Thursday, December 04, 2008
Thankgiving at Home
Another delicious Thanksgiving at home.
We kind of got carried away and forgot to photograph the pies before we dug into them...
Super Smooth Pumpkin Pie
I don't like pumpkin pie, but this one seemed like a hit last year, so I used it again this year.
Pear Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
A friend brought this, so I don't have the recipe, but I should ask her for it because it was absolutely delicious.
Classic Apple Pie
-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon
Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Super decadent and always a crowd pleaser.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Apples
This was a new recipe and the tartness of the apples really took the starchy edge off the sweet potatoes.
Brussel Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Parmesan
Brussel sprouts are a favorite veggie of mine for the holidays, although I hated them as a child. This was a tasty, bright rendition.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
Roasted Root Veggies with Pomegranite
A friend made a root veggie salad with pomegranite last year and I decided to riff on that for this year. The brightness of the pomegranite really contrasts nicely with the earthiness of the root veggies.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cheddar Chive Biscuits
We decided to call these "biscuits" this year instead of "scones". I think that did the trick, although we've always liked these, no matter what they are called.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Green Beans with Bacon and Garlic
You really can't go wrong with bacon.
Whole Roasted Pig
We decided to have another Thanksgiving sans turkey because, really, no one likes turkey. This was the smalled pig we could order from Toon Kee, at about 20 lbs and $140. The meat was very moist, tender and flavorful and there was a lot of it. The skin was crispy and perfectWe sent people home with bags of pork and we ate it for days. It was also really nice to order the pig and just pick it up down the street right before we were ready to serve dinner. This allowed us full use of the oven for the rest of the food.
We kind of got carried away and forgot to photograph the pies before we dug into them...
Super Smooth Pumpkin PieI don't like pumpkin pie, but this one seemed like a hit last year, so I used it again this year.
-1 recipe pie crust (below)
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
Pear Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
A friend brought this, so I don't have the recipe, but I should ask her for it because it was absolutely delicious.
Classic Apple Pie
Apple Pie
-2 crust recipes (below)-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon
Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Super decadent and always a crowd pleaser.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Apples
This was a new recipe and the tartness of the apples really took the starchy edge off the sweet potatoes.
-5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in large chunks
-4 apples, peeled and cubed
-1/2 stick butter
-1 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste
Boil the potatoes until fork tender. In the baking dish, bake the apples for about 40 minutes on 350, until tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
-4 apples, peeled and cubed
-1/2 stick butter
-1 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste
Boil the potatoes until fork tender. In the baking dish, bake the apples for about 40 minutes on 350, until tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
Brussel Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Parmesan
Brussel sprouts are a favorite veggie of mine for the holidays, although I hated them as a child. This was a tasty, bright rendition.
-3 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered
-1/2 cup pine nuts
-juice of 1 lemon
-1 cup grated parmesan
-salt and pepper to taste
In a large pan, sautee the brussel sprouts on medium. When brussel sprouts are tender and slightly caramelized, season with the rest of the ingredients and serve.
-1/2 cup pine nuts
-juice of 1 lemon
-1 cup grated parmesan
-salt and pepper to taste
In a large pan, sautee the brussel sprouts on medium. When brussel sprouts are tender and slightly caramelized, season with the rest of the ingredients and serve.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-several sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-several sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Roasted Root Veggies with Pomegranite
A friend made a root veggie salad with pomegranite last year and I decided to riff on that for this year. The brightness of the pomegranite really contrasts nicely with the earthiness of the root veggies.
-seeds of 1 pomegranite
-5 medium beets, peeled and diced
-4 parsnips, peeled and diced
-4 turnips, peeled and diced
-salt and pepper to taste
Spread the diced veggies on a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast on 375 for about and hour, or until tender. Toss with pomegranite seeds and serve.
-5 medium beets, peeled and diced
-4 parsnips, peeled and diced
-4 turnips, peeled and diced
-salt and pepper to taste
Spread the diced veggies on a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast on 375 for about and hour, or until tender. Toss with pomegranite seeds and serve.
