Zucchini and Tomato Mini Skillet Side Dish!

For Christmas, I gave my son these awesome 3 1/2" mini Lodge Skillets along with a skillet meals magazine.  We had to adjust the recipe for 4 mini skillets rather than a 10" skillet but it worked out well.   We will have lots of fun using them!  

First up, he had his friend K for dinner and I prepped and they built these cool side dishes.  Once done, we each had our own side dish served  hot from the oven.  Put these ingredients into separate dishes.  Thinnly Slice 1 Medium Zucchini.  Add Salt and Pepper to Zucchini and sweat the water from the Zucchini which will take about 15 minutes.  Slice 1 Small Onion, Thinnly slice the bulb of 1 Leek.  Cut in Half about 10-12 Grape or Cherry Tomatoes.  I make my own Bread Crumbs from the heals of bread but you can toast bread and make your own or even substitute Panko Crumbs.  

Preheat Oven to 375.  Lightly coat each pan with Olive Oil.  Add a layer of Onion.  Layer the Zucchini.  Add Leeks.  Top with Parmesan Cheese and Tomatoes.  Drizzle with Olive Oil and add a sprinkle of Oregano, Salt, and Pepper.  As we learned, these shrink slightly so you can fill them to the very top.  Bake in a hot oven for 25-30 minutes.  Let rest and serve on a small plate straight from the oven to the table  Enjoy!

Emeril's Breakfast Stratta

My Mom used to make a breakfast stratta for certain family events.  I realized at Thanksgiving, during a conversation about Christmas morning breakfast traditions, that I have never made her stratta or any stratta for that matter.  

This December, while watching Rachel Ray, Emeril was a guest and what do you think he made?  A stratta! But it was tall because it was made with large cubes of bread rather than sliced bread.  It was the traditional "make the night before and bake in the morning" affair so I dedcided to give it a try.   Wow, it was delicious - and of course it doesn't hurt that it is made with Gruyere Cheese!

He calls his a Morning Breakfast Bake and he uses Canadian Bacon.  My family prefers Sausage so I crumbled sauage patties instead.  I did omit the garlic because I don't like garlic for breakfast but for brunch or "we're having breakfast for dinner" I would probably add it.  Feel free to swap out Shallots for the Onion.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 TBL Butter and to it add: 6 Crumbled Breatfast Sauage Patties and cook for about 5 minutes while stirring often. Add 1 Small Onion Diced and 1/4 tsp Salt and cook until the onion has sweated, about 2-3 minutes.  Have ready 1 pound of prewashed Baby Spinach.  Add half of the spinach to the skillet and once it is reduced in volume, add the other half.  Once it is wilted, remove the skillet from the heat.  

Butter a 9" x 9" x 2 3/4" - in other words tall baking dish.  Cut a Loaf of Bakery Bread (some suggestions are Italian, Sour Dough, Boulle or my favorite is Pane di Casa if you have a Harris Teeter) to 1 1/2 " cubes.  Grate 8 oz. Gruyere Cheese.  

Add the bread to the dish and top with sausage topping and grated cheese - preserving about 1/2 Cup of Gruyere for the top.  It works well to get the topping between the cubes of bread.  Just keep building until all the topping is gone and 3/4 of the cheese is used.   

In a bowl beat 10 Eggs,  2 Cups 1/2 & 1/2, 1 Cup Milk, 1/2 tsp Pepper, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg.  Gently pour egg mixture over the bread and toppings.  You may have to re-distribute any topping that got disrupted.  Press gently so the bread comes into contact with the egg mixture.  Top with about 1/2 Cup of preserve Gruyere.  Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.  

In the morning, remove dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.   Preheat oven to 400.  Bake incovered for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown and "set".  Let rest for 5 minuted before cutting into generous squares.  Serve with fresh fruit.  If you want to go crazy,  serve Vermont Maple Syrup along side of it for a light drizzle.  

Hopefully this dish will be part of your holiday tradition or your favorite "we're having breakfast for dinner" meal on that cold January night!  Enjoy!!

Cheese By Numbers (as found on Instagram) my first try

I began following CheeseByNumbers after I saw Melissa Mullen on Rachel Ray.  I need to get better at this but I had a lot of fun putting it together.  I easily could've added some sprigs of herbs and grapes, but I couldn't find Champagne Grapes which is what I wanted.  On the left is my jumping off point.

This is what a made.  Beginning at the top left corner and serpentining around the tray:  Grains First Crackers, Pepperoni, Camembert wedges with Pomegranate,  Pistachios behind the Olives, Kalamata Olives - in a bowl I made about 17 years ago, Sliced Gouda, Blue Cheese Spread with Pomegranate, Crisp and Buttery Crackers, the small bowl is for local honey, Fontina Cheese wedges, Blackerries, Duck Liver Pate, not seen Whole Cashews, Hard Salami.  

