Open Faced French Bread Pizza

This is another of those recipes I bought the ingredients for but on account of rain my tennis match was cancelled.  I made one any way and had it for dinner that night.  You can top these any way imaginable but here is what I did.  Split 1 Italian Loaf of Bread evenly down the middle lengthwise.  Preheat Broiler.  Brush each half with Olive Oil.  Add a layer of clean dry Spinach Leaves.  Thinly slice Tomatoes and lay them onto the spinach.  Using a press, press a Clove of Garlic and distribute as evenly as possible onto the tomato.  Add a small sprinkle of Kosher Salt and some Freshly Ground Pepper.  Top with a single layer of Munster Cheese (or whatever you are in the mood for).  I personally like the way this cheese melts and browns.  Add a sprinkle of Oregano.  BTW, you can always add fresh herbs under the cheese layer.  Place under the broiler for about 5-7 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and cut on the diagonal into 3-4" slices.  Nice for lunch, snack, appetizer or dinner.  If you are taking these somewhere, cut them onsite.

Granola and Fruit Served in a Waffle Bowl

I play tennis in a league and the home team provides the snacks for all of the players.  We pass around the duties throughout the team and there are always good things to eat where ever we play.

This week was my turn and yesterday we got rained out so I have all this food to eat!  Here is my idea for the Yogurt, Homemade Granola (recipe in this blog already), Ocean Spray Craisins, and Bananas all served in an edible Joy Waffle Bowls.  This is a prefect serving vessel for many occasions and will work nicely out on the courts.   Will have to try it again the next time we are the hosting team.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

I absolutely love this time of year.  I love the colors and the smells of the kitchen as we turn from herbs towards spices. After the long hot humid SE Louisiana summers, I especially love the cool weather.  Nothing warms a house faster than something fragrant baking or roasting in the oven.  When deciding on classic fall fare, I turn to the northeast for authentic recipes.  This recipe hails from Connecticut a la Carte which is owned by the Jr League of Hartford, Inc.  My sister gave me this book in 1982.  I made slight changes to update to my style of cooking.  The recipe calls for 2 cups sugar and I split the sugars using 1 cup each of granulated and light brown sugars.  Also, I only buy large eggs so I used 5 as they called for 4 extra large eggs.  Lastly, I always add vanilla to my baked goods.
Line 2 muffin tins with 11 muffin papers keeping open a corner for handling.  Preheat oven to 350.  Peel and grate 4-5 carrots on a grater box to produce 3 Cups Grated Carrot.  In a bowl fitted with the wire whip, beat 5 Eggs for about 30 seconds.  With mixer running, add 1 Cup Granulated Sugar and beat for 30 seconds.  Add 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.  Add 1 tsp Kosher Salt, 1 tsp Cinnamon and 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla.  Beat for another minute or 2.  In the meantime, sift 2 Cups Flour with 2 tsp Baking Powder and add slowly to the bowl with the mixer running on medium.  Stir in by hand 3 Cups Grated Carrot.  Using a 1/4 cup scoop, scoop batter into muffin papers and bake 1 pan at a time for 18-20 minutes or until fragrant and lightly golden.  I always test for doneness using a toothpick.  If it comes out clean, it's done.  Let cool completely and make a quick cream cheese icing.
Beat 1/4 Cup Butter with 4 oz Cream Cheese.  Add a few Tbl 1/2 & 1/2.  Add Powder Sugar until you have the consistency and volume you are looking for.  Go back and forth adding sugar and 1/2 & 1/2 as needed until it is perfect.  This is very forgiving.  You can even stuff the cupcakes with the icing and just top with powder sugar.  I like to color the icing in a variety of fall colors.  As you ice the cupcakes top them right away with things like, a Walnut Half, Holiday Sprinkles, Maple Sugar, Nutmeg, Candy Corn, Toasted Coconut and Vanilla Sugar.  Just have fun!

