Almond Sand Dollar Sugar Cookies

 

My daughter Olivia is hoggin' the blog again this morning with yet another version of her favorite chewy sugar cookies. We have previously featured the original version as well as a version that  proved to be one of the most popular recipes ever on this blog, Coconut Lime Chewy Sugar Cookies. Today, she simply added a little almond extract and some toasted almonds to make a delicious little treat that my mother would call, 'a lovely cuppa tea cookie'. When she took them out of the oven, they reminded me of sand dollar shells that you would find on a stroll along a sandy beach.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract (depending on how lalmondy you want them to be

1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.

4. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon peel.

5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.

6. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Press down the balls with the bottom of a drinking glass and push slivered almond pieces in a star pattern into the cookies.

7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

8. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Orange Curd Meringue Tart

 

Can you tell I really like meringue? While I really like Lemon Meringue Pie too, I sort of prefer a shallower crust filled with a more intensely flavored  citrus curd and then topped with plenty of meringue. Sweet, light, creamy, tart, flaky and utterly delicious this dessert has a lot to offer in both taste and texture. This tempting treat switches up the citrus flavor by using frozen orange juice concentrate and finely minced orange zest in the filling for a particularly intense orange flavor.

Pastry

Sufficient for three 10 inch tart shells.

1 cup very cold butter cut into small cubes
2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
1/3 – ½ cup ice water (Only enough to make a dough form.)

Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible. Pour cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible. Divide dough into 3 balls, flatten into 3 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can freeze the other rounds for another time.
You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a 10 inch tart pan. Trim and flute the edges as desired. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the pastry shell, rest in the refrigerator for an additional 20 minutes before baking at 400 degrees F for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before adding the filling.

Orange Curd Filling

6 extra large egg yolks
Zest of one large orange, finely minced
½ cup good quality frozen orange juice concentrate
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter cut in small pieces

Whisk together egg yolks, orange juice concentrate, orange zest and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remocve from heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time until smooth.

At this point you can press the orange cured through a sieve to remove the zest if desired but I generally don't bother. I find the zest intensifies the orange flavor even more as it cools.

Chill completely before pouring into the baked shell. Top with meringue.

Meringue:
6 egg whites
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp cream of tarter
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip egg whites, vanilla, salt and cream of tarter to soft peaks. Very gradually add the sugar in a continuous slow steady stream while continuing to beat the egg whites. Spoon onto the tart making sure that the meringue touches the crust all the way around the tart. This will help to prevent the meringue from shrinking. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until the meringue is well browned. Cool tart thoroughly in the refrigerator before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Baked Chili Chicken Empanadas

 

Empanadas are a very popular street food in many Latin American countries and in Spain and it is so easy to see why. These flaky, savory little turnovers can make a quick snack or a meal on the run and are often filled with spicy beef or vegetables. They are traditionally  fried but I've adapted this recipe to a baked version which I can guarantee does not suffer without a visit to the deep fryer.

Today's version includes tender chicken and a quickly sauteed and reduced tomato sauce spiced with chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was one of the best things I've eaten this year. If I must make a full disclosure, then I'll have to admit that I warmed up the leftovers for breakfast this morning... and I don't do leftovers!

I saved 3 uncooked empanadas to see how well they go from freezer to oven...I don't expect they'll survive in the freezer for very long.

Makes about 8-10 empanadas

Filling

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 tbsp olive oil

3 minced cloves garlic

salt and pepper to season

3 tbsp chili powder

1tbsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

3 large ripe tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp brown sugar

Cut the chicken breasts into small cubes and saute them in the olive oil and garlic until just cooked through. You do not want to overcook the chicken at this point. It will be baked again in the oven so don't dry it out.

Remove the chicken from the pan immediately and set aside to cool completely.

To the saute pan, add the tomatoes, spices and brown sugar and saute on high stirring constantly until the sauce reduces to almost a thick paste. Set aside to cool thoroughly before mixing with the chicken and refrigerating until well chilled. The filling needs to be quite cold when added to the pastry.

