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@prettygirlfoodrecipes
Chicken Souvlaki Salad
A chicken souvlaki salad packed with Mediterranean flavors and a tzatziki dressing that makes a perfect light summer meal.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups chicken souvlaki, warm
6 cups lettuce, sliced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
¼ cup feta, crumbled
½ cup tzatziki sauce
Directions
Assemble the salad and enjoy!
Chicken Shawarma with Tomato-Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
makes 4 servings
For the chicken:
2 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the sauce:
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
¼ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
For the salad:
2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces grape or sweet 100 tomatoes, halved (about ¾ cup)
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 to 8 pita, for serving
Instructions
For the chicken:
Mix everything except the chicken together in a large, nonreactive dish until well combined. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the mixture. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes; meanwhile, prepare the sauce and salad.
For the sauce:
Combine everything in a small bowl and mix to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.
For the salad:
Combine cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and toss to combine. Set aside until ready to use, at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
To cook the chicken:
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high (about 400°F) and rub the grill with a towel dipped in vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let any excess marinade drip off.
Place the chicken on the grill and cook uncovered, turning rarely, until it’s charred and the juices are running clear, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat and let rest a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat the pita bread by lightly toasting on the grill.
To serve, thinly slice the chicken across the grain. Spread a spoonful of yogurt-tahini sauce on the pita, add a bit of the thinly sliced chicken, top with the tomato-onion salad, and serve.
TIPS:
- If you don’t have the spices, you could also use a big pinch of curry powder instead. Of course, it won’t be very traditional but it will be tasty.
- Chicken can be marinated up to 12 hours ahead –- cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
French Apple Tart
Ingredients For the pastry: 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon sugar 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced ½ cup ice water For the apples: 4 Granny Smith apples ½ cup sugar 4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, small-diced ½ cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam 2 tablespoons Calvados rum or water
Directions For the pastry, place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 x 14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in ¼-inch-thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full ½ cup sugar and dot with the butter. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don’t worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart’s done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
20-Minute Turkey Taco Nachos
ingredients:
½ sweet onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound 94% lean ground turkey (or whatever you choose) 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock 1 (8 ounce) bag of your favorite tortilla chips 1 cup black beans (if canned, then drained and rinsed) 6 ounces white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
4 green onions, sliced 2 tomatoes, chopped 2 cups lettuce, shredded 1 avocado, chopped ½ cup freshly torn cilantro 2 tablespoons snipped chives plain greek yogurt or sour cream for serving
directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions and garlic, stirring well and cook for 2 minutes. Add in ground turkey, breaking up with a large wooden spoon. Cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
While turkey is cooking, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spread tortilla chips out. You can also chop the tomatoes, lettuce, onions and avocado at this time. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Add it to the turkey and stir well (continuing to break up the pieces of turkey with the spoon) until combined, then stir in chicken stock. Toss well to combine.
Heat the broiler on your oven. Add half of the cheese over top of the chips. Evenly spread turkey over the cheese and chips, then cover with the black beans and remaining cheese. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, just until cheese is melty and gooey and the chips are warm. Remove from the oven and immediately cover with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, avocado and cilantro. Serve with yogurt/sour cream and chives.
Chicken Gyro Salad with Home Pita Chips, Watermelon and Feta
Ingredients
Pita Chips
3 pita rounds, homemade or store bought
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated (optional)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
sea salt and pepper
Chicken
zest from 1 lemon
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salad
1 red pepper
1 orange peper
2 cups watermelon chunks
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup kalamata olives or green olives or both, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
5 cups butter or romain lettuce, chopped
4-6 ounces feta cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large salad bowl (the one you want to serve the salad in) add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, honey, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper (if using), salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Remove about 1/4 cup of the dressing and place it in a large ziplock bag or a medium size bowl or baking dish. Add the chicken to the bag, bowl or dish and toss well. Place the chicken in the fridge for 20 minutes or up to overnight. Set the remaining dressing aside.
While the chicken marinates make the pita chips. Cut pitas into 8 wedges (or more if your pitas are big). Pour olive oil into a bowl along with the garlic, oregano and paprika. Brush the pita chips with the olive oil and garlic mixture and then sprinkle with fresh sea salt and pepper. Arrange pita chips on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Grill the red and orange peppers for about 10 mins or until slightly charred, but still crisp. At the same time grill the chicken for a total of about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove both from the grill and allow to cool 5 minutes. Then thinly slice the chicken and peppers.
