Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Ingredients & Directions:

• 1 lb brussels sprouts, washed, cut in half (or quarters as long as they are about same size)
• 3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 2 T diced Garlic
• 1 T Soy Sauce
• 1/4 C White Wine

1. Heat pan on medium heat then add bacon. Fry up till bacon has rendered a good amount of the fat, about 5-10 minutes. Add garlic. Stir garlic well into the bacon, fry garlic until it becomes fragrant and soft, but not burnt.

2. Add brussels sprouts to the pan then add soy sauce and white wine. Stir evenly.

3. Cover, and turn heat to low and allow brussels spouts to slowly braise in the liquid for about 15-20 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are tender.

(Steven)

Orange Cream Scones with Craisins

Here’s a pretty simple, but tasty scone recipe I made the other day. 

Ingredients & Directions:

• 2 C flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/3 C sugar (and a little extra for sprinkling on top of precooked scones)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 T grated orange peel
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1/2 C cold butter
• 3/4 C cream (and a little extra for brushing tops of precooked scones)
• 2 T orange juice
• 1 egg
• 1/2 C Craisins

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Into a 3/4 cup measuring cup, add orange juice, then add cream to make 3/4 cup.
In a separate bowl, combine cream and orange juice mixture and the egg. Beat with a whisk until the egg is beaten into the cream mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, and orange peel.
Cut in butter into 16 pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside

Add the cream and egg mixture to the flour mixture; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Add Craisins. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough lightly 12 times. Pat the dough into a circle, 3/4 inch thick.

Cut scones in pizza shaped slices or use circular cutter.

Place scones on to a parchment lined baking sheet 1 inch apart. Brush tops of scones with a little cream and sprinkle each with sugar.

Bake in to the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

I also made some Sweetened Cinnamon Butter to serve with the scones.

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 T powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients into a small bowl until combined.

Serve warm so the butter melts.

(Steven)

Cranberry Clafouti

I made this Cranberry Clafouti for a family gathering this past weekend.  It’s from Martha Stewart’s November 2011 issue.

Ingredients & Directions:

• 1 T Butter
• 1/2 C plus 2 T of Sugar
• 1/4 C plus 2 T of Flour
• Pinch of Salt
• 2 Lg Eggs
• 1 C Chilled Heavy Cream
• 3/4 C Milk (I used 2%, the recipe recommends whole)
• 2 tsp Orange Zest
• 1 1/2 C of Cranberries, chopped
• Confectioner’s Sugar, garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a baking dish and sprinkle 2 T of sugar over the bottom.

Sift remaining 1/2 C Sugar, flour, and salt into a larger bowl.  Gradually whisk in eggs, 3/4 C Cream, milk, and orange zest.

Scatter cranberries into dish.

Pour batter over the top. 

Bake until puffed, slightly set, and brown around the edges, 30-35 minutes.

Optional topping: Whisk remaining 1/4 C of Cream until soft peaks form.  Dust clafouti with confectioners’ sugar.  Serve with whipped cream.

(Steven)

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

I’m just going to keep it simple here.  These were delicious and I can’t recommend them enough. Recipe from Made In Mel’s Kitchen.

Ingredients & Directions:

2 C Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 C packed light-brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.  Set that aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the  brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined.  Add dry ingredients, and mix on low until smooth. Fold in pumpkin puree. 

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

(I made 12 regular sized and 12 minicupcakes.)

Salted Caramel Buttercream

• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 2 T water
• 1/4 C heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 stick salted butter
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 C powdered sugar

In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.  (I set aside a little to drizzle over the cupcakes)

Cheddar Cheese Soup

My friend John gave me a cook book from the Epcot International Wine & Food Festival.  I read through the entire things and decided that this soup would be the first thing I would try making.

Ingredients & Directions:

• 1/2 pound of Bacon, cut into 1/2” pieces
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4” pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1/4” pieces
• 4 T Butter
• 1 C Flour
• 3 C Chicken Stock
• 4 C Milk
• 1 pound Cheddar Cheese
• 1 T Tabasco sauce
• 1 T Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1/2 C Warm Beer
• Chives for garnish

Cook the bacon, stirring, over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned, in a 4 or 5 Quart pot (or Dutch Oven).

Add the red onion, celery, and butter and saute until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes over medium heat. 

Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil for one minute.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the milk and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.  Do not boil after you add the milk.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth.  Stir in the warm beer.  If the soup is too thick, thin with some milk.