Empanada Dough

In a food processor add:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

Pulse in 

1 cup very cold butter, cut in cubes

Pulse until well combined and there are still pea sized pieces of butter in the mixture. While still pulsing the processor, slowly add:

2/3 to 1 cup ice cold water, enough to bring the mixture together into a ball of dough.

Separate the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1/2 hour or longer. It is fine to make this dough a day or two in advance.

Divide the dough into golf ball sized pieces and roll each ball out to about 6 inch circles on a well floured board.

Spoon about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the filling onto the dough circle. Brush the edges of the dough with an egg wash made from whisking together:

1 egg + 1 tbsp cold water

Fold the pastry over the filling and seal the seam by pressing the edges together with a fork. Brush the egg wash over the completed empanadas as well. Chill the pastries for 20-30 minutes before popping them into a preheated 425 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until evenly golden brown. I use a silicone lined baking sheet for these. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Italian Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is the kind of dish that I like to serve at dinner parties simply because it can be prepared well in advance and then popped into the oven before your guests arrive. These were large breasts and still only took about an hour to cook completely. I use a meat thermometer to test the center. While poultry is generally well cooked at 185 degrees F, I almost always cook these to 175 because the center is not chicken but cheese and at 175 degrees F the provolone is melted perfectly while the chicken is not dried out. I also like to serve this particular stuffed chicken breast with Roasted Tomato Jam. That link will also include another recipe for a lower fat baked version of Chicken Parmesan.

Serves 4


4 large chicken breasts, butterfly cut
6 ounces provolone cheese
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 1/2 cups, bread, cracker or cornflake crumbs
2 tbsp dried mixed Italian herbs
6 ounces thinly sliced capicola ham
egg wash, 2 eggs + 2 tbsp water whisked together 
salt and pepper to season

Lay each butterflied chicken breast flat. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and rub 1/2 clove minced garlic on the inside surface of the meat. Cut the provolone cheese into 4 sticks and wrap each one in 1 1/2 ounces capicola. Place the ham and cheese in the center of the flattened chicken and fold all sides of the breast meat toward the center to overlap. Flip the breast over so that the overlapped edges are on the bottom. 

Mix the crumbs with the Italian herbs. Dip the stuffed chicken breast into the egg-wash and then into the seasoned crumbs. Place fold side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 175-185 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Serve with Roasted Tomato Jam and a side of Orzo Spinach Prima Vera

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Tomato Avacado and Feta Crostini

Here's a quick, fresh idea for a simple starter course or hors d'ouevre that's perfect for a casual summer barbeque or dinner party. Instead of plating this as an appetizer, I sometimes chop the ingredients a little smaller and set a small bowl of it in the center of a serving platter along with a small pot of the balsamic syrup. The crostini are then placed around the salad and guests can spoon the salad onto the crostini and drizzle the balsamic reduction themselves. 

Serves 4

Tomato avocado and 

2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 large avocado diced
6 ounces feta diced
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and pepper to season


Toss all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.


Garlic Crostini

8 slices French baguette
garlic oil


Brush garlic oil on both sides of the bread and then toast them in a panini press or under the broiler.


Balsamic Syrup

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar


Simmer together until large bubbles form and the liquid coats the back of a metal spoon.


Drizzle over the tomato, avocado and feta salad. 


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Neapolitan Trifle

In trying to name this delicious trifle experiment, I immediately went to the flavors of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla contained in it, like the combined flavors of Neapolitan ice cream. I then thought, "What does chocolate, strawberry and vanilla have to do with Naples, Italy?" It seemed an odd combination of flavors to be native  to that area, so Mr. Google told me that three common flavors in the late 1800's in Naples were cherry, pistachio and chocolate and they were sold together in traditional spumoni style ice-cream. When spumoni style ice cream was introduced to the US in the 1870's this flavor combination didn't really take off and it is thought that ice cream makers borrowed the idea but combined the more popular American flavors of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate to appeal to North American tastes. 