Dinner RollsThis is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cheddar Chive BiscuitsWe decided to call these "biscuits" this year instead of "scones". I think that did the trick, although we've always liked these, no matter what they are called.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Green Beans with Bacon and Garlic
You really can't go wrong with bacon.
-1 lb green beans, trimmed and chopped
-6 slices bacon, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-pepper to taste
Sautee the bacon until crispy. Drain out some of the fat. Add in the garlic and green beans and sautee until tender. Season with pepper.
-6 slices bacon, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-pepper to taste
Sautee the bacon until crispy. Drain out some of the fat. Add in the garlic and green beans and sautee until tender. Season with pepper.
Whole Roasted Pig
We decided to have another Thanksgiving sans turkey because, really, no one likes turkey. This was the smalled pig we could order from Toon Kee, at about 20 lbs and $140. The meat was very moist, tender and flavorful and there was a lot of it. The skin was crispy and perfectWe sent people home with bags of pork and we ate it for days. It was also really nice to order the pig and just pick it up down the street right before we were ready to serve dinner. This allowed us full use of the oven for the rest of the food.
Labels: apple, beet greens, beets, brussel sprouts, dessert recipes, dinner recipes, event, n, parsnip, pie, sweet potatoes, turnip
Monday, February 11, 2008
Chili Rubbed Ribs and Blue Cheese Brussel Sprouts
This is our standard "Set It and Forget It" chili-rubbed rib recipe. We paired it with a simple recipe for brussel sprouts kicked up with blue cheese.
Blue Cheese Brussel Sprouts
-1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered
-salt and pepper to taste
-3 tb crumbled blue cheese
-2 tb butter
Sautee the brussel sprouts over medium-high heat until browned and tender. Mix the butter and blue cheese together and mix into the brussel sprouts.
-1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered
-salt and pepper to taste
-3 tb crumbled blue cheese
-2 tb butter
Sautee the brussel sprouts over medium-high heat until browned and tender. Mix the butter and blue cheese together and mix into the brussel sprouts.
Labels: brussel sprouts, homemade, lunch recipes, pork
Saturday, November 17, 2007
No-Turkey Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner
Again this year we were going to be out of town on Thanksgiving, so we decided to have Thanksgiving a week early. We didn't do a turkey because Giao finally convinced Alexis that if turkey were any good, people would eat it more often than once a year. We did a prime rib instead, which was a great success, and way better than turkey. There were about 20 people and lots of food and overall, it was a tasty, good time.
Apple Pie
We used Jonagold apples, for no other reason than that they were available at Costco and they turned out to work very well. They cooked up soft, without being mushy and held their shape. They were sweet, but not too sweet.
Mint, Watermelon and Ricotta Insalata Appetizer
This tasty appetizer was made by our friend, K.
Cheddar Chive Scones
These were not so much of a crowd pleaser this time around as they have been in the past. But we still like them.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Turkey Made of Fruit
Since our Thanksgiving was lacking a turkey our friends, N and L, came with this incredibly creative turkey made of fruit. Clever and tasty.
Mustard Balsamic Salmon
We thought it might be nice to have an alternative to prime rib, so we made a salmon too. This last minute marinade turned out great.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
We don't like pumpkin pie, but it's Thanksgiving (almost).
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cranberry Sauce
-4 cups cranberries
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 cup water
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Pomegranate
This was another dish contributed by our friend K. It was the embodiment of fall.
Creamed Spinach
You can't have prime rib without creamed spinach and Alexis' version is very good.
-6 lbs spinach
-5 shallots, diced
-1 head garlic, cloves minced
-8 strips bacon, cut in lardons
-2 cups cream
-salt and pepper to taste
-a sprinkling of nutmeg
Blanch the spinach, drain and set aside. Start to render the bacon in a pan. When translucent, add onions and garlic. Stir frequently until bacon, onions and garlic are browned. Put the spinach in a towel and squeeze as much liquid as possible out, then chop. Add the spinach and the cream and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while on low heat for about 1/2 hour.