Serve hot, garnished with chives.

(Steven)

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple-Cinnamon Glaze

I don’t eat doughnut that often.  My boys, on the other hand, have their ‘usual’ that they get at Dunkin Donuts on on Sunday mornings.  They get chocolate munchkins and a chocolate frosted doughnut.  Every so often they’ll ask to make doughnuts at home.  This past week we made these pumpkin doughnuts with a little help from Taste & Tell’s recipe.  Only one of my boys liked these, but he’s much less picky than the other one.  I on the other had ate four.

Ingredients & Directions:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the doughnut pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream together the brown sugar, butter and pumpkin. Add in the eggs, mix well, then mix in the vanilla.

Stir the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients.

Place the mix in a large Ziploc baggie. Cut off the corner and pipe into the doughnut pan.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, let rest for 5 minutes, remove from pan, and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Maple-Cinnamon Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract (I used a Tablespoon of fresh maple syrup)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoons milk 

Mix together the powdered sugar, maple extract (or syrup), cinnamon and milk in a small bowl. 

Dip the doughnuts into the glaze and let rest a few minutes before serving.

(Steven)

Baked Egg & Ricotta Scramble

I went to brunch in Brooklyn with some friends recently and got a delicious pancake while they both got a baked cheddar egg.  I had been thinking about that egg dish since then and decided I would try my own version at home.  I had everything in my refrigerator and grab some fresh basil from my garden and whipped this up.  I think the best thing about this is that you can really just add whatever you want depending on your mood.  You can also just double or triple or whatever number it to make more than one or have people make their own versions.

Ingredients & Directions:

• 1 Lg. Egg
• 1/4 C Onion, sliced
• 1/4 C Ricotta
• 1/2 T Fresh Basil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1 T Olive Oil
• Sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese

Heat the oven to 375.  In a medium skillet over medium heat add the olive oil. Once hot add the onions.  Cook the onions stirring occasionally until lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Let cool.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs lightly. Add the ricotta, basil, salt, and pepper.

Add cooled onions to egg mixture.

Mix to combine.

Butter the ramekin. Pour the mixture into the ramekin. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and then place into the oven for about 15 minutes or until the egg is set and fully cooked.

Optional, but tasty: Sprinkle a little Parmesan Cheese and put under the broiler for until cheese melts. 

Once cool enough to handle place the ramekin on a plate and serve.

(Steven)

Avocado Lime Crema

I have been really bad about updating this blog.  I’m just going to blame it on the summer and vacation and just being busy.  Anyway, here’s a really simple recipe I used on some tacos I made recently.

Ingredients & Directions:

• 2 Avocados, peeled, pitted, & chopped
• 1/2 C Sour Cream
• Juice of 1 Lime
• 1/3 C Cilantro
• Salt & Pepper

Put avocado, sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro into food processor.  Puree until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill or serve right away.

I used it on both chicken tacos for dinner and egg tacos for breakfast.

(Steven)

Grilled Garlic & Honey Lamb Chops

I grill all year long and I live in New England so there are times when I am grilling in the snow; it’s just what we do.  Fortunately, it’s still summer and I grill almost every meal.  I got some lamb chops for a starter last night.  I use a similar marinade for chicken wings and thought it would translate nicely to the lamb chops.

Ingredients & Directions

• 8 Lamb Chops, bones frenched*
• 4 T Butter
• 2 tsp Garlic, minced
• 1 T Soy Sauce
• 2 T Honey
• 1 T Parsley (fresh would be better if you have it)
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper or 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

*One side of a rack of lamb is made up of 8 lamb ribs. Simply cut between the bones to get 8 lamb chops.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Add the soy sauce, honey, parsley, and cayenne/crushed red pepper. Stir to combine. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Sprinkle each lamb chop with a bit of salt & pepper. Divide the sauce into two portions. Set one half aside at room temperature. Use the other half of the sauce to brush one side of each chop. Refrigerate the chops for about an hour.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Rub the grill with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place the lamb chops on the grill, brushed side down. Cook for 2-4 minutes. While cooking, brush the other side with the remaining half of the honey-garlic sauce. Then, flip the lamb chops and cook for another 2-4 minutes, until they’ve reached an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees. They cook fast!

Like Ina Garten says, “How is is that?” It’s a perfect starter for any summertime meal, really an anytime starter if you ask me.

(Steven)