That definitely seems to have stuck, as over 100 years later this flavor combination still persists and works extremely well in this decadent trifle which makes excellent use of yesterday's Perfect Chocolate Sponge Cake as the base upon which to layer chocolate ganache, vanilla custard , whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This recipe makes one large impressive trifle or equally impressive single servings as shown in the photo above which look best in clear serving dishes or even parfait or wine glasses. I confess that I love custard, so I sometimes add extra to mine.

One Perfect Chocolate Sponge Cake, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
Vanilla Custard 
Chocolate Ganache Sauce
1 pound sliced macerated strawberries
Vanilla Whipped Cream

Macerated Strawberries


1 pound sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar

Toss the strawberries in the sugar and let stand at room temperature for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally. The strawberries will start to release their juice and combine with the sugar to form a sugar syrup. After a couple of hours or overnight, strain the berries and reserve the syrup. 


Vanilla Custard

Scald in the microwave or on the stove top:

3 cups whole milk

Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine

1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Over medium flame slowly add the scalded milk whisking constantly.Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto

3 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks

whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional minute or two until pudding consistency and remove from the flame.

Stir in

4 tbsp butter

3 tsp vanilla extract

Cool thoroughly.


Chocolate Ganache Sauce


2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream


Scald the cream to almost boiling before pouring it over the chocolate chips. Let stand for 5 minutes before stirring until smooth.


Vanilla Whipped Cream


2 cups whipping cream
3 tbsp icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients together until soft peaks form.

Construct the trifle in two layers of each component. Start with half of the cake cubes in the bottom of the trifle bowl. Pour on half of the strawberry syrup, followed by half of the strawberries. Next drizzle on half of the chocolate ganache sauce followed by half of the vanilla custard. Repeat these layers again before topping with all of the vanilla whipped cream and garnishing with strawberries and an additional drizzle of chocolate ganache sauce if desired. Chill for at least a couple of hours  before serving.

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Perfect Chocolate Sponge Cake

Today's offering is one of those foundation recipes that every baker needs to master and have in their arsenal of skills...and a skill it really is. My original Sponge Cake recipe appeared here over a year ago and it is one that I have received a great deal of correspondence from readers about; mostly thanking me for a proper sponge cake recipe that actually works for them. 

This chocolate version of the same recipe is only a slight tweak of the original which substitutes cocoa for some of the flour. As it is in the original recipe, technique is what is important here and a light touch is what makes a great sponge cake. Very lightly folding the dry ingredients through the meringue without over mixing is essential to a light, airy, well textured sponge cake. 

This simple cake can be enjoyed on it's own with a dusting of icing sugar or layered with raspberry jam. I serve it with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream for a light dessert or if I want to get really decadent as the base for an inventive trifle where the sponge is ideal for soaking up a suitable liqueur or berry syrup before layering in additional fruit, berries, custard etc. 

Stay tuned for a Neapolitan Trifle recipe coming soon which makes particularly good use of this simple but versatile cake.

Sift together and set aside:

2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup good quality cocoa
1 tsp baking powder

For the meringue base of the batter you will need:

6 eggs separated, room temperature

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

1 cup sugar, separated in 2 half cups

2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually until egg whites are stiff.

Beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until foamy and thickened.

Fold beaten egg yolks into the beaten egg whites along with the vanilla for only a few turns before slowly and gradually folding in the flour, cocoa and baking powder mixture very gently BY HAND using a rubber spatula until just incorporated into the meringue mixture. I mix in the dry ingredients in 3 equal portions. Do not over mix, you just want the flour to be incorporated; over mixing will deflate the egg whites and result in a tough textured final product.

Pour into greased and cocoa dusted 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until center springs back when touched. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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Dutch Baby with Strawberries & Lemon

A Dutch Baby is a simple baked pancake that puffs up in the oven and is traditionally served with icing sugar and a squeeze of lemon. It is super easy to prepare and a nice light weekend brunch served with only some fresh fruit.

