I don't remember where this recipe came from, exactly...I dug it out of a magazine or something back when Toni and I started dating, and loved it so much I kept it. It's one of my best vegeterian recipes...even us carnivores seem to dig it.
Pene Tapenade
1 C (packed) Fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
1 C (packed) Fresh parsley, rinsed and dried
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lime juice
3 cloves garlic
1/4 C chopped onion
1 can small pitted black olives, drained
1/2 C fresh grated Romano cheese
Pene pasta
Boil pasta until almost tender, do not drain. Set aside.
Place herbs, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and onion in a blender. Process until a smooth green paste forms, using a wooden spoon as necessary.
Drain pasta, place in large glass bowl. Pour herb paste over pasta, add olives and cheese, then toss until all ingredients are evenly coated. Serve immediately with garlic bread and white wine (I recommend chardonnay).
VARIATIONS:
This recipe will work great with just about any type of pasta. Try it with rotini, tortellini, bowties, or even fettuccini.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tex-Mex at Its Finest
I cooked this up last night, and was surprised at how well it turned out. Fresh chili, topped with fresh cornbread? How could it possibly fail?
Trav's Chili Pot Pie
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. William's chili seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can chopped green chili peppers
3/4 C. tomato juice
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 C. corn meal
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1 large egg
2 T. melted butter or margarine
1 C. milk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Brown the ground beef in a cast-iron skillet. Drain. Add the chili seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, chili peppers, and tomato juice. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and slightly thickened. Remove from heat, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, and set aside.
Sift together the corn meal, flour, salt, and sugar. Add the egg, melted butter, and milk, and stir until smooth. Pour the batter evenly over the top of the chili, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve with your favorite condiments (diced tomato, onion, sour cream, picante sauce, corn relish, black olives...) and some ice-cold beer.
VARIATIONS:
If you are in a hurry, or if you think think you can't cook, or if you just don't want to spend a lot of time making dinner, I present the:
Fast & Easy Chili Pot Pie:
2 cans of your favorite chili
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes, undrained
1 can chopped green chili peppers
1 C. shredded cheese
1 pkg. of your favorite cornbread mix
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the chili, corn, tomatoes, and peppers together in a cast iron skillet until bubbly. Prepare the cornbread mix according to the package directions. Sprinkle the cheese over the chilli, and then pour the cornbread mix evenly over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned on top.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve with all of your favorite condiments.
Trav's Chili Pot Pie
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. William's chili seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can chopped green chili peppers
3/4 C. tomato juice
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 C. corn meal
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1 large egg
2 T. melted butter or margarine
1 C. milk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Brown the ground beef in a cast-iron skillet. Drain. Add the chili seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, chili peppers, and tomato juice. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and slightly thickened. Remove from heat, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, and set aside.
Sift together the corn meal, flour, salt, and sugar. Add the egg, melted butter, and milk, and stir until smooth. Pour the batter evenly over the top of the chili, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve with your favorite condiments (diced tomato, onion, sour cream, picante sauce, corn relish, black olives...) and some ice-cold beer.
VARIATIONS:
If you are in a hurry, or if you think think you can't cook, or if you just don't want to spend a lot of time making dinner, I present the:
Fast & Easy Chili Pot Pie:
2 cans of your favorite chili
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes, undrained
1 can chopped green chili peppers
1 C. shredded cheese
1 pkg. of your favorite cornbread mix
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the chili, corn, tomatoes, and peppers together in a cast iron skillet until bubbly. Prepare the cornbread mix according to the package directions. Sprinkle the cheese over the chilli, and then pour the cornbread mix evenly over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned on top.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve with all of your favorite condiments.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Cookies N Cream Fudge
A few years ago, I decided to make a batch of fudge. But I didn't want the usual brown sugary mass of chocolate with waxy chunks of walnut suspended inside; I wanted something creamy and smooth and...well, not like fudge.
So I made a few substitutions. Instead of the semi-sweet morsels that my fudge recipe recommended, I grabbed white chocolate instead. And in place of the chopped walnuts, I used crushed Oreo cookies.
The result was so good, we wrote songs about it. If you love fudge, but are bored with the traditional recipe, give this one a shot.
