To serve two, you'll need: 2 tbs unsalted butter 1 large egg 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 scallion, chopped, light green part reserved for garnish 2 tbs shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish optional: cooking spray To make this German Pancake, get out a small oven-safe skillet (mine looks like a mini wok and is 8 inches wide) and set your oven to 425 degrees. If desired, lightly spritz the pan with some cooking spray. Place the butter in the skillet. | I have stayed away from German Pancakes, or Dutch Babies (as they are often called), for no other reason than laziness. But after reading this article, I decided to try it... and It is delicious! Whipping the batter in a blender really keeps it airy and light, and the dramatic puffiness right out of the oven makes it an easy show-stopper for a romantic brunch for two. The taste is a lot like a crepe because of the high egg content of the batter. I added the savory addition of scallions and cheddar, treating this pancake a bit like I would a biscuit. It came out very beautifully, but I had to be careful of the salt content. Adding the cheddar to finish on top added some additional salty flavor. My pancake also slightly stuck to the bottom of my pan. I may do a light spritz of cooking spray before cooking next time. I hope you like this tasty brunch dish! |
When you've got all your ingredients ready, place the skillet in the oven, to allow the butter to melt. Use a blender to whip up the egg for a minute, then add the flour, milk, salt and pepper. Blend until well-mixed, then add the scallion and cheese, blending for a minute more. Using an oven mitt, take the skillet out of the oven, making sure that the butter is melted. Carefully swirl the pan, to coat all the sides with butter. Gently pour the batter into the skillet, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15-17 minutes, or until the outside is golden and the middle is puffed up. Cut into quarters, and serve immediately with the reserved scallion and cheddar on top. This would be great with a few slices of bacon or sausage alongside. Enjoy!
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To assemble the tacos, thinly slice your chorizo, placing three slices on each tortilla. Add some onions from your pan, and a slice or two of avocado. Sprinkle over the cheese, and rip some cilantro leaves over the top. Serve with lime wedges, and enjoy immediately.
Growing up in my grandmother's Italian kitchen, my mother had this often, but never really made it for us. Eggs baked in tomato sauce is an easy breakfast, lunch or snack that is wonderful with homemade tomato sauce (or tomato gravy, as my grandmother called it!). In a pinch, however, this is also delicious with a prepared jarred sauce. I love it because it's low-carb, and, as a soon-to-be bride, I am trying to tighten my figure! You don't have to keep this low-carb, however. This is delicious with toast, baguette, roll, or any other type of bread that you can dip into the yummy sauce. I cook my eggs to the over-hard stage, but cook yours to taste. You'll need: 1/2 cup of your favorite tomato sauce Splash of water (just so the sauce does not thicken too much) 2 eggs (if you would like more, you should add more sauce) Pinch of dried or fresh chopped parsley 2 tsp parmesan cheese Place the tomato sauce and splash of water in a saucepan or small frying pan with a lid. Mix to combine. Set over medium heat until it boils. Lower the heat, and add the eggs. Cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with the parsley and the parmesan. Cover to melt the cheese. Serve and enjoy!
I have never gone from watching an episode of a show to making the recipe faster than this one. First of all, hello! How are you? I have been away for quite a while, but I am glad to say I hope to be writing more soon! I recently went from a part-time to a full-time job, and I couldn't be happier! When I saw this cookie recipe on Anne Burrell's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, I knew I had to try it. After making these spicy cookies, Anne made some ginger ice cream to go with them. That sounds like an amazing combination. The spicy cookies with cool ginger to add depth of flavor as well as a creamy component sounds like a great treat for a party. While I didn't get to make these cookies into ice cream sandwiches, I plan to go out and buy Haagen Dazs Five's vanilla bean ice cream (or the ginger flavor, if I can find it!) to do just that as soon as possible. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves Pinch salt 1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 3/4 cup molasses Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw), for coating Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the molasses. In thirds, gently mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Using an ice cream scoop or a large melon baller, scoop out the cookie dough into 1-inch balls onto a sheet tray covered with turbinado sugar (Note: I used regular granulated sugar and they came out great. The texture would probably be better with the other sugar, though). Gently toss the cookies in the sugar, covering them completely. Place the sugar-coated dough balls on another sheet tray and gently squish a little. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Remove the cookies to a rack to cool. Serve with fresh whipped cream, a small dollop of cream cheese or mascarpone, or make into ice cream sandwiches using ginger or vanilla bean ice cream! Enjoy! When I first saw this recipe in Jamie Oliver's book: Happy Days with the Naked Chef, I was taken aback. Even though it sounded more than a bit unusual, I decided to try it. That was over five years ago, and I have loved this dish ever since! The milk separates while it cooks and creates this beautiful sauce, and the sage and cinnamon make it perfect for fall. Although the recipe calls for a whole chicken, I find it easier to use a chicken in pieces (or just legs). This time I served this dish with store-bought gnocchi mixed with steamed broccoli, but it would be great with mashed sweet potatoes, or mixed veggies and some great bread--don't waste that sauce! You'll need: 1 (3 pound) organic chicken, or 3lbs chicken pieces Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 ounces or 1 stick unsalted butter 1/2 cinnamon stick 1 good handful fresh sage, leaves picked Zest of two lemons, in large strips 6 garlic cloves, skin left on 1 pint (2 cups) milk 1 pkg gnocchi 1 head broccoli, chopped Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and find a snug-fitting pot for the chicken (that's also deep enough for the milk). Set the pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, and fry it in the butter; turning to get even golden color all over. Remove the pot from the heat, set the chicken on a plate to rest, and discard most of the butter from the pan (but leave any sticky brown bits--this helps form the sauce). Place the chicken snugly in the pot, and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook in your preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour (if using pieces) or up to an hour and a half (for a whole chicken). Baste the chicken every once in a while. Just before you take the chicken out of the oven, set a pot of salted water to boil for your sides. Remove the chicken from the oven, and let it rest while you cook the gnocchi (according to the package directions) and broccoli (steamed to your liking, or cooked in the boiling water before the gnocchi). Serve the chicken over the gnocchi, with plenty of sauce. Enjoy! Laura Calder from French Food at Home recently had an episode on thrifty recipes: foods that don't cost much, but pack a flavorful punch. When I saw this recipe, I had to try it. I recently read an article on the health benefits of lentils, and have been looking for interesting recipes that utilize this super legume. The smoky, spicy chorizo was a delicious complement to the earthy lentils, but I think I'm going to saute the veggies before adding the stock next time. I like a sweeter onion and carrot flavor. Definitely use good lentils, too. While store-brand lentils are amazingly cheap, the good ones aren't too expensive, and they have a much better taste. You'll need: 1 cup du Puy lentils (French green lentils) 1 carrot, chopped 1 yellow onion, sliced 1 bay leaf 1 fresh thyme sprig, or 1/4 tsp dried 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock Salt and freshly-ground black pepper Optional: lemon Juice 3 tbs olive oil 1 small chorizo sausage, thinly sliced Soak the lentils in cold water for 2 hours. Drain the lentils, and put them in a pot with the carrot, onion, bay leaf, thyme, and stock. Cover the pot and simmer until very tender, about 45 minutes. Discard the bay and thyme sprigs and let the lentils cool somewhat, then puree in a blender along with the vegetables, working in 2 batches to avoid an explosive mess. Note: Remember that if you put something too hot into a blender you may crack it. Add salt and pepper, to taste, along with a squeeze of lemon if you like. Gently reheat the soup. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and saute the chorizo slices until they curl, about 30 seconds. Turn and fry another 15 seconds. Serve the soup with the chorizo rounds on top and with some of the now bright-orange cooking oil spooned around. Enjoy! With the onset of cooler weather, I have been yearning for recipes from my youth. Comforting foods to keep me warm and cozy. My mom sent me this recipe, which she says is from the magazine Women's Day from around 1970! What a classic! The original recipe called for canned mushrooms, but since fresh mushrooms are so readily available, I used a pint of fresh button mushrooms instead. Some of the ingredients seemed interesting on paper, but everything came together perfectly and was just the way I remember! For the noodles, I used No Yolks Egg Noodles in the dumpling size--perfect to hold all that delicious sauce! To serve four, you'll need: 3 tbs Vegetable oil 1 medium yellow onion, sliced in half-moons 1 pint button or baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced 1 pound ground beef (my mom would use strips of tender meat, but ground was easier for me) 3 beef bullion cubes 1 cup hot water 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbs ketchup 1 tsp dry mustard 2 tblsp flour 1/2 cup cold water 2 tblsp dry sherry (optional--I used dry vermouth) 1 cup Sour cream 1 package wide egg noodles, tossed in a little butter or margarine Heat oil in skillet or wok over moderate heat; add onions and cook for two minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for three minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add meat and brown on all sides. Add bullion, water salt, ketchup and mustard. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with some butter or margarine. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, water and sherry (or vermouth) and stir until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture to meat mixture while stirring constantly. Bring to the boil and cook 1 minute longer. Lower the heat, add the sour cream and cook until just heated through, but do not boil. Serve over noodles. Enjoy! I was never a succotash person. First of all, I think lima beans are flavorless and dry. Not something I would make without a hefty bribe. But I love corn, tomatoes and zucchini, so I wracked my brain to find a suitable substitute for limas. I looked in the frozen food section of the store, and my easy answer was edamame--whole soy beans! They're good for you, high in protein, and a fabulous addition to this dish. Originally, Ellie Krieger made this dish with scallops, but they are also on my no-thank-you list. Feel free to saute a few and use those instead of the salmon. The parsley sauce just freshens up the dish and makes sure that you'll miss the summer that is quickly fading into crisp leaves