Vegetable Quinoa Soup
I'm going to refrain from giving the recipe for this soup because, really, it was not very good. I think it could have been good, had it been made right before dinner, as opposed to sitting on the stove over low heat all day, but basically, the quinoa was too cooked and it turned the soup into a thin mush.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Horseradish-Garlic Crusted Prime Rib (above and below)
Mmm. That's a good looking piece of meat.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
Mashed Roasted Squash
Instead of mashed potatoes, we did squash this year.
Brussel Sprouts with Blue Cheese
Brussel sprouts are the veggie everyone hates as a kid, and only when you get older do you realize that your mom wasn't trying to torture you, she actually likes brussel sprouts. These are a particularly tasty version.
Apple Pie
We used Jonagold apples, for no other reason than that they were available at Costco and they turned out to work very well. They cooked up soft, without being mushy and held their shape. They were sweet, but not too sweet.
Apple Pie
-2 crust recipes (below)
-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon
Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon
Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
Mint, Watermelon and Ricotta Insalata Appetizer
This tasty appetizer was made by our friend, K.
Cheddar Chive Scones
These were not so much of a crowd pleaser this time around as they have been in the past. But we still like them.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Turkey Made of Fruit
Since our Thanksgiving was lacking a turkey our friends, N and L, came with this incredibly creative turkey made of fruit. Clever and tasty.
Mustard Balsamic Salmon
We thought it might be nice to have an alternative to prime rib, so we made a salmon too. This last minute marinade turned out great.
-2 large filets of wild salmon
-3 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsmic vinegar
Mix the balsamic and the mustard and pour over the salmon on a large baking sheet. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes, until flesh flakes with a fork.
-3 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsmic vinegar
Mix the balsamic and the mustard and pour over the salmon on a large baking sheet. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes, until flesh flakes with a fork.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This pie is super simple and always a crowd pleaser.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
We don't like pumpkin pie, but it's Thanksgiving (almost).
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cranberry Sauce-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 cup water
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Pomegranate
This was another dish contributed by our friend K. It was the embodiment of fall.
Creamed Spinach
You can't have prime rib without creamed spinach and Alexis' version is very good.
-5 shallots, diced
-1 head garlic, cloves minced
-8 strips bacon, cut in lardons
-2 cups cream
-salt and pepper to taste
-a sprinkling of nutmeg
Blanch the spinach, drain and set aside. Start to render the bacon in a pan. When translucent, add onions and garlic. Stir frequently until bacon, onions and garlic are browned. Put the spinach in a towel and squeeze as much liquid as possible out, then chop. Add the spinach and the cream and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while on low heat for about 1/2 hour.
Vegetable Quinoa Soup
I'm going to refrain from giving the recipe for this soup because, really, it was not very good. I think it could have been good, had it been made right before dinner, as opposed to sitting on the stove over low heat all day, but basically, the quinoa was too cooked and it turned the soup into a thin mush.
Dinner RollsThis is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Horseradish-Garlic Crusted Prime Rib (above and below)
We made some mistakes this time around, but this piece of meat turned out great anyway. Basically, because last time we made a prime rib, there was no jus, and we read somewhere that a great way to make sure there is jus is to add some broth to the bottom of the roasting pan prior to throwing the meat in the oven. This was a very bad idea. In the end, there was no jus and we ended up braising the meat in the beginning rather than creating a nice crust. The meat was cooked about 1 and 1/2 hours before we thought it would be and thus we had to remove it from the oven, cover it with foil and leave it on the counter until our guests arrived. That was not the end of the world, since it held its heat well, and we think we learned from our mistakes.
-4 heads of garlic
-2 jars prepared horseradish
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 tb salt
-13 lb prime rib
Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, wrap the garlic in foil and bake on 400 for about 45 min to an hour, until the garlic is soft and brown. When cool enough to touch, peel the garlic and put the cloves in a food processor. Add the olive oil, the horseradish, the salt and the pepper and puree until smooth. Season the prime rib with salt and pepper, then slather the prime rib with the garlic paste. This can be done up to 24 hours before you put it in the oven, but should be done at least 4 hours beforehand. Place the prime rib on a rack in a large roasting pan and bake at 500 for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 225 and bake until the internal temperature of the prime rib is between 105 and 110 (for rare). Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with creamed spinach and horseradish.
