Brioche Buns – Perfect for sliders!

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Sandy

I am starting a batch right now. Pictures to follow… Yes, most people do not make their own hamburger buns, but when you want a smaller, slider size, you may not have a choice. Give this recipe a shot! Excellent with special hamburgers or pulled pork sandwiches! Awesome bites!

1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 egg white
black and white sesame seeds or coarse sea salt or onion seeds or sesame seeds
2 tablespoons water

Directions
1.Place the first seven ingredients in bread machine in order suggested by your manufacturer. Select dough cycle.
2.Turn finished dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead 5 to 10 times. Let rise in greased bowl until doubled. Punch down and separate into 15-24 balls/buns. Place onto a buttered parchment lined baking sheet. Set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
3.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk together 1 egg white and the water. Brush onto the top of the loaf. Sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds.
4.Bake in the preheated oven until deep golden brown, about 20-35 minutes.

Cut into 16 pieces for perfect slider size rolls, or 24 for small dinner rolls.

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Peanut Butter Cookies with Macadamian Nuts

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Sandy

1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/4 cup chopped macadamian nuts

Scoop onto parchment paper sprayed with Pam. Using a fork, press down in crisscross pattern.

Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before removing from parchment. Store in air tight container, if there are any left!

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Waldorf Chicken Salad or Sandwiches

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Sandy

Salad

2 medium celery ribs, cut into small dice
2 medium scallions, white and green parts, minced or 1 sweet onion
1 large crisp apple, cored and cut into medium dice
1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
White meat from a baked chicken, or 12 oz canned white meat chicken
1/2 cup raisins or grapes (optional)
Chop all ingredients, pour lemon juice over chopped apple to prevent from browning, mix mayonnaise and sour cream together. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix in mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve within 24 hours. Keep refrigerated.

Serve over mixed greens or on your favorite bread.

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Roasted Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Sandy

Silver Palate Cookbook with my modifications

Ingredients
4 tbsp sweet butter or Ghee
2 cups chopped onions
12 large carrots (peeled and chopped), or small baby carrots about 2 lbs unpeeled and unchopped
4 cups (950 ml) chicken stock
2 tsp tarragon
2 tsp grated ginger
1 cup (225 ml) fresh orange juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
grated fresh orange zest to taste

Preparation
Melt the butter on cookie sheet, add onions and carrots and roast at 400 degree oven until tender and slightly browned lightly colored, about 25-35 minutes. I usually use two roasting pans, one for onions and one for carrots.
Add carrots and stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 10 minutes.
Pour the soup through a strainer and transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor.
Add 1 cup of the vegetable or chicken cooking stock and process until smooth.
Return the puree to the pot and add the orange juice and additional stock, 2 to 3 cups, until the soup is the desired consistency.
Season to taste with salt and pepper; add orange zest.
Simmer until heated through. Serve immediately.

Serve with Crusty Bread and Sliced Cheddar Cheese and/or Waldorf Chicken Salad

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Bread Pudding Ice Cream Sandwiches

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Sandy

Ingredients:
Bread Pudding
Orange Marmalade
Vanilla Orange Sherbert

Make the Bread pudding
Make two cake pans of bread pudding, cook and allow to cool.

On the top of layer one, spread a thin layer of marmalade jelly.

Then, take the orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream mixture and defrost for 10 minutes and spread a layer over the top of the bread pudding.

Top with the second cake layer of bread pudding. This should resemble a layered cake.

Allow to freeze for 1 hour. Then cut into ice cream sandwiches. Serve with chocolate sauce or drizzle with warm marmalade jelly.

Slice to serve in wedges if you used round cake pans, or rectangles or squares.

Cover each with parchment paper and serve. If storing for a long length of time, freeze in a plastic container.

Excellent adult ice cream sandwiches.

You can also make an excellent sundae from the same ingredients.
Scoop the bread pudding into an ice cream cone, drizzle with warm marmalade, top with scoops of vanilla orange sherbert. Or use a bowl! Any way you slice it, this is an excellent dessert!

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Bread Pudding

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Sandy

Bread pudding

6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
15 slices bread (croissants, texas toast, raisin bread). Many recipes recommend removing crust, but I like the crusts.