To the salad bowl with the dressing, add the peppers, tomatoes, olives, red onion and lettuce. Toss well and top with the chicken, watermelon chunks, feta cheese and pita chips. Eat!
Lemon Chicken Romano
Ingredients
2 (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally*, and pounded to 1/2-inch thick
2 oz shredded Whole Milk Mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)
2 oz shredded Provolone cheese (1/2 cup)
1 large egg
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 oz finely shredded Romano cheese (1/2 cup)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Zest of 1 lemon (2 tsp)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Lemon slices or wedges for serving (you can just use the one that was zested)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle each side of the chicken cutlet lightly with salt (about 1/16 tsp per each side), let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Combine Mozzarella and Provolone cheese in a bowl, set aside.
In a shallow dish, whisk together flour and egg until smooth. In a separate shallow dish, toss together Panko bread crumbs, Romano cheese, oregano, lemon zest, garlic powder and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with 1 chicken cutlet at a time, dredge chicken in egg mixture coating both sides and allowing excess to run off, then immediately transfer to Romano mixture and coat both sides with mixture, while pressing gently to allow crumbs to adhere. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat process with remaining chicken cutlets. Pour 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and vegetable oil into a 10-inch non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add 2 coated chicken cutlets and fry without moving them until bottom is crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes, then using metal tongs rotate to opposite side and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer fried chicken to a large plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat process with remaining 2 pieces of chicken.
Place cutlets on rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle tops with Mozzaralle cheese mixture and transfer to preheated oven to bake until internal temperature registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometor, about 12 minutes (you can broil during the last 1 - 2 minutes if desired). Remove from oven and garnish with lemon slices or wedges, serve warm. Squeeze fresh lemon juice from lemon slices over chicken just before enjoying.
*freeze chicken breasts for 15 minutes to help slice easier, then lye breast flat and trim into two pieces through the thickness of the breast.
Eggs Benedict with Steamed Asparagus and Crispy Prosciutto
Makes 2 servings
2 English muffins, split and toasted
8 thick asparagus, tough ends removed and split lengthwise (or 16 thin asparagus), steamed for 1 minute in the microwave then drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fleur de sel and black pepper
4 slices prosciutto, cooked in a pan for about 30 seconds per side, or until lightly browned and crisp
For the sauce (recipe adapted from Everyday Food Magazine) 2 large egg yolks 1 tablespoon warm water 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt (do not add salt if you use salted butter) 1/2 cup (1 stick) goat’s milk butter (or regular butter, salted or unsalted)
For the poached eggs 4 very fresh large eggs A large pot of water, heated to just below boiling point, about 200˚F or 90˚C (use a thermometer to monitor it) A good pinch of salt 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Prepare the English muffins, the asparagus and the prosciutto slices. I made sure everything was ready before making the sauce and the eggs. I kept the English muffins warm in a 180˚F (85˚C) oven with the serving plates and zapped the asparagus and prosciutto slices in the microwave for 10 seconds to warm everything up right before serving.
Make the sauce: In a blender, combine egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and salt; blend until frothy. Heat butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium until bubbly (do not let brown). With blender running, pour in hot butter in a very thin stream, blending until sauce is thick and emulsified. Transfer to a measuring cup and cover until service. Heat it back up in the microwave for about 30 seconds (low power setting) before serving if needed.
What to do if your sauce breaks (the fat separates from the rest of the sauce or it starts to look curdled): you need to add a fresh egg yolk to rebind the liquids. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water. Pour your sauce back into the blender and mix at low speed. With blender running, slowly pour the new egg yolk/water mixture into the sauce. Mix for 10-15 seconds and just like that, it should be fixed. Heat it back up gently in the microwave (low power setting) right before serving.
Make the poached eggs: Bring the water to 200˚F or 90˚C and add the salt and vinegar. Crack your eggs one by one in a small bowl first (make sure not to break the yolk or you can’t use the egg!) then gently slide the entire egg into the water to poach. You can add the four eggs to the pot to cook them all together. 3 ½ minutes will cook the eggs until the edges of the yolk are cooked and the center is still runny. Fish the eggs out one by one with a slotted spoon and reserve in a small plate.
