh thyme & rosemary (or 1/2tsp dried)
4 cups cubed French bread with crusts
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or milk
1/2 tsp. each pepper and salt.

In large skillet, heat oil, add onions & garlic. Cook over low heat until tender and very brown, about 15 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook until tender and all liquid is evaporated. Add herbs. In a large bowl combine onions & mushrooms with bread and cheese. In medium bowl, mix eggs and stock, add salt and pepper. Pour over bread mixture and bake in 2 qt. oven safe baking dish at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until puffed, set and golden.

Recipe from Canadian Living Magazine.

Current Mood: creative

ponygirl2000.livejournal.com

I served this to the neighbours tonight and we were all very happy. The rosemary gives it a nice savoury hint. It's a Lucy Waverman recipe but I made a few modifications.

1/2 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 tbsps butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Combine flour, sugar and 2/3 cup butter. Add pecans and rosemary, and mix until it's all crumbly.

Heat remaining butter and maple syrup in a skillet on med-high heat. Add apples and cook about 5 mins. until apples are softened and a bit darker in colour
Pour apple mixture into a baking dish and spread the crumble on top. Bake at 400F for about 25-30 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

ann1962

1 graham cracker pie crust

1 small can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz bottle of key lime juice, or about 15 key limes juiced (not regular limes, key limes are smaller)
4 eggs separated. Whites go into another bowl.

Mix milk, egg yolks together. Add half bottle of key lime juice. I have found a brand called Mrs. Biddles key lime juice here and in CT so I think it is widely available. Stir until thickened.

Pour this mixture into pie shell.

Meringue: Beat egg whites that are in another bowl until fairly stiff. Add a little sugar if you want to early in the mixing.

Top pie with meringue.

Place in 350 degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes until slightly browned.

Cool. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

PS: Key lime pie should never be green. Ever. IMO ;-)

atpocailleagh.livejournal.com

Hey. My dad has recently come out of hospital and has now decided, after years of me telling him, to change his diet.
I was wondering if anyone has any experience with making pastry using wholemeal flour and olive oil (as opposed to a hard fat).
I'm not great at pastry at the best of times, so please try to keep it simple!
Thanks.