Chicken Marsala

I have eaten two preparations for Chicken Marsala.  One has a coating on the chicken and is assembled with the sauce when it's plated.  This is the preparation I have made.  The other is where the chicken is pounded thinner and has no coating.  In the latter preparation, the chicken is added back to the sauce before it is served.  I like both both but I prefer to make the coated chicken.
First, get the prep out of the way, because this dish goes together quickly.  Rinse and pound 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts to tenderize them.  If they are large, cut them into smaller pieces before pounding.  Using 2 flat bowls or pasta plates, add 2 Eggs and a splash of water to one.  To the other, add 1 Cup Flour and S&P to taste.  Rinse and slice thinly an 8oz package of Baby Bella Mushrooms and set aside.  Measure out 1/2 Cup Marsala Wine.  Open a 14 oz Can of Beef Broth (Swanson's).  Rinse and chop 1 Tbl Fresh Parsley and set aside.
Boil a large pot of water for pasta.  Once boiling add a generous amount to salt.  Cook pasta while chicken is cooking so both are done at the same time.  Drain and add a small amount of olive oil to pasta and place on a warm platter.
Use 1 skillet and this recipe per 4 chicken breasts so you end up with ample sauce.  Heat a 12" skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 1/2  Tbl Olive Oil.  Dredge chicken breast, one at a time, in flour shaking off excess, the egg mixture and then flour again.  Add to hot pan.  Once the first side is golden brown, turn, only once.  Lower the heat slightly otherwise the 2nd side will be golden but the chicken won't be cooked through.  Once done, remove and shingle the chicken on a plate.  Cover lightly with foil.  Deglaze the pan with the Marsala Wine.  Stir using a wire whip to remove the bits of flour.  Add broth and continue stirring.  Spoon 1 1/2 Tbl of the leftover Seasoned Flour into a small bowl.  Add a small amount of water to make a paste.  Spoon some of the hot sauce from the skillet into the bowl, stirring with a fork to make a slurry.  While stirring, add the slurry to the skillet.  Let this cook gently at a very low boil for 3 minutes, it will reduce and get a bit thicker.  Add the mushrooms and continue cooking.  Add S&P to taste.  Once done, turn off heat and swirl in 2 Tbl Butter.  Place chicken breasts on the pasta and add the sauce.  Garnish with parsley.  Serve immediately.

White Chocolate Chunk Milk Chocolate Heath Cookies

Sometimes the weather in New Orleans has just the perfect humidity and perfect temperature for the butter to make the most delectable cookies.  I love thin crispy but chewy cookies and these are to die for.  About 30 minutes before making the cookies, remove butter from refrigerator.  Preheat Oven to 375.  Rough chop (3) 4.4 oz Lindt White Chocolate Candy Bars and set aside.
In mixing bowl with paddle attachment, mix 2 Sticks UnSalted Butter with 3/4 Cup Sugar and 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar for about 2 minutes or until combined.  Add 1 1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla, 1 tsp Kosher Salt and 1 tsp Baking Soda.  Mix on the #2 setting until combined.  Add 2 Eggs, beating after each addition until combined.  Add 2 Cups of Flour and 1/2 Cup + 1 Tbl Old Fashioned Oats.  Mix until combined but don't over mix.
Stir in White Chocolate and (1) 8oz bag Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits.  Using a scoop, scoop out dough onto an aluminum sheet pan, 8 cookies to each pan.  Bake until fragrant and golden brown.  This recipe made 32 cookies plus a little bit of dough to eat!  Let the cookies cool for about 1 minute on the baking sheet.  Remove and let them cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

Lasagna

It's that time of year when we begin to move from the grill to things baking and roasting in the oven.  This past week I made a Lasagna with homemade pasta.  If you don't want to or know how to make pasta, you can buy the no bake sheets that are simple to use and come out great.  The reason I love to make my own pasta is that the lasagna portions serve up easily while the layers remain in their place.
You can use a jar sauce or whip up your own.  For your own, in Olive Oil saute over medium heat, 1 Small Diced Onion and some crushed or minced Garlic.  Add 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes.  Once it begins to bubble slightly, add S&P, Red Pepper Flakes, Fresh or dried Basil, Oregano and Parsley all to taste.  Turn off heat.  In the meantime, saute 1 1/2 Pounds of 85/15 Ground Beef with S&P.  You will also need 3 Cups Mozzarella Cheese and 8oz Ricotta Cheese. 
Begin by buttering well a Lasagna Casserole dish.  This is taller than a pyrex dish, allowing for 3 layers.  Lightly spread sauce, covering the bottom of the dish.  Add pasta sheets.  Add 1/3 of the remaining sauce.  Add 1/2 of the meat.  Add 1/2 of the Ricotta in dollops and spread with the back of a spoon and top with 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese.  Add pasta again and repeat with 1/2 of remaining sauce and all of the meat and ricotta.  Top with 1 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese.  Add Pasta and and this time add the remaining sauce and last cup of Mozzarella.  Add 1/4 of Shredded Parmesan.

Preheat oven to 400.  Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 - 35 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is browned.  Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.  Serve with a salad and warm crusty bread.  If you refrigerate this before baking, let it warm up before placing it in the oven.  For reheating as a leftover, I like to cut the portions and bake them on a cookie sheet at 350 for 20 minutes or so.