This is a great recipe to make with the kids, especially the little ones. The batter can be made in a blender which they'll love pressing the buttons on and then they get to watch the pancake puff up in the oven. That'll keep 'em busy for 15 minutes at least. ;)

I've posted this as a single serving recipe which makes one 8 inch Dutch Baby. Multiply as needed.

In a blender combine for only about 30 seconds until smooth:

1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

Lightly grease an 8 inch cake pan with butter. Place the pan in a 425 degree preheated oven for only a couple of minutes until the butter bubbles. I use the second from the bottom level rack in the oven for this recipe. When the pan is hot, open the oven door and pour the batter directly into the hot pan. Quickly close the door and bake for about 15 minutes or until the pancake puffs up and turns evenly golden brown all over. The pancake will deflate a little when it comes out of the oven. Serve hot with fresh fruit, a sprinkle of icing sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

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Strawberry Custard Tarts...aka.Timtarts!

Well, isn't that a pretty picture? ...if I do say so myself. 

I'm not sure if Tim Horton's still make Timtarts in all parts of Canada in the spring, but I remember them fondly even though it's been years since I had one. I happened on the old Timtarts commercial from 1980 while surfing YouTube the other day.



I ate more than my share of these tarts when I was a kid and today they served as my inspiration for a homemade version of this very presentable and yummy dessert. No offense to Timmy's but mine are even better. ;)

Makes about 12 large tarts

Pastry

2 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup soft butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1 extra large egg, lightly beaten

Cream the butter and sugar well before adding the beaten egg and beating for an additional minute. Add the flour and salt and mix just until a dough forms. Separate the dough into two rounds, wrap them in plastic wrap and let them rest in the fridge for about an hour before rolling out the dough ans cutting out circles with a large biscuit cutter or something of sufficient size for the tart pans you are using. Chill the pans in the fridge for about 20 minutes before stabbing several holes in the bottom of each tart pastry and baking in a 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Vanilla Custard

Scald in the microwave or on the stovetop:


3 cups whole milk


Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.


Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine


1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt


Over medium flame slowly add the scalded milk whisking constantly.Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto


3 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks


whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional minute or two until pudding consistency and remove from the flame.


Stir in


4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp good quality vanilla extract

Cool completely in the fridge.

To Construct the Tarts

Place a whole strawberry in the center of each pastry shell. Transfer the custard to a piping bag or just a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. In a circular motion, starting at the base, pipe the custard all the way around the strawberry to completely conceal it. Next, place strawberry halves on top of the custard all over the surface of the tart.

At this point, you can brush a little strawberry  glaze on the strawberry halves if you like.

Strawberry Glaze

1/2 cup strawberry jam

1 tbsp water

Microwave for about 30 seconds, stir, and brush over the strawberry halves on top of the tarts.

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Chili Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Olivia has been baking cookies again and getting a little adventurous this time. The Mayans are said to have been very fond of the combination of chili and chocolate and I have tried hot chocolate that has been steeped in chili peppers before and enjoyed it very much. This recipe actually uses chili powder which I was quite skeptical about because it can include a combination of other spices like cumin and paprika; I was surprised to find that there was only a hint of heat but the other spices in the chili powder mix added earthy tones that really go well with the chocolate. One of the things I especially liked was the inclusion of more chili powder, combined with the sugar that the cookie dough balls are rolled in before baking. I think this would be a good opportunity to experiment with adding a little extra heat to the crispy sugary exterior.