and apple pies... You'll need: 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 ears corn, kernels removed 1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen edamame beans, thawed 1/2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved Good squeeze of fresh lemon juice 3/4 lb Salmon fillet Salt and pepper 1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaved parsley 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons water, if needed to thin the sauce Set a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the onion, stirring. Let cook for a minute, then add the garlic, corn kernels, thawed edamame, zucchini and grape tomatoes. Lower the heat slightly and let cook on a back burner while you make the salmon. Heat a grill pan over high heat, season the top of the fillet, and spray the pan with cooking spray. Lay the fillet, skin side down into the grill pan and cook for two minutes. Flip the salmon and cook for two minutes more. Now flip again, turning the salmon to make x-shaped grill marks. Cook for one minute on each side and set the salmon aside to rest (note: if your fillet is thicker, you might want to give it an additional minute or two of cooking). Finish the succotash with a squeeze of lemon juice and turn off the heat. Now make the parsley sauce by adding the parsley, olive oil and lemon juice to a blender. Blend to puree. If needed, add some water to thin the sauce. Serve the succotash with the salmon on top and some of the parsley sauce drizzled over all. Enjoy! Last Friday's Not Easy Being Green cocktail was inspired by the perfect way the peas and mint meld in this simple dish! This is a great meal for leftovers and for a weeknight, as it is simple to make; and it's a definite crowd-pleaser. Jamie Oliver came up with this recipe, and he says he makes it for his kids a lot. I used an American adaptation from the New York Times (it was just easier to measure this way). I love this recipe with a small side salad and an oaky chardonnay. Perfect to eat with friends and family, but also fancy enough for a date night in. Next time I plan to try it with pancetta and real crème fraîche. You'll need: Salt and pepper 10 slices smoked bacon or pancetta 1 pound dried mini-shell or other small pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups frozen peas 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves Juice of 1 lemon 6 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese Set a large pot of lightly salted water to boil on a back burner. Meanwhile, cut sliced bacon crosswise into thin slivers. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to taste. While pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. Add bacon or pancetta and a sprinkling of pepper, and fry until golden and crisp. Note: there was a lot of oil in the pan, so I drained some. I don't think it changed the recipe too much. Immediately add frozen peas and stir for a minute or two. Add crème fraîche or heavy cream and chopped mint. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta. Add pasta to the skillet and stir. Add lemon juice, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. The mixture should be thick; if desired, a splash of the pasta water may be added to the sauce to thin it slightly. Add Parmesan and stir to mix. Serve immediately with extra cheese on top. Enjoy! The inspiration for this dish was, yet again, Smitten Kitchen, but I had to change some things: I swapped the mozzarella cheese for pepper jack, and omitted the chives, adding fresh tomatoes and basil instead. What a win! A pizza with bacon is always welcome, and the pepper jack cheese added just the kick I was looking for. I think the basil wasn't necessary, as the flavor didn't come through as I wanted, but feel free to add it if you want. What a great brunch dish or weeknight meal! After I had cooked the bacon and discarded the fat, I realized I could have used some cooled bacon fat instead of olive oil in the pizza dough! If you try it, let me know how it comes out! For the dough, you'll need: 1 1/2 cups flour (I used 3/4 cup whole wheat) 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water 1 tbs olive oil or bacon fat The toppings: 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese About 5 grape tomatoes, quartered 4 eggs Salt and pepper 4 strips of bacon, cooked (but a bit underdone) 2 scallions, white and light green parts separated into two piles Few leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced Corn meal, for the baking sheet First make your dough: mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, and mix the warm water and oil in a separate bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients, slowly add the water to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Knead the dough for 15 minutes in a standing mixer, or as long as you like with your hands. Roll the dough into a ball, and lightly coat the dough and bowl with oil. Cover it with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place. Let rise for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and re-form it into a ball. Cover, and let rise an additional 20 minutes. Toss a handful of corn meal on to a baking pan, and preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Roll or stretch the dough into a pizza shape. Place the pizza over the corn meal, and top with both cheeses and the quartered grape tomatoes. Carefully crack the eggs, one into each corner of the dough. Season the top of the eggs, and place the pizza into the oven. Bake for five minutes. Chop or crumble your bacon. Remove the pizza from the oven and turn it around. Now add the bacon and the white parts from the scallions. Return the pizza to the oven for an additional five minutes. Let the pizza rest on the stovetop for a minute or two while you add the light green parts of the scallions and the basil leaves. Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy! |
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