Combine eggs, cream and spices beat well. Dip bread slices and add to buttered baking dish.
Top first layer with sprinkle of brown sugar and another layer of dipped bread and sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup or butterscotch or carmel sauce or chocolate sauce.
Serve with Crispy Bacon, Hot Black Coffee with Whipped Cream! Enjoy your treat!

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Blood Orange Mimosas

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Sandy

Blood Orange Mimosa

While you can use regular fresh squeezed orange juice, this is simple and excellent.

Blood Orange Soda (from World Market)
Champagne

Since you are mixing the champagne, buy the least expensive champagne. No need to waste money.

Chill bottles in refrigerator, pour equal parts Champagne and Blood Orange Soda. Is this gorgeous or what?!

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Bacon Caesar Salad

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Sandy

Bacon Caesar Salad


Oh my, simple and excellent.

2 cups baby romaine, chopped
1 cup mixed herb salad, prewashed
3 scallions chopped, green and white
6 slices of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1/4 cup Girard’s Light Creamy Caesar Dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste

You can prepare the salad ahead of time by washing and chopping, then keep in refrigerator until ready to eat. Dress the salad right before serving, add the bacon and scallions and salt and pepper. Awesome bites!

Variations: Add 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese for Bacon and Blue Caesar or C
Add 1/4 cup toasted pecans
Add 1 cup sliced strawberries for Berry Bacon Salad
(make sure you wash the strawberries well or your salad could end up gritty)
Add baked rotisserie chicken from your local supermarket for a quick dinner,
serve on the side, or chop and add to the salad.

Serve with Croque Madame

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Mother’s Day Brunch – Croque Madame

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Sandy

Mother’s Day Brunch Menu

Croque Madame
Bacon Caeser Salad
Strawberries and Pineapple Slice Skewers

Blood Orange Mimosas
Coffee with Bailey’s Irish Cream

Blood Orange Mimosa

Croque Madame
My sons both agreed this tastes like a french toast, ham and cheese, eggs benedict sandwich; which of course it is.

Serves 10 (Leftovers are a good thing. These sandwiches are great cold!)

Step One – Make the french toast.
20 slices Texas Toast Bread – the thick stuff
6 eggs beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cardamom
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using two baking sheets, melt butter on the pans.
Soak each slice of bread and place on the warm baking sheet. When the bottoms brown, turn the bread over to brown the other sides. Remove from oven, go to step two.

Step Two -Assemble the sandwich
8 ounces grated 4 Mexican blend cheese
1-1/2 pounds ham -Tear ham into pieces on top of 4 cheese blend
Top ham with brown sugar glaze, about 1 tsp per sandwich
8 ounces Guyere Cheese. Top with Grated cheese Guyere
On the top slice of french toast spread
1/2 tsp orange marmalade
1/4 tsp brown mustard
Place on top and put the whole sandwiches back on the baking pan and into the oven until the cheese has melted. While the cheese is melting, go to step three.

Step Three:
Bechemel Sauce
1/4 cup butter melted in sauce pan
1/4 cup flour and wisk while it cooks. This should be a white sauce, so do not brown the flour.
Add two cups milk wisking to blend.
Add 1 cup grated greyere cheese

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Step Four: Fry the eggs
As the egg are done, add each one to the top of a sandwich to keep warm until all the eggs are fried. Serve immediately topping with 1-2 tablespoons of bechemel sauce.

Serve along side the Bacon Caesar Salad.

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Chocolate Coeur a la Creme with Strawberry Sauce

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Sandy

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whipping cream, divided
3 tablespoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
STRAWBERRY SAUCE(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Line two 1/2-cup coeur a la creme molds or two 6-ounce custard cups with double thickness of dampened cheesecloth, extending far enough beyond edges to enclose filling completely.

2. Combine 1/4 cup whipping cream, cocoa and butter in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat; cool.

3. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in small bowl until smooth. Add cocoa mixture, blending well. Add remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream; beat until well blended. Spoon mixture into prepared molds. Fold cheesecloth over top. Place a wire rack in a tray or deep plate; place molds on rack.

4. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. To serve, pull back cheesecloth and invert each mold onto a chilled dessert plate; carefully remove cheesecloth. Serve with STRAWBERRY SAUCE. 2 servings.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE:

1. Puree 1 package (10 oz.) frozen strawberries in light syrup, thawed, in food processor bowl or blender container.

2. Strain puree through fine sieve into small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy), if desired. About 1 cup sauce.

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