Sift together and set aside:

1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)

Cream together until light and fluffy

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar

Add, one at a time, beating well after each addition:

2 extra large eggs

Fold in the dry ingredients along with

1 cup chocolate chips

Roll into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in a combination of


1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees F. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

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Italian Sausage Hash with Quick Tomato Compote

 

 It's never too early to start thinking about a delicious, satisfying weekend brunch and I have to admit that I have been indulging in variations of this particular idea for the last few weeks. Drawing on the fried tomatoes that so often accompany a full English style breakfast for inspiration, I came up with this quick and easy Tomato Compote that goes so well with all of the components of this brunch dish and helps to pull the whole thing together. I really enjoy poached or over-easy fried eggs on top of this brunch but if you are not fond of runny yolks, over-hard or scrambled eggs will work well too. The compote doesn't take long at all and is easily accomplished in the time it takes to fry the hash browns

Serves 4


Quick Tomato Compote

2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large ripe tomatoes diced
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to season

Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving.


Italian Sausage Hash

4 large potatoes, peeled, washed and diced
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to season

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat and add the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper And cook until golden brown. In the last couple of minutes of cooking time add:

2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red onion

Cook just until the onions and garlic have softened before removing the hash browns from the pan and setting aside for a few minutes.

To the pan add:

12 ounces loose Italian Sausage meat (if you can't find loose sausage meat, just buy sausage links and remove the casings)

Break up the sausage meat into small pieces while cooking and when fully cooked add:

3 tbsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)

Return the hash browns to the pan and toss together with the cooked sausage.  Serve with a fried or poached egg on top along with the Quick Tomato Compote.

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Five Spice Ginger Beef

Such a quick and easy workday supper. Quick cooking, thinly sliced steak and 4 minute Chinese thin noodles can help have this delicious dish on the table in under 20 minutes.

Serves 4

2 thick cut strip loin steaks, well trimmed and thinly sliced.

In a very hot wok, heat 3 tbsp peanut oil

Season the steak strips with salt and pepper and quickly stir fry for only a minute or two. Be careful not to overcook the beef at this stage ; a minute or two is really long enough. Remove beef from the wok and set aside.

 

Add another couple of tablespoons of peanut oil to the wok and quickly sauté

4 cloves minced garlic

Add to the wok:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce

3 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

4 tbsp molasses

1 tsp crushed chili paste

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

3 tsp toasted sesame oil

Simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes or until it thickens to the consistency of a glaze. Toss the beef back into the sauce along with one chopped red bell pepper and cook only enough to heat through, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately over rice or Chinese noodles and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Raspberry Coconut Cream Trifle

I originally planned this idea as a 4 layered cake using my Best Vanilla Cake as the base to build what I sometimes call a trifle cake. My mother is a great lover of trifles of all sorts so since she was coming for lunch, I decided to make it as a straight forward trifle instead. The trifle recipe is built on a couple different recipes that have appeared here before. First is a very old but very good recipe for an old fashioned Victoria Sponge Cake which is my favorite cake to use for trifles because the sponge so readily soaks up the flavor of sherry, flavored syrup or liqueur that gets added to the dessert; in this case a little coconut rum. Another component of the trifle is an outstanding coconut custard that is the filling from my homemade Coconut Cream Pie. Add a little raspberry sauce and some vanilla whipped cream and you have a delicious trifle that was very well received; almost everybody had seconds, including dear old Mom. 

For the trifle you will need

-4 ounces coconut rum

-1 Sponge Cake cut in 3/4 inch cubes

-Coconut Cream Filling 

The coconut cream filling recipe is sufficient for two pies so you can make a half batch of this if you like but I like lots of custard in my trifle, so I used the whole recipe.

-Raspberry Compote

-Vanilla Whipped Cream

-Toasted coconut

Raspberry Compote

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1 ounce water

Slowly simmer the berries and sugar over low heat for about 10 minutes. Dissolve the corn starch in the water and slowly pour into the boiling berries stirring constantly until thickened.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

2 cups whipping cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients together until soft peaks form.

To construct the trifle place half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a large trifle dish or other large serving dish ( about 4 quarts). Alternatively, you can make this trifle in individual serving dishes like, large ramekins, parfait glasses or large wine glasses.