Assemble your Eggs Benedict: Take your English muffins and warm plates out of the oven. Place one slice of prosciutto on each muffin, then divide the asparagus stalks in four portions, placing them over the prosciutto. Top with a poached egg and a generous spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Garnish with thinly sliced chives and freshly ground black pepper.
Bacon & Basil Spaghetti
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into strips (I used Wellshire Farms Black Forest Bacon) 4 ears corn, kernels removed 3/4 cup whipping cream 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
Set a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until the fat renders and begins to turn golden. Remove with a slotted spatula to paper towels and set aside.
Add the corn kernels to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are just tender. Remove from heat and place half of the corn in a food processor or blender. Add the cream, cheese and salt and pulse until smooth. Return the creamed corn to the pan and mix with whole kernels.
While you’re preparing the corn, set a large pot of water to boil and cook your pasta until almost al dente. Transfer the pasta directly from the pot into the skillet, allowing some pasta water to transfer with the noodles. Add the bacon and pepper and toss the spaghetti with the corn until evenly coated.
Serve and sprinkle with the basil leaves and more Parmesan.
Makes 4 servings.
Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad
1 cup chicken breast, cooked and shredded ¼ cup corn ¼ cup black beans, rinsed and drained ¼ cup green onions, chopped ¼ cup tomatoes, diced ¼ cup cilantro, chopped ¼ cup corn chips, crushed 2 tablespoons white vinegar 4 tablespoons mayonnaise Salt to taste 2-4 avocados, sliced in half with pits discarded
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken breast, corn, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and corn chips together. Add the vinegar and mayonnaise to mixture and toss to coat. Salt to taste. Spoon salad into halved avocados. Serve immediately with a spoon and fork. Enjoy!
Ginger Date Pudding Cakes with Rum Walnut Toffee Sauce
makes 8 servings
Cake
6 dried dates, pitted
1 1-inch piece ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and reserved
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (254 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (133 g) sugar
1/3 cup (45 g) candied ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/2 (223 g) cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
Sauce
1 1/2 cups (149 g) walnut halves
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (133 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (227 g) heavy cream
1 1/3 cups (254 g) dark brown sugar
1 1-inch piece ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and reserved
2 tablespoons dark rum
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter eight 4-oz ramekins, or butter and sugar eight 3” high by 2 1/2” diameter ring molds.
Place dates, ginger, salt, vanilla seeds and pod, and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add in the baking soda, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Remove pan from heat, take out ginger slices and vanilla pod from the mixture, and set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, candied ginger, and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Add in the dates and the cooking liquid, and mix until the dates are broken into small pieces and the mixture is well combine. The mixture may turn a funny grey or greenish color from the dates but don’t worry, the cake will turn out nice and brown!
With the mixer on low, add in the flour and baking powder. Mix until fully combined.
Add in the egg and mix until combined.
Divide batter among the prepared ramekins or ring molds. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to open the oven too often to check the cakes as this will make them deflate.
Cool cakes on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before unmolding. Let them finish cooling as you make the sauce.
To make the sauce: Combine butter, cream, brown sugar, ginger, salt, vanilla seeds and pod, and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat and let simmer until it becomes a thick sauce, about 10 minutes.
Remove ginger slices and vanilla pod. Stir in the walnut halves and return to a boil. Let simmer until it becomes thick and sticky, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the rum. Let cool slightly before using.
To serve, pour sauce around cakes. Serve immediately.
Sticky Lemon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
Makes 12 large breakfast rolls
Lemons, for dough, filling, glaze, and garnish 3 large lemons, at room temperature
For the dough: 1 envelope (0.25 ounces, or 2 1/2 teaspoons) active yeast 3/4 cup milk, warmed to about 100°F (warm but not hot on your wrist) 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft, plus 3 tablespoons more for roll assembly 1/4 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 large eggs
For the sticky lemon filling: 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
For the lemon cream cheese glaze: 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar
Prepare the lemons: Zest and juice the lemons. Divide the zest into three equal parts. One part will be used in the dough, a second part in the filling, and the final part will be sprinkled on top of the baked rolls for appearance and flavor.