-4 heads of garlic
-2 jars prepared horseradish
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 tb salt
-13 lb prime rib
Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, wrap the garlic in foil and bake on 400 for about 45 min to an hour, until the garlic is soft and brown. When cool enough to touch, peel the garlic and put the cloves in a food processor. Add the olive oil, the horseradish, the salt and the pepper and puree until smooth. Season the prime rib with salt and pepper, then slather the prime rib with the garlic paste. This can be done up to 24 hours before you put it in the oven, but should be done at least 4 hours beforehand. Place the prime rib on a rack in a large roasting pan and bake at 500 for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 225 and bake until the internal temperature of the prime rib is between 105 and 110 (for rare). Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with creamed spinach and horseradish.
Mmm. That's a good looking piece of meat.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, sageand veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, sageand veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Mashed Roasted Squash
Instead of mashed potatoes, we did squash this year.
-4 squash (like butternut or delicata)
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Cut squash in half lenghwise and scrape out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet, flesh side up. Cover with foil and roast on 375 for about an hour, until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside. When cool enough to touch, scrape the flesh into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Cut squash in half lenghwise and scrape out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet, flesh side up. Cover with foil and roast on 375 for about an hour, until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside. When cool enough to touch, scrape the flesh into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.
Brussel Sprouts with Blue Cheese
Brussel sprouts are the veggie everyone hates as a kid, and only when you get older do you realize that your mom wasn't trying to torture you, she actually likes brussel sprouts. These are a particularly tasty version.
-3 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup crumbled blue cheese
-5 shallots, minced
In a large pan sautee the shallots in a bit of olive oil. When translucent add the brussel sprouts and sautee over medium heat, stirring frequently until they are tender and browned. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the blue cheese. Remove from heat and serve.
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup crumbled blue cheese
-5 shallots, minced
In a large pan sautee the shallots in a bit of olive oil. When translucent add the brussel sprouts and sautee over medium heat, stirring frequently until they are tender and browned. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the blue cheese. Remove from heat and serve.
Labels: beef, bread, brussel sprouts, dessert recipes, dinner recipes, fish, salmon, sausage, seafood, soup, spinach, squash
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Dinner at Home
Rosemary Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin with Rutabaga and Brussel Sprouts
The pork was tender and flavorful, but the rutubaga had been sitting in the fridge too long, had lost a lot of it's moisture and, as a result, never really got soft in the roasting process.
Veggies:
-1 rutabaga, chopped
-1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
-salt and pepper to taste
Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put in a baking dish, cover with tinfoil and roast until tender.
-1 1/2 lb pork loin
-1/8 cup each balsamic, olive oil and dijon
-1 ts each salt and pepper
-2 tb fresh chopped rosemary
-1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
-salt and pepper to taste
Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put in a baking dish, cover with tinfoil and roast until tender.
-1 1/2 lb pork loin
-1/8 cup each balsamic, olive oil and dijon
-1 ts each salt and pepper
-2 tb fresh chopped rosemary
Mix all the ingredients except pork into a thick sauce. Marinate the meat in the sauce for at least 1/2 hour. Roast on 375 until the internal temperature is 125. Remove and let rest for 20 minutes before you slice it, during which the internal temperature will raise to about 140.
Labels: brussel sprouts, dinner recipes, homemade, pork, rutabaga
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Lunch at Work
Labels: beef, brussel sprouts, homemade, leftovers, squash
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Dinner at Home
Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
These brussel sprouts were trimmed and halved, seasoned with salt and pepper and sauteed in a bit of olive oil until tender. Very easy.
Steamed Crab and King Crab Legs
Yum, yum, yum.
Garlic Butter
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and minced cooked in 1/2 stick of butter over love heat until crispy. Throw a spritz of lemon juice in there at the very end for a bit of acidity if you like.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and minced cooked in 1/2 stick of butter over love heat until crispy. Throw a spritz of lemon juice in there at the very end for a bit of acidity if you like.
Labels: brussel sprouts, crab, dinner recipes, homemade, seafood
Monday, May 07, 2007
Dinner at Home
Braised Lamb Shanks, Fennel and Brussel Sprouts
A tasty, hearty, totally hands-off dinner, even if the cooking time takes a while.