Lots to learn but lots of fun, too! 

Here's one that served 10 people on Thanksgiving Day, pre-feast.  

Barbeque Shrimp meets Sushi

Using Pinterest, I saved a picture of something like this but when I went to review the recipe I got an error message.  This past Thanksgiving, while in the Outerbanks, we had an Asian inspired night and my sister, D, made something similar to what I had previously pinned.  

I hosted a party last night and did a mix of the 2 things I had in mind knowing all the while I would be blending the ingredients with New Orleans style Barbeque Shrimp seasoning.

This recipe made 20 stacks.  Cook 1 Cup Nishiki Rice as directed on the package.  Once done, place it into something like a large flat bottom bowl or platter so it can cool.  I like to use a flat bottom wooden salad bowl in order to give me a lot of surface area.  Dress the rice for Sushi sprinkling the following: Mix together 1 Tbl Rice Vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp Sugar, 1/2 tsp Salt.  Using 2 forks lightly toss until the seasoning is combined with the rice.

Using a total of 3 Avocados, mash 1 1/2 Avocados and dice 1 1/2 Avocados.  Add the juice of 1/2 Small Lemon, Salt and Pepper and 1/2 Cucumber, peeled and seeds removed then diced.  Mix together gently.  Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble.

Cook the Fresh Shrimp (in my case I cooked 24 of them) over medium heat in 2 TBL Butter.  Once almost done, add the Juice of the other 1/2 Small Lemon, 1TBL Worcestershire Sauce, 1-2 TBL of your favorite Barbeque Shrimp Seasoning.  Toss to coat and turn off heat.  

To assemble, I used a tall 2" round metal timbale mold.  Using wet fingers, press 1 1/2 to 2 Tbl Prepared Rice to the mold.  Continue making the rounds until the rice is gone.  Add desired avocado to the rice, top with a single shrimp.  

If you want a more refined look, you can also add rice again to the the top of the avocado and then remove it from the mold.   Then top that with a shrimp placed on its side and drizzled with the barbeque butter.  I thought this was plenty of rice for the very large shrimp I used.   For my first time, I thought this was quite tasty.  

Chocolate Macaroon Pie by Dorothy Kern

I would aptly rename this recipe Coconut Macaroon Chocolate Ganache Tart.  I think it more fittingly describes what you are making.  

This was one of those videos that floated around a few weeks ago that caught my attention.  I've now made it two weekends in a row but the 2nd time I made a few adjustments and I think it turned out extremely well!  My in-laws were visting last weekend so I made it for the first time for them.  My son had a friend over yesterday and rather than spend money on dessert, I told them to come home and make it for dessert to eat a few hours later.  I think my adjustments made it a keeper so I'm sharing it with you!!

Thank you Dorothy for yet another tart shell idea.  Tarts have to be one of my favorite things to make.  

So first off, I used a 10" tart pan and had way too much crust for the size pan.  I bought an 11" tart pan yesterday and it was perfect.  I also cooked it longer than the recipe stated because I wanted the tart shell to be a dark golden brown and slightly crunchy on the exterior while still being chewy in the middle.  Wow, this did it perfectly.  

The only thing I would add is either berries, for instance Raspberries, or any kind of toasted nut like Macadamia or Hazelnuts chopped up and topped atop whipped cream at serving.  NOTE: I topped the slices with whipped cream to order to cut the richness.

Let's get started.  Preheat oven to 350.

To a large bowl, measure 5 1/2 Cups Coconut.  Add to it 2/3 Cup Flour and 1/2 tsp Salt.  Mix to coat the coconut.  Add (1) 14oz Can Sweetened Consensed Milk and 2 tsp Vanilla and mix until combined.  Press into the tart pan using floured fingers.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

With 5 minutes to go, make Ganache.  In a heavy bottomed pot, Heat 1 Cup Heavy Cream until it's about to boil NOTE: Don't let it boil.  Remove from heat and add 12oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, I used Nestle's Chips.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and completely combined.  When shell comes out of the oven, pour in ganache.  Let cool for 5 or so and place in refrigerator.  

Serve once it sets up and can be sliced.  Top with whipped cream and chopped nuts.  Enjoy with hot coffee!

Brie Bites in Phyllo Cups

This is one of those simple recipes.   I don't know what magazine this came from.  I cut it out and threw the magazine away when I was getting ready to move.  I made a couple of adjustments after making it a second time, so this is what I have.  

Preheat oven to 350.  

Buy 2 Packages of Phyllo Cups in the frozen secion.  They come pre-baked and 15 per box.  Place them on a cookie sheet.