Divide the juice into two equal parts, and set aside. Half of the lemon juice will be used in the lemon-sugar filling for the rolls. The other half will be used in the glaze.
Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a few minutes or until foamy. With the mixer paddle, stir the softened butter, sugar, vanilla, and one cup of the flour into this milk and yeast mixture. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and one part (1/3) of the lemon zest. Stir in the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet sticky dough.
Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is elastic and pliable.
(If you do not have a stand mixer, stir together the ingredients by hand, then turn the soft dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead the dough by hand for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, pliable, and stretchy.)
Lightly grease the top of the dough with vegetable oil, and turn the dough over so it is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let the dough rise until nearly doubled — about one hour.
Make the filling: In a small bowl, mix 1 cup sugar with the nutmeg and ginger, then work in the second part of the lemon zest (1/3) with the tips of your fingers until the sugar resembles soft sand. Slowly pour in one part (1/2) of the lemon juice, stirring. Stop when the sugar and lemon juice form a thick, clumpy mixture like wet sand. (You may use all of the reserved half of the lemon juice; you may stop before completely adding that half of the lemon juice, depending on how much juice you got from your lemons.)
Assemble the rolls: Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface pat the dough out into a large yet still thick rectangle — about 10x15 inches.
Spread the dough evenly with 3 tablespoons of very soft unsalted butter, then spread the lemon-sugar mixture over top. Roll the dough up tightly, starting from the top long end. Stretch and pull the dough taut as you roll, to keep the lemon sugar firm inside. Cut the long dough roll into 12 even rolls. Pinch the bottom of each roll closed to help keep the lemon sugar inside, and place each one, open and cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.
Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled. (You can also refrigerate the rolls at this point. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or a towel, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour before proceeding with baking.)
Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.
Make the glaze: While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small food processor (or with a mixer, or a sturdy whisk), whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the remaining part lemon juice and blend until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy.
Finish the rolls: When the rolls are done, smear them with the cream cheese glaze, and sprinkle the final part (1/3) of the lemon zest over top to garnish. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, but do serve while still warm.
All Natural Red Velvet Cupcakes
3/4 cup beet puree (directions follow)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (not bleached flour)
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder (not Dutch Process, or dark cocoa powder)
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Empty the food processor of the beet puree (see below). Measure out 3/4 cup of beets and add it back to the food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment. Save any extra beet puree for another use. Add in vinegar and lemon juice (if you didn’t already add it when you were pureeing the beets), followed by the rest of the ingredients. Pulse the mixture a few times until the batter is smooth. Scoop mixture evenly into cupcake liners.
2. Bake for 18 minutes, or until the cupcakes in the center spring back up when touched. Remove cupcakes from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting (I used a large pastry bag and a large star tip—Wilton 1M).
roasted beets
2 medium beets, or 1 large beet, scrubbed and rinsed
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Fill a small roasting dish with 1/2 inch of water. Place beets in the water, and cover with a piece of parchment paper and a large piece of aluminum foil. Roast for 60-90 minutes, or until the beets are very tender to the point of a knife.
2. When beets are cooled completely, peel, and cut into large chunks. Place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 2 minutes, or until extremely smooth. If the beets need a little moisture to help them along, you can add the lemon juice and the vinegar from the recipe above, and then just don’t add it later.
cream cheese frosting
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Beat all ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
Breakfast Carbonara
This would serve about two people, and only takes about 10 minutes to make.
1/2 lb of mostacolli pasta
4 egg yolks, whites discarded
3 slices of bacon, or pancetta
2 cloves of sliced garlic
1/2 cup of parmesan
3/4 cup of cream
1 handful of torn basil
salt and pepper
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta, about 8 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, place a small saute pan over medium heat, slice your bacon and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes. In a mixing boil whisk your cream, egg yolks, parmesan and basil. By this time your pasta should be just about finished. Turn off heat, drain the pasta, and return to its hot cooking pot. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Add the bacon and garlic, and fold the ingredients together. There should be just enough residual heat in the pot and pasta to lightly cook the eggs without making them too clumpy, you are aiming for a slightly viscous consistency. Plate and season with salt and pepper, not too much salt as the parmesan already brings a degree of salty-ness with it.
Dulce de Leche Brownies
Line an 8″ square tin with parchment and heat the oven to 175 degrees C.