-1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
-1 fennel bulb, chopped
-1 head garlic, peeled
-2 lamb shanks
-2 cans chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown for a few minutes in a hot frying pan. Remoce and place in a large baking dish with the garlic and the fennel. Pour the chicken broth over the top and put in a 350 oven. Bake for 1 hour, turning lamb occasionally. Then add the brussel sprouts and bake for another hour, or until the lamb shanks are tender.
-1 fennel bulb, chopped
-1 head garlic, peeled
-2 lamb shanks
-2 cans chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown for a few minutes in a hot frying pan. Remoce and place in a large baking dish with the garlic and the fennel. Pour the chicken broth over the top and put in a 350 oven. Bake for 1 hour, turning lamb occasionally. Then add the brussel sprouts and bake for another hour, or until the lamb shanks are tender.
Labels: brussel sprouts, dinner recipes, fennel, homemade, lamb
Monday, February 19, 2007
Dinner at Home
Brussel Sprouts in Red Wine with Blue Cheese
These brussel spouts were rich and round in flavor.
-1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
-1/2 cup red wine
-a splash of balsamic vinegar
-1 handful crumbled blue cheese
-salt and pepper to taste
Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan. Add the brussel sprouts and sautee until beginning to brown. Add the wine and vinegar and cover. Cook until brussel sprouts are tender and liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and sprinkle with blue cheese.
-1/2 cup red wine
-a splash of balsamic vinegar
-1 handful crumbled blue cheese
-salt and pepper to taste
Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan. Add the brussel sprouts and sautee until beginning to brown. Add the wine and vinegar and cover. Cook until brussel sprouts are tender and liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and sprinkle with blue cheese.
Celery Root Soup with Kielbasa
A hearty soup.
-1 celery root, peeled and chopped
-2 turnips, peeled and chopped
-3 cans chicken broth
-1/2 onion, chopped
-5 cloves garlic, peeled
-2 kielbasa, diced
-pepper to taste
Sautee onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil. When beginning to color add the turnips and celery root and sautee another few minutes. Add the broth and pepper, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer until veggies are tender. Puree with immersion blender and put through a seive to get out all the fibrous bits. Add in the diced sausage and stir over low heat until sausage is heated through.
-2 turnips, peeled and chopped
-3 cans chicken broth
-1/2 onion, chopped
-5 cloves garlic, peeled
-2 kielbasa, diced
-pepper to taste
Sautee onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil. When beginning to color add the turnips and celery root and sautee another few minutes. Add the broth and pepper, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer until veggies are tender. Puree with immersion blender and put through a seive to get out all the fibrous bits. Add in the diced sausage and stir over low heat until sausage is heated through.
Labels: brussel sprouts, dinner recipes, homemade, sausage, soup
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner at Home
We are going to be in Singapore over Thanksgiving and thus won't be having Thanksgiving dinner this year. So, for that reason and since we hadn't had a dinner pary in a while, we decided to have a bunch of people over for a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving. Giao maintains that Thanksgiving food is bad, and if it weren't, people would eat it more often. And, Alexis actually thinks he's right about some parts (the pumpkin pie, the mashed potatos, the stuffing), so we included other dishes as well.
Hummus
This is the best hummus recipe of all time. It is packed with garlic.
Cheddar and Chive Scones
These savory scones are awesome, and they only take about 1o minutes to put together and 2o minutes to bake.
A Thanksgiving Feast
Recipes below.
Mashed Potatos
-3 lbs red potatos, boiled until fork tender
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Mash the boiled potatos (skin still on) and then add the cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Cranberry Sauce
-1 package cranberries
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe, courtesy of someone she once knew...
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This is more decadent than plain pecan pie and always a crowd pleaser.
Pie Crust
This is the standar crust that Alexis uses for everything from quiche to tarts to pies. It is very easy and freezes well.