Sprinkle 2 ounces of the coconut rum over the cake before spreading half of the Raspberry Compote on top of the cake cubes and then spooning half of the coconut custard on top of that. Repeat this process for the second layer before topping with the Vanilla Whipped Cream and garnishing with toasted coconut.

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Herbed Margherita Calzone

This delicious calzone uses the 3 classic margartiha ingredients, basil and mozzarella and tomato, the latter being in the form of roasted tomato jam. You can find that recipe here. This calzone also gets a flavour bump from the additon of Italian herbs added to the calzone dough.

Calzone Dough: MAKES ENOUGH FOR 6-8 Calzones

3-4 cups all purpose flour
1 packet instant yeast
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
½ tsp sea salt
4 tbsp Italian herb mix ( or combine your own blend of your favorites fromoregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, and crushed rosemary.)

Mix dry ingredients together except for one cup of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until dough forms. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for ½ hour, covered in a warm place. Knead again for 5 minutes and split dough into 6-8 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling your dough into the desired size; about 10 inch circles for calzones.

I often make the dough the day before, brush the individual portions with olive oil and store in a covered container overnight. I use this dough straight from the fridge with no problems.

Filling

Mozzarella
Basil
Roasted tomato Jam

Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 425 degrees F.


Stretch or roll your calzone dough into 10 inch rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the calzone to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your dough round is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread roasted tomato jam over half the round leaving a 1 inch border. Top the sauce with the other filling ingredients, ending with the basil and fold the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges together by folding the bottom layer of dough slightly over the top crust and pressing to seal. Brush the tops of the calzones lightly with a simple egg wash of 1 egg whisked with 2 tbsp water.

Shake your peel to make sure the calzone is not stuck. Slide the calzone onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel. Bake for about 15 minutes or until top crust is evenly brown. Cooking times will vary depending upon your oven. Bottom and top should be nicely browned. Allow calzone to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

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Orange Pineapple Coconut Crumble

A very ripe golden pineapple beckoned from the fridge to be used up quickly, so I decided it would somehow become dessert last night. A recent conversation about whether or not one could still still buy Orange Pineapple Ice Cream ( I still don't know the answer), served as the inspiration for this dish. I also decided to add some coconut to my crumble to make it even a little more tropical. I served it with some good vanilla bean ice cream and the result of the combination with the orange and pineapple flavors was instantly reminiscent of that childhood favorite ice cream...but better. Testers so far are raving about this one.

Toss together until well combined:

3 cups diced fresh pineapple
zest of one large orange, finely minced
juice of one orange
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 cup sugar

Spread evenly in the bottom of a 9x9 inch glass baking dish.

Crumble

In a large bowl toss together:

1 tsp baking powder
1cups rolled oats (large)
1 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup shredded coconut


Using your hands rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:


¾ cup cold butter, cut in small cubes.


Press the crumble mixture together in handfuls then break it apart in bite sized pieces evenly over the top of the prepared pineapple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

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Kung Pao Pork with Almonds

 

Here's a quick, tasty workday supper that I often make just for one when I'm left to my own devices at home, which I enjoy because I can make it as spicy as I like. The toasted almonds are a great with the pork instead of cashews or peanuts. I would normally use pork tenderloin in this but I only had center loin chops on hand which I sliced quite thin and quickly stir fried and it was still quite tender and juicy.

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cloves minced garlic
pinch fresh ground black pepper

In a hot wok, saute the pork with the garlic and pepper until almost completely cooked. Remove the pork from the wok for the time being and set aside.
To the hot wok add

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon crushed chili paste ( more or less to taste)
Add all the following ingredients quickly and all at once.

1/4 cup rice wine
6 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Reduce the heat on the wok to medium and bring the sauce to a simmer before adding the pork back to the wok. Add:

1 diced red pepper

Cook for an additional minute.

To thicken the sauce stir in a slurry of :

1 ounce water
1 tsp corn starch

Serve on a bed of rice or Chinese noodles and garnish with toasted slivered almonds.