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Cookies -n- Cream Fudge
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 pkg. white chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla extract
1 cup crushed Oreo cookies
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
wax paper
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together until smooth. Stir in the crushed cookies, vanilla, and slivered almonds, and mix well. Spread evenly into a 9x9 cake pan that has been lined with waxed paper, and allow to cool completely. Cut into 1-inch cubes, and store in airtight containers.
Makes about 1 pound of fudge.
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VARIATIONS:
This is a generic fudge recipe, that can make just about any flavor or combination you want. Try these variations:
CHOCOLATE FUDGE (The "parent" recipe from which all of these are derived): Use semi-sweet chocolate morsels instead of white chocolate, and use walnuts instead of cookies and almonds.
BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE: Use butterscotch morsels and slivered almonds instead of cookies, and line the cake pan with graham crackers before pouring the fudge.
CAPPUCCINO FUDGE: Dissolve 1 T. instant coffee in 1 T. water and add to the recipe. Omit the cookies, and use crushed biscotti instead.
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE: Use peanut butter morsels instead of white chocolate, but keep the Oreo cookies. Use peanuts instead of almonds.
ROCKY ROAD FUDGE: Use chocolate morsels, add marshmallows and walnuts and crushed Butterfinger candy.
So I made a few substitutions. Instead of the semi-sweet morsels that my fudge recipe recommended, I grabbed white chocolate instead. And in place of the chopped walnuts, I used crushed Oreo cookies.
The result was so good, we wrote songs about it. If you love fudge, but are bored with the traditional recipe, give this one a shot.
-----
Cookies -n- Cream Fudge
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 pkg. white chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla extract
1 cup crushed Oreo cookies
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
wax paper
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together until smooth. Stir in the crushed cookies, vanilla, and slivered almonds, and mix well. Spread evenly into a 9x9 cake pan that has been lined with waxed paper, and allow to cool completely. Cut into 1-inch cubes, and store in airtight containers.
Makes about 1 pound of fudge.
-----
VARIATIONS:
This is a generic fudge recipe, that can make just about any flavor or combination you want. Try these variations:
CHOCOLATE FUDGE (The "parent" recipe from which all of these are derived): Use semi-sweet chocolate morsels instead of white chocolate, and use walnuts instead of cookies and almonds.
BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE: Use butterscotch morsels and slivered almonds instead of cookies, and line the cake pan with graham crackers before pouring the fudge.
CAPPUCCINO FUDGE: Dissolve 1 T. instant coffee in 1 T. water and add to the recipe. Omit the cookies, and use crushed biscotti instead.
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE: Use peanut butter morsels instead of white chocolate, but keep the Oreo cookies. Use peanuts instead of almonds.
ROCKY ROAD FUDGE: Use chocolate morsels, add marshmallows and walnuts and crushed Butterfinger candy.
Horrible Name, Delicious Pie
Here is a recipe for the classic Southern dessert, the Shoo-Fly Pie. It is a molasses-and-sugar confection with lots of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. There is no fruit in it, and contrary to the name, no winged insects either.
Shoo-fly Pie
1/3 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1 C molasses
1 C boiling water
1 egg, beaten
1 t. baking soda
1 unbaked 9" deep-dish pie shell
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and spices. Cut in the butter until the mixture has the consistency of coarse sand. Set aside.
In a large bowl, blend the molasses with the boiling water. Add the beaten egg, mix well, and add the baking soda. (The mixture will foam up, keep stirring until the foam disperses.)
Pour the molasses mixture into the pie shell. Spoon the flour-sugar mixture evenly over the top of the molasses mixture. Put the pie shell on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 minutes, or until dark brown and medium-set.
Serve warm or chilled. Serves 8.
Shoo-fly Pie
1/3 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1 C molasses
1 C boiling water
1 egg, beaten
1 t. baking soda
1 unbaked 9" deep-dish pie shell
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and spices. Cut in the butter until the mixture has the consistency of coarse sand. Set aside.
In a large bowl, blend the molasses with the boiling water. Add the beaten egg, mix well, and add the baking soda. (The mixture will foam up, keep stirring until the foam disperses.)