-1 cup flour
-1 stick butter, cold and chopped into pieces
-enough water to form a dough
Integrate the butter into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form the dough into a ball. In the summer you may need no water, in the winter you need the most. Press the dough into a pie pan or freeze for 10 minutes and then roll out the dough. Pre-bake on 400 for about 10 minutes before adding any pie filling.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
Neither of us like pumpkin pie, but it is a Thanksgiving classic, so we made it. It turns out other people don't really like pumpkin pie all that much either.
Apple Pie
Apple pie is Giao's favorite dessert, and Alexis finally baked one he liked. Unfortunately this time she didn't like it because it was not sour enough, which was precisely the reason Giao didn't like the previous attempts.
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
We had leftover pumpkin from the pie and leftover cranberries from the cranberry sauce, we Alexis made a quick-bread that was very tasty.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and bake on 375 until a toothpick comes out clean in a greased and floured bundt pan for approx 30-40 mins.
Black Bean Dip
Alexis had never made this before-it looked disgusting, but tasted pretty good.
Alexis had never made this before-it looked disgusting, but tasted pretty good.
-3 cans black beans, drained
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2 limes
-salt to taste
-2 bell peppers, minced
-3 jalapenos, minced
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 onion, minced
-2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
Puree the beans, garlic, olive oil and lime juice to make a smooth paste. Mix in all of the other ingredients.
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2 limes
-salt to taste
-2 bell peppers, minced
-3 jalapenos, minced
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 onion, minced
-2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
Puree the beans, garlic, olive oil and lime juice to make a smooth paste. Mix in all of the other ingredients.
Hummus
This is the best hummus recipe of all time. It is packed with garlic.
-1 can garbonzo beans, drained
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2-3 lemons
-6-8 cloves garlic
-1/4 cup tahini
-salt to taste
Puree all ingredients in the food processor until smooth.
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2-3 lemons
-6-8 cloves garlic
-1/4 cup tahini
-salt to taste
Puree all ingredients in the food processor until smooth.
Cheddar and Chive Scones
These savory scones are awesome, and they only take about 1o minutes to put together and 2o minutes to bake.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
A Thanksgiving Feast
Recipes below.
Miso Rubbed Roast Turkey
-1 stick butter
-1/4 cup miso
-1 turkey
Combine miso and butter thoroughly and rub both under and over the skin of the turkey. Roast on 350 until the internal temperature of the bird is 165. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Roasted Vegetables
-3 large turnips, cubed
-30 pearl onions, peeled
-8 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
-1 head garlic, cloves peeled
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 can chicken broth
Season the veggies and place them under the bird with the can of chicken stock. When bird is done, drain the excess drippings and broth and reserve for gravy.
Gravy
-pan drippings
-1 handful flour
-salt and pepper to taste
Pour the pan drippings and perhaps a bit of chicken broth in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add a bit of flour at a time until the desired thickness has been reached. Remember that as the gravy cools it will get thicker. Season.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-2 onions, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh thyme leaves
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Cheesy Cauliflour Puree
-1 stick butter
-1/4 cup miso
-1 turkey
Combine miso and butter thoroughly and rub both under and over the skin of the turkey. Roast on 350 until the internal temperature of the bird is 165. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Roasted Vegetables
-3 large turnips, cubed
-30 pearl onions, peeled
-8 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
-1 head garlic, cloves peeled
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 can chicken broth
Season the veggies and place them under the bird with the can of chicken stock. When bird is done, drain the excess drippings and broth and reserve for gravy.
Gravy
-pan drippings
-1 handful flour
-salt and pepper to taste
Pour the pan drippings and perhaps a bit of chicken broth in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add a bit of flour at a time until the desired thickness has been reached. Remember that as the gravy cools it will get thicker. Season.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-2 onions, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh thyme leaves
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Cheesy Cauliflour Puree
Mashed Potatos
-3 lbs red potatos, boiled until fork tender
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Mash the boiled potatos (skin still on) and then add the cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Cranberry Sauce
-1 package cranberries
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe, courtesy of someone she once knew...
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This is more decadent than plain pecan pie and always a crowd pleaser.
Pie Crust
This is the standar crust that Alexis uses for everything from quiche to tarts to pies. It is very easy and freezes well.
