Caesar Potato Salad

Caesar Potato Salad

• 4 pound small red potatoes

• 3 tbsp anchovy paste

• 2 tbsp minced garlic (heaping tablespoons, I used jarred minced garlic)

• 1 tablespoon Grey Poupon

• 1 large egg yolk

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 tbsp sugar

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup olive oil

• 8 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

• 1 bunch Italian parsley, minced (no stems)

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more – you can’t have too much Parmesan cheese), plus more for garnish

1. Scrub potatoes, but do not peal.

2. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring potatoes to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender; 10 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and let cool for a few minutes before cutting potatoes into rustic chunks.

3. In food processor combine: anchovies, garlic, mustard, egg yolk, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar.

4. Once mixture is combined add oils through feed tube while food processor is running. You’ll know you’re done when you have a nice think emulsified mixture. Add sun dried tomatoes and pulse to combine.

5. Mix warm potatoes and dressing; mix in parsley and then Parmesan cheese. Garnish with more Parmesan.

6. Serve warm or at room temp.

Raspberry Almond Muffins

Raspberry Almond Muffins

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup white sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup half & half

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 1 pint fresh red raspberries

Almond Filling

• 7 ounces almond paste

• ½ cup finely chopped blanched almond

• ½ cup confectioners' sugar

• 1 large egg white

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Streusel Topping

• ½ cup flour

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 3 tablespoons butter – chilled

• ¼ cup slivered blanched almonds
  
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. For muffins combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a measuring cup pour oil, add egg and fill with milk to the 1 cup line. Then add almond extract. Mix wet ingredients in measuring cup until combined.

4. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix till just combined, then add raspberries.

5. Place all ingredients for streusel topping into food processor and pulse till a crumbly mixture forms. Empty food processor bowl into spare bowl – you’ll be using the food processor again.

6. For almond filling place blanched almond in food processor; pulse a few times to finely chop almonds. Crumble the almond paste into food processor with almonds, confectioners' sugar, egg white, and almond extract until well mixed. A ball of ‘dough’ will form

7. Grease muffin/cupcake tin, or use papers. Partially fill muffin cups

8. Place about a tablespoon of almond filling in center of muffin batter. Cover almond filling with remaining muffin batter

9. Sprinkle or spoon streusel topping to cover muffin tops.

10. Bake for 25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes then remove and cool on racks.

*Note: I did not like this version of streusel topping; the texture was too much like bread crumbs. Next time I'll try more butter.

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 (approx) cup cream (I used heavy whipping cream)
4-5 ripe peaches

Streusel topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed (chilled)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl combine all dry ingredients.

To easily get the skin off the peaches, blanch for approximately 30 seconds in boiling water. Peal peaches and chill to make cutting a little easier. The peaches will be rather slippery and hard to handle when warm, when cooled the peach flesh is firmer. Cut peaches into a large blueberry sized pieces.

In a measuring cup pour oil, add egg and fill with milk to the 1 cup line. Mix wet ingredients in measuring cup.

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix till just combined, then add peaches.

Grease muffin/cupcake tin, or use papers. Spoon in muffin mixture. If you like large gourmet muffins, fill muffin cups to the brim.

Combine all ingredients for streusel topping in a bowl. With a back of a fork or pastry blender mix all ingredients together until a crumb texture appears. Sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool muffins in tin for 10 minutes then remove and cool on racks.

Made on May 31, 2009

Cookin up a frenzy

It seems lately I've been cooking up a frenzy. Lately I've made Peaches and Cream Muffins w/ a strussel topping, Blueberries and Cream muffins, Asian Spiced wings and today alone I've made vanilla ice cream base for Cookies 'n Cream ice cream and am currently baking the chicken breasts that I'd been brining. I guess I could be nesting.

I'll have recipes for all to come.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (approx) red wine (Merlot or something you’d like to drink)

• 2 pounds beef stew chunks (trimmed & uniformly [as possible])

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 3 ounces butter

• 1 ounce butter

• sea salt & freshly and ground pepper to taste

• 1 med onion diced

• 2 tbsp (generous) minced garlic

• 2-3 tbsp left over wine from marinade

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef broth

• 1 tbsp prepared mustard

• 2 (6 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 3 ounces cream cheese

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim and uniformly size beef stew chunks.

2. Place in bowl and pour wine over meat. Make sure all meat is covered with wine. Refrigerated and marinate 1-2 hours (more is OK for a stronger taste)

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, add salt and pepper, along with beef and brown the beef chunks quickly.

4. In a separate medium sized skilled, over medium heat, add remaining butter, and salt. Once butter has melted add onions, garlic, and marinade. Sauté onions until translucent.

5. Remove beef chunks from skillet and place on plate.

6. Whisk the flour into the juices left over in the pan. Pour in can beef broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.

7. Lower heat to a simmer and stir in mustard, mushrooms, and onion and garlic sauté. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

8. Five minutes before serving, sour cream, and cream cheese. Heat through and add salt and pepper to taste.

*Notes for next time

1. In wine marinade add

   1. Salt

   2. Dehydrated onions

   3. Minced garlic

2. Sauté together

   1. Onions

   2. Fresh mushrooms

3. Add more salt & pepper at end w/ sour cream & cream cheese

4. Soften cream cheese before adding to sauce at end – for smoother sauce

Beef Stroganoff

Is coming soon ... making sure the recipe is written correctly :-)

It was delicious :-D

Mango Bundt cake - try #1

Butter for bundt pan
Sugar for bundt pan
(Why sugar? The sugar caramelizes slightly and makes for a sweet crust :-)

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe mangoes* (in this 1st instance of the recipe my mangoes weren't as ripe as they could have been ... I was impatient and I don't really know when mangoes are ripe, but I'm learning. So I added: 1 tbsp orange juice & 1 tbsp white grape juice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and then sugar the bundt pan
Puree mangoes. Sift together all dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugars till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture and mango puree alternating in 2 or 3 steps.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Results:
The cake was good, it was just missing something missing. I'm not sure what it needs. Taste testers needed.