Pour the molasses mixture into the pie shell. Spoon the flour-sugar mixture evenly over the top of the molasses mixture. Put the pie shell on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 minutes, or until dark brown and medium-set.
Serve warm or chilled. Serves 8.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Fresh Pumpkin Pie in Hazlenut Crust
This is the Thanksgiving classic, just like your great-grandma used to make. Unlike the more "modern" recipes that use canned pumpkin (or the really modern ones that use a frozen pie and a tub of Cool-Whip), this one uses a real, honest-to-God pumpkin.
Give it a shot. Sure, it's a little more challenging than using canned stuff, but it has no additives or preservatives.
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Fresh Pumpkin Pie in Hazelnut Crust
Making the Crust:
2 C. vegetable shortening
4 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. ground raw hazlenuts
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 C. ice water
1 egg, beaten
1 T. distilled white vinegar
Sift the flour, salt, and sugar together, then cut in the shortening until well-mixed. Mix the ice water, egg, hazlenuts, and vinegar together, and add to the dry ingredients. Beat to combine (mixture will be stiff.)
Press the dough into pie pans (no need to roll it out.) Cover tightly, and chill or freeze until ready to use.
Preparing the Pumpkin:
1 medium pie pumpkin
Water
Scrub the pumpkin with warm water. Chop the pumpkin in half, remove the stem, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into quarters, and place in a large saucepan with 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover tightly. Steam the pumpkin for 20-30 minutes or until very tender. Remove from heat, drain away the water, and allow to cool.
Scoop the cooked pumpkin off of the rind into a mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
Line a collander with cheesecloth or paper towels, and place in a large bowl. Pour the pumpkin mush onto the cheesecloth, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight to drain. The next morning, discard the water and scrape the pumpkin mush into a bowl.
Making the Filling
3 cups of pumpkin mush
1 cup sugar
12 oz. evaporated milk
3 eggs
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into 2 uncooked pie shells (do not overfill...leave about 1/2" of head space.)
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes longer. The pie is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Making the Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. powdered sugar
Place all ingredients, as well as the mixing bowl, in the refrigerator and chill until very cold. Beat the cream with an electric mixer until almost stiff, then blend in remaining ingredients. Mix on the highest speed setting until it reaches the desired stiffness. Chill until ready to use.
TIP: be careful not to over-mix the cream...too much, and the butter fat will separate out and make a lumpy, oily mess.
Give it a shot. Sure, it's a little more challenging than using canned stuff, but it has no additives or preservatives.
-----
Fresh Pumpkin Pie in Hazelnut Crust
Making the Crust:
2 C. vegetable shortening
4 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. ground raw hazlenuts
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 C. ice water
1 egg, beaten
1 T. distilled white vinegar
Sift the flour, salt, and sugar together, then cut in the shortening until well-mixed. Mix the ice water, egg, hazlenuts, and vinegar together, and add to the dry ingredients. Beat to combine (mixture will be stiff.)
Press the dough into pie pans (no need to roll it out.) Cover tightly, and chill or freeze until ready to use.
Preparing the Pumpkin:
1 medium pie pumpkin
Water
Scrub the pumpkin with warm water. Chop the pumpkin in half, remove the stem, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into quarters, and place in a large saucepan with 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover tightly. Steam the pumpkin for 20-30 minutes or until very tender. Remove from heat, drain away the water, and allow to cool.
Scoop the cooked pumpkin off of the rind into a mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
Line a collander with cheesecloth or paper towels, and place in a large bowl. Pour the pumpkin mush onto the cheesecloth, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight to drain. The next morning, discard the water and scrape the pumpkin mush into a bowl.
Making the Filling
3 cups of pumpkin mush
1 cup sugar
12 oz. evaporated milk
3 eggs
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into 2 uncooked pie shells (do not overfill...leave about 1/2" of head space.)
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes longer. The pie is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Making the Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. powdered sugar
Place all ingredients, as well as the mixing bowl, in the refrigerator and chill until very cold. Beat the cream with an electric mixer until almost stiff, then blend in remaining ingredients. Mix on the highest speed setting until it reaches the desired stiffness. Chill until ready to use.
TIP: be careful not to over-mix the cream...too much, and the butter fat will separate out and make a lumpy, oily mess.
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