-1 cup flour
-1 stick butter, cold and chopped into pieces
-enough water to form a dough
Integrate the butter into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form the dough into a ball. In the summer you may need no water, in the winter you need the most. Press the dough into a pie pan or freeze for 10 minutes and then roll out the dough. Pre-bake on 400 for about 10 minutes before adding any pie filling.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
Neither of us like pumpkin pie, but it is a Thanksgiving classic, so we made it. It turns out other people don't really like pumpkin pie all that much either.
-1 recipe pie crust
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
Apple Pie
Apple pie is Giao's favorite dessert, and Alexis finally baked one he liked. Unfortunately this time she didn't like it because it was not sour enough, which was precisely the reason Giao didn't like the previous attempts.
-2 recipes pie crust
-5 apples, peeled and sliced
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 tb cinnamon
-1 pinch salt
Sprinkle the salt, sugar and cinnamon over the apples and toss. Pour the apples into a partially bakes pie shell. Roll out the other pie crust and place it on top of the apples. Pinch around the edges to seal. Poke the top with a fork to let out the steam. Brush the top crust with egg wash. Bake on 375 for 1 hour, or until the apples are bubbly and the crust is browned.
-5 apples, peeled and sliced
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 tb cinnamon
-1 pinch salt
Sprinkle the salt, sugar and cinnamon over the apples and toss. Pour the apples into a partially bakes pie shell. Roll out the other pie crust and place it on top of the apples. Pinch around the edges to seal. Poke the top with a fork to let out the steam. Brush the top crust with egg wash. Bake on 375 for 1 hour, or until the apples are bubbly and the crust is browned.
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
We had leftover pumpkin from the pie and leftover cranberries from the cranberry sauce, we Alexis made a quick-bread that was very tasty.
-1 cup pumpkin puree
-2 cups flour
-1 cup cranberries, chopped
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup molasses
-1/2 ts salt
-2 eggs, beaten
-2 ts baking powder
-1 ts ginger
-1 ts nutmeg
-2 cups flour
-1 cup cranberries, chopped
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup molasses
-1/2 ts salt
-2 eggs, beaten
-2 ts baking powder
-1 ts ginger
-1 ts nutmeg
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and bake on 375 until a toothpick comes out clean in a greased and floured bundt pan for approx 30-40 mins.
Labels: brussel sprouts, dessert recipes, dinner recipes, homemade, soup, turkey
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Lunch at Work
Alexis ate some leftovers while Giao went out to lunch with one of our bosses.
Labels: brussel sprouts, chicken
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Dinner at Home
Brussle Sprouts with Bacon and Paprika Chicken
A nice combination of flavors. As a kid, Alexis hated brussel sprouts, but with the addition of bacon, she has grown to love them.
Brussel Sprouts:
-1 lb brussel sprouts
-4 strips bacon
-1/2 onion, minced
-1/4 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste
Render the bacon and toss the grease. Add onions and sautee on low until soft. Add brussel sprouts and cover. Cook on low, stirring often so as not to burn the brussel sprouts. Add cream and continue to stir. When brussel sprouts are tender serve.
Paprika Chicken:
-8 chicken thighs, cut in bite size pieces
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
-1 tb paprika
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the onions and the garlic on low heat until carmelized. Add the chicken and brown. Add the spices, stir, and cover. Cook on medium until chicken is cooked through.
A nice combination of flavors. As a kid, Alexis hated brussel sprouts, but with the addition of bacon, she has grown to love them.
Brussel Sprouts:
-1 lb brussel sprouts
-4 strips bacon
-1/2 onion, minced
-1/4 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste
Render the bacon and toss the grease. Add onions and sautee on low until soft. Add brussel sprouts and cover. Cook on low, stirring often so as not to burn the brussel sprouts. Add cream and continue to stir. When brussel sprouts are tender serve.
Paprika Chicken:
-8 chicken thighs, cut in bite size pieces
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
-1 tb paprika
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the onions and the garlic on low heat until carmelized. Add the chicken and brown. Add the spices, stir, and cover. Cook on medium until chicken is cooked through.
Labels: brussel sprouts, chicken, dinner recipes, homemade
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