Cut the rind off an 8oz Wheel of Brie.  Cut into strips about 1/4" thick.  Cut the strips into pieces about 1" long.  Add 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Jelly to the bottom of each cup.  Place Brie piece on top of the jelly and press down lightly.  Top with a Pecan half.  Brush the pecan with Melted Butter.  

Place in oven for 8-10 min until chesse is melted and bubbly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Avocado Caprese Salad

This was another video that was floating around.  You hardly need a recipe.

Heat 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar with a Pinch of Sugar over medium heat.  As soon at it starts to simmer, remove from heat.  The water will evaporate to create a more concentrated thicker Balsamic Glaze. 

Cut Avocado in half and remove the pit.  Brush with Lemon Juice to keep from turning brown.  Cut Mozzarella Pearls  and Grape Tomaotes in half.  Add these to the avacado cavity.  Drizzle with Oil Olive and Balsamic Glaze.  Add S&P and Basil.  Serve at once. 

Chicken Roulade

You've seen the quick videos that show a dish being prepared, well this one caught my eye.  What I like most about it is that it can be made most of the way and finished in the oven in about 20 minutes give or take whether or not I had to refrigerate it first.  I like a meal like this  because I can get it mostly ready then dinner can be on the table in the time it takes to cook the pasta.  



Preheat oven to 375.  


Each chicken breast will net 2 roulades.  First, rinse 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts and filet each in half resulting in 2 full sized breasts but half as thick.  Place in a gallon zip lock and pound them to get a consistant thickness.  Pat them dry with a paper towel.  Add S&P and Pesto.  (NOTE: I added Basil Leaves instead of pesto, so either way can work.)  Add 2 or 3 Thin Roma Tomato Slices and Grated Mozzarella Cheese.  Roll the chicken breast, starting with the pointed end and secure with a tooth pick.  Heat a skillet over medium and add Olive Oil to coat.  Brown all sides of the chicken.  It will not be completely cooked through and will have to be finished in the oven.  

Once browned, top with Mozzarella Cheese, drizzle with Olive Oil and add S&P and a Basil Leaf. Add Grape Tomatoes to the pan and place in hot oven for 15-20 minutes.  Serve over hot Pasta. 

If making this ahead:
Once the roulades are browned, let cool and refrigerate .  Remove from the refrigerator as the oven heats to 375.  Heat the skillet and add Olive Oil to coat.  (If you don't heat the skillet first, the chicken will absorb the oil resutling in a greasy finsihed product.)  Add the Chicken Roulades and top with Mozarella and drizzle with Olive Oil and S&P and a Basil Leaf.    Add grape tomatoes and place in hot oven.  May need 20-22 minutes to finish so it is cooked thoroughly and hot in the center.  Serve over hot pasta.  

Some other roulade ideas are Brie and Asparagus or Ham and Swiss.  

Jalapenos & Fresh Corn-off-the-Cob Corn Muffins

I have been wanting to make these for ages.  I had Fresh Corn-off-the-Cob and  home grown Jalapenos Peppers.  Though it's hot out today, I made them anyway. 

Feel free to mix up your own corn muffin mix from scratch, but I used Jiffy since I've been wanting to use it up.  Remember, muffins (no matter what kind) are wet into dry and are only mixed until just blended.  

This makes 10;  I like to leave the corners open for easy handling.  Preheat oven to 400.  Either grease a muffin pan or use paper muffin papers.  
Add 1 Box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix to a bowl.  Add 1 Cup Fresh Corn and 1 Minced Jalapenos Pepper and stir.  In a measuring cup, measure 1/3 Cup Milk and add 1 Large Egg, stir to combine.  Add wet to dry and blend until just blended.  Using a scoop, fill each cup until 2/3 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  

I plan to serve mine with honey flavored butter, but either ingredient on their own works well too!  Enjoy!!

Potatoes Anna

This is a very old classic recipe.  It's simple to make and cooks in the oven.  

Peel 2-3 lbs Potatoes.  I used small Russets for this, because that's what I had on hand.  Cut a 1/2 Stick Butter into small cubes.  

Preheat oven to 425 and spray a 10" oven safe skillet with cooking spray.  I used my All-Clad stainless skillet.  

Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes to 1/16" and arrange them into the pan in a shingled, circular fashion.  After each layer, season lightly with Salt and Pepper and after every 2 layers, dot with butter cubes.  Make 6 layers in all and dot the top with butter.  

Cover the skillet and place in hot over for 40 minutes.  Remove lid and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes til a deep golden brown.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.  The "pancake" should easily be removed from the pan and place on a plate with the bottom side upward.  Serve at once, sliced into wedges.