Gather these:
135g butter 100g sugar 55g cocoa pinch of salt 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 lightly beaten eggs 125g plain flour 75g dark/plain chocolate 1 can of dulce de leche (you don’t need all of it)
Then do this:
Heat the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and cocoa gently in a heavy pan, stirring until it melts. It will still be a bit grainy, but don’t let it boil. Take it off the heat and let it cool a minute then mix in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the flour, then beat well with a wooden spoon until glossy and thick. Pour half the mix into the lined pan. Cook at 175 for 15 minutes. Take it out and let it cool for 15 minutes. Spread* 1/2 to 3/4 of a can of Carnation caramel or dulce de leche over the cooked brownie. *I heated mine up first and poured it on, I wouldn’t bother with this step next time. Spread the rest of the brownie mix over the top, as best you can. Chop the dark chocolate and sprinkle it on top. Cook for another 18-20 minutes at 170 degrees. Allow it to cool for half an hour. Remove from the pan and allow to cool for several hours before you cut it – if you can bear to.
Baked Cinnamon Bun Donuts with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients:
For the Donuts
1 c all-purpose flour
4 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon (add more if you like cinnamon or want a stronger ‘cinnamon bun’ taste)
1/2 tsp salt, optional (I omitted)
6 tbsp buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp butter, melted
Yields: 6-7 donuts. Pans vary by size but this is not a “huge” recipe. Double or triple, or halve (beat the egg and then divide in half) the recipe as desired. For the extra bit of batter, rather than waiting for my one donut pan to come out of the oven, I made two small muffins in a muffin pan with it. It took about 15 minutes for the muffins to cook through.
For the Glaze
1/2 c (or more) powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use more if you like a stronger vanilla flavor)
1/4 tsp+ cinnamon, optional
1-2+ tsp Water, Milk, Half & Half, Cream, Heavy Cream, Vegan Milk, etc. (I use half & half)
Directions:
For the Donuts
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease or cooking-spray the donut pan (or muffin tin).
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon (and salt).
Add buttermilk, egg, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk or stir to combine.
Use a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off) to pipe the batter into a 6-donut pan. Or just be extra neat and do this with a spoon which is what I did.
Bake 8 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven, until doughnuts spring back when touched or until dough is set. Donuts will not be golden brown, but should be springy. (I always underbake my baked goods but in my oven, these took a good 10-11 minutes to fully set up)
Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan, about 5 minutes.
For the Glaze
While donuts are baking or cooling, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar, room temperature softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and milk/cream/water. Whisk or stir to combine, adding the liquid, one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Dip the donuts into the glaze while warm (or cool).
Add a final dusting of cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, or cinnamon-sugar mixture; sprinkles, or other extras at end, as desired.
Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites with Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
Makes about three dozen bites
1 pound small or medium red potatoes 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon olive oil Freshly ground pepper 12 ounces to 1 pound thick-cut bacon 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream 1-3 teaspoons hot sauce Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Chop them into 1-inch pieces, keeping the chunks roughly the same size even if they aren’t the exact same shape. Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of salt. Once the water begins to boil, cook the potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes, until you can stick a fork into them without too much resistance. You want the potatoes to be almost, but not fully, cooked through so they won’t fall apart during the next steps.
Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the rosemary, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Cut the strips of bacon into thirds. Wrap each potato bite in a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil spaced an inch or two apart. You may need to cook the potatoes in two batches.
Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, then flip each piece. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and as crisp as you like it. Mix the sour cream and hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the potato bites on a plate and serve alongside the dip.
Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups white wheat flour, I used King Arthur brand
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1 15oz can pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup whole-milk greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar + a few dashes of cinnamon, mixed
Set a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350F. Grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan with cooking spray or butter. In a small bowl, microwave the butter in small bursts until just melted. Or melt it in the preheating oven. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Add the chocolate chips (reserve a small handfull to sprinkle on top of bread) and whisk well to combine. Set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add the pumpkin, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla and stir to mix well. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir gently with a spatula, scraping down the sides as needed, until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter with be thick and somewhat lumpy, just make sure all the flour has been incorporated. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Spread reserved chocolate chips and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of batter. Bake until the loaf is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to an hour. If the loaf seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil. Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 5 mins. Then tip out onto the rack, and let it cool completely before slicing.