Nature's Own Bread

As soon as I got out on my own and began buying my own food I immediately steered away from white bread.  At that time, I purchased Roman Meal.  I moved to a city and it wasn't available so I switched to Nature's Own.  For the most part, I am a very loyal customer to brands until they change the recipe.  Then I am gone faster than you can say "pecan".  After eating the Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread for years, they changed the recipe.  I gave it time, hoping a batch was mixed wrong.  I bought if for about another month at 3 or 4 different stores.  I even ran into the guy filling the shelves and asked about it.  He admitted, it wasn't the first time he had heard this from a loyal customer.  The problem was the new version of the bread was gummy.  I moved to their Nature's Own Wheat Bread.  That's all we have eaten for about the past 6-7 years (or when ever it was that they changed their recipe).

If you buy this brand then you have seen their new bread called Nature's Own Honey 7 Grain and it is extremely good!  If you haven't tried it, it is awesome!  Toasted, it is as close to the bread I make in my bread maker.  I debated on buying this exclusively from now on and found myself drawn to it last time I was at the store so it may be our new bread.  I think good quality bread is very important to a household because it's such a large part of our daily food.  I love it toasted with turkey and tomato.  If you think about it, try it out and tell me what your opinion.  The comments section is open!

Coconut Chicken Strips with Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce

This recipe is light, fairly easy to make and very tasty.  First, prepare the Dipping Sauce.  Stir together Orange Marmalade with Prepared Horseradish.  I like mine flavorful and use a 1:1 ration.  Make yours to taste.   Using a meat tenderizer, pound Chicken Breasts to a consistent thickness.  Cut each breast into 4 strips lengthwise.  I used 3 breasts netting 12 strips.  Add 1 Egg White with a Splash of Water to a flat dish and mix until combined.  To a second flat dish, add 1 Cup Coconut.  Preheat oven to 200.  Line a baking sheet with a cooling rack.  Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbl Olive Oil and swirl to coat.  One at a time, add chicken strips to the egg wash then the coconut and add to the hot skillet.  Once golden brown, turn over.  Cook the second side and when done, place on the cooling rack and place in the oven.  Remove any coconut bits from the skillet.  If the pan gets too dry, add more live oil.  Keep cooking in batches until all of the chicken is cooked.  Serve immediately with the Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce.

Spaetzle

When I worked in Atlanta, I was surprised to see the Austrian Banquet Chef frequently serve spaetzle on large dinners, upwards to 1000 guests.  I don't think it's a common food in the US.  I learned quickly that I love spaetzle though!  I was at the Georgetown Dean and Deluca years later and found a home version spaetzle maker.  I paid about $15 for this cool gadget and I've had it since 1995.  I follow the simple recipe that came with the thing.  I have at times flavored my spaetzle dough with fresh dill depending on what I serve it with.
Boil a very large pot of water.  Salt the water after it has boiled.  In a bowl, measure 2 1/2 Cups Flour and 1/2 tsp Salt.  In a measuring cup, add 1/2 Cup Milk, 1/2 Cup Water and 2 Large Eggs.  Beat slightly.  Once water is boiling, add the wet ingredients to the flour and stir with a wooden spoon.  This makes a loose gooey batter.  Place the spaetzle maker on the pot of water.  Imagine this maker has a hopper and a cutter.  Add the dough to the hopper and move the hopper back across the cutter which allows the cut spaetzle to fall into the water.  The hopper has to stay over the pot, so you may not be able to make full lengths of the cutter but that will depend on the diameter of the pot.  Since the dough is raw, it cooks in about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes.  Once it floats it's done.
I like to drain it and place it in a flat bowl to help slow the cooking process.  Add 2 Tbl Butter and S&P to taste.  Some people like to then saute it in 1/4 Cup Butter and if making ahead that probably works great for reheating.  I don't need all the extra calories.  Serve immediately with Pork and Red Cabbage or Beets.

Panko Crusted Pork Chop

I like using the crispy Panko Bread Crumbs that are readily available at stores now.  This is a very simple dish and it's prepared quickly.  I always use thick chops because they are more moist and give me the time to get the rest of the meal ready.
Purchase Thick Cut Pork Chops, 1 per person.  In one bowl, beat 1 Egg with a Splash of Water, a Tbl Mustard (I use local Zatarains since it's stone ground) and Freshly Ground Pepper.  In a 2nd bowl, add Panko Bread Crumbs.  By the way,  I don't salt pork and the mustard provides saltiness.
Let the chops sit out for 15-30 minutes to get up to temperature.  Preheat oven to 350.  Preheat an oven proof skillet over medium heat until thoroughly heated.  Add 1 Tbl Oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet. Dip the chops in the egg mixture, turning once.  Coat with bread crumbs, turning once.  Add immediately to the hot pan.  After about 6-8 minutes the chop will be nicely browned on the first side.  Turn (once) and place in oven for 15 minutes.  When it's done, let it rest 5 minutes before serving.