cooking the recipe: September 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Fig and Raspberry Bakewell Tarts

Fig and Raspberry Bakewell Tarts

Makes 12

Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup ice water

Filling
2 cups almond meal
1 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup raspberry jam
3 or 4 figs, cut into 12 (1/4-inch thick) slices

Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

For the crust
Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the food processor running, slowly add ice water until the dough just holds together. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (Can make ahead and freeze for up to 1 month.)

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 12 (4-inch) circles and place them into the tin. Prick the bottoms with a fork and chill for 10 minutes.

Fill each crust with beans or weights and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove beans or weights.

For the filling
Combine almond meal and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and process until smooth. Add eggs and lemon zest and process into a uniform, smooth paste.

Spread 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam at the bottom of each crust. Fill each cup just to the top with the almond mixture and smooth it with the back of a spoon. Gently press a fig slice into the top.

Bake for 40 minutes until set and golden. Cool in pan on rack, then use a small offset spatula or knife to lift each tart from the pan.

Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.

Crust based on Martha Stewart's pâte brisée.

Apple Enchiladas

Cherries or peaches can be substituted for apples.

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

Spoon about one heaping quarter cup of pie filling evenly down the center of each tortilla.
Sprinkle with cinnamon; roll up, tucking in edges; and place seam side down in prepared dish.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand 45 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Friday, September 28, 2012

California Tortilla Pizzas

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and green pepper until tender, about 5 minutes.
Place tortillas on an ungreased baking sheet. Top with onion mixture, oregano, garlic powder, tomato, and mozzarella cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut each pizza into four wedges.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas

by May-19-2010

Rick Bayless Recipe

Ingredients

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus a little extra for rolling the tortillas
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup very warm tap water

Instructions

Combine flour and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Work the shortening in with your fingers until completely incorporated. Dissolve the salt in the water and pour about 2/3 cup of it over the dry ingredients. Immediately work it in with a fork. The dough will be in large clumps. If all the dry ingredients haven't been dampened, add the rest of the liquid. Scoop the dough onto your work surface and knead until smooth.Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll each into a ball. Set them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 30 minutes.Heat an ungreased griddle over medium to medium-high heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of the dough into a 7-inch circle. Flatten a ball of dough, flour it, then roll forward and back across it, rotating a sixth of a turn and roll forward and back again. Continue until it is a 7 inch circle. Flour tortilla as needed while rolling.Lay the tortilla on the hot griddle. After 30-45 seconds, when brown splotches show underneath, flip it over. cook another 30 -45 seconds more, until other side is browned. Do not overcook or the tortilla will become crisp. Remove and wrap in a cloth napkin. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas and stack them on top of each other.Note, cook time is PER tortilla and is approximate. Go by the way it looks more than you go by time.

Details

Prep time: 50 minsCook time: 5 minsTotal time: 55 minsYield:

Thursday, September 20, 2012

New England Cod

Nutrition Facts

Calories 210

% Calories From Fat 25.7%

Total Fat 6g

Saturated Fats 0.9g

Mono-unsaturated Fats 3.5g

Poly-unsaturated Fats 1g

Cholesterol 62mg

Sodium 180mg

Total Carbohydrates 12g

Dietary Fiber 3.2g

Sugar 6.1g

Protein 29g

Preparation time: 10 min	Servings: 4
Cooking time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt (optional)

1-1/3 tbsp olive oil

1 lb zucchini, sliced

2 tsp oregano, or 2 Tbsp fresh, chopped

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

3/4 tsp basil, or 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped

1 lb cod fillets

3 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Cooking Directions:

Season cod fillets with oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté fillets 4-5 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Reduce heat to medium and sauté zucchini, onion, and garlic 3-4 minutes, or until onion is softened. Add remaining ingredients and sauté 2-3 minutes longer, or until tomatoes are softened. Serve vegetables with cod.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

STRAWBERRY 2 INGREDIENT FUDGE

                                          STRAWBERRY 2 INGREDIENT FUDGE
                                        

                                          Ingredients
                                        

1 (16 oz) can of strawberry frosting
1 12 oz bag of white chocolate chips

                                          How to Make
                                        

Prepare a 9x9 pan by spray lightly with cooking spray.
Over a double boiler, or in the microwave, melt your white chocolate chips.
When chips are melted, remove from heat and stir in your strawberry frosting, evenly.
Spread in your prepared pan and place in fridge to set for 30 minutes.
Cut into squares to serve.

                                          Notes
                                        

                                            Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
                                          

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Pizza Salad

With crazy busy schedules and multiple responsibilities we're all juggling, it's a really good idea to take advantage of premade or prepared ingredients at the grocery store to help with dinner. With a little bit of advanced meal planning, you can avoid feeding your family overprocessed or fast food in almost the same time it would take to have pizza delivered or to get to a restaurant and back. With premade pizza crusts and packaged salad greens, this meal requires only simple assembly. Open packages, toss, and serve.

Ingredients

3/4 cup bottled fat-free Western or French salad dressing
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or oregano
1 10-ounce package (8 cups) torn romaine lettuce
1 8-ounce package (two 6-inch) Italian bread shells (Boboli), torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped Canadian-style bacon or pepperoni
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

1For dressing, in a small bowl, combine the Western or French salad dressing and the fresh basil or oregano; set aside.
2In an extra-large bowl, toss together the torn romaine lettuce, bread shell pieces, Canadian-style bacon or pepperoni, and cheese. Transfer to dinner plates. Drizzle each serving with dressing. Toss salad lightly to coat. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
3Dietary Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1/2 fat.
4Test Kitchen Tip: If you don't have fresh herbs on hand, use 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, instead. for the best seasoning's try Watkins www.tsginfo.com/dt4236a

Healthy Dinner

servings:4

COOKING TIME 25 MIN

Caribbean flavors and colors highlight this great salad that features shrimp, salad greens, blood oranges, and sliced mango. The mayonnaise, orange juice, and lemon (or lime) juice dressing is spiced up with chili powder and finely chopped jalapeno pepper. Remember, when working with jalapenos, or any other chile peppers, it's important to follow our valuable tips for proper handling of hot peppers.

Ingredients

4 blood oranges
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise dressing
3 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 tablespoon seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
6 cups torn mixed salad greens or lettuce
1 papaya or mango, peeled and sliced
12 ounces shrimp in shell, cooked, peeled, and deveined

Directions

1Finely shred 1 tablespoon peel from blood oranges. Stir together mayonnaise, orange juice, the reserved blood orange peel, jalapeno pepper, lemon or lime juice, and chili powder; set aside.
2Peel and thinly slice blood oranges. Divide greens among four plates. Top with shrimp, blood orange slices, and papaya or mango. Serve with dressing. Makes 4 servings.
3Food exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 2 fruit, 1 meat, 1-1/2 fat.