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Bananas Foster French Toast

Happy Mother's Day! Spouse had to work on the day so I delivered this breakfast to her and a coworker early this morning. I don't know that I can think of a more indulgent breakfast.

 

Serves 4

8 slices of french bread (or 16 slices if using a smaller baguette)

4 eggs

1/3 cup whipping cream or milk

pinch salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and vanilla. Let the bread soak in this mixture for a few minutes to absorb as  much as possible. Fry in butter over medium-low high heat until golden brown. You don't want to fry these too quickly.

 

Bananas Foster Sauce

 

In a saute pan combine:

 

6 tbsp butter

9 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup rum

1/2 tsp cinnamon

 

Cook over medium heat until the mixture is well incorporated and begins to get quite foamy. At that point whisk in quickly

 

1/4 cup whipping cream

 

Immediately add 

4 sliced bananas 

 

and cook for an additional minute just until the bananas are warmed through. Be very careful as this sauce is very hot. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving over the prepared French Toast

 

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Spicy Cod Tacos with Pineapple Lemon Balm Salsa

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo a little early yesterday with these spicy fish tacos made with Newfoundland cod. Mexican fish tacos very often include battered and deep fried fish but here I've opted to dredge the fish pieces in a spicy flour mixture and simply pan fry them in a little canola oil. I like to cut the fish onto "fish-stick" sized pieces which makes them easier to fit into small flour or corn tortillas.

The salsa is a bit of a twist on a typical fruit salsa, using lemon balm as the preferred herb in the mix instead of cilantro. The lemon and pineapple flavors complement each other well and the hint of lemon connects well with the fish. Although this is a very simple recipe it has a lot going on; from the delicate texture of the fish with crispy spicy coating to the slightly chewy texture of the tortillas to the fresh burst of flavor and spice in the salsa, they all combine for a very quick and satisfying meal.

Makes 8 tacos

2lbs fresh boneless cod fillet cut into approximately 1 1/2 x 4 inch pieces
8 six inch flour or corn tortillas

Combine together well:

1 cup flour
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground Cumin
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Dredge the fish pieces into the spiced flour mixture then pan fry quickly in a cast iron skillet in about a 1/4 inch of canola oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Warm 8, six inch soft flour or corn tortillas by wrapping them in aluminum foil placing in the oven for a fes minutes or just lightly grill them for a few seconds on each side. Place one or two pieces of the fish on a warm tortilla, top with the salsa and serve.

Pineapple Lemon Balm Salsa

Makes about 2 cups.

1 ½ cups fresh pineapple, diced small
1 clove minced garlic
Juice of one lemon
½ red onion diced
1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ red pepper diced small
4 tbsp chopped lemon balm

Toss all ingredients together well in a glass bowl. Let stand for about 2 hours before serving, stirring occasionally.

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Nutella & Sea Salt Cookies

We have a couple of 7th graders as guest chefs on the blog this morning; my daughter Olivia and her able assistant Kathryn. Olivia is a prolific baker of cookies at our house and she does have her favorites like Aunt Aggie's Peanut Butter Cookies, which she made on this blog back when she was the tender age of nine and which she has recently been supplying to her pregnant and peanut butter craving dance teacher. As for what used to be one of my "Dad"specialties, The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, she and her 6th grader brother, Noah have all but taken over that domain; I don't think I have made a single batch for several years.

When the kids set out to bake cookies for a sleepover the other night, I suggested Olivia search for a new recipe to try. I understand why she settled on this recipe; it has all the elements she would love. Like most kids she is very fond of Nutella but perhaps not so typically, she absolutely loves those dark chocolate covered caramels with a little sea salt or fleur de sel sprinkled on top, so this recipe naturally appealed to her. They turned out to be soft, fudgy cookies with a good caramelized sugar crispness to the edges and a little salty counterpoint to the overall sweetness while letting the hazelnut flavour of the Nutella still shine through. The sea salt addition may not be to everyone's taste but it is easily omitted and as Olivia did in a separate batch, easily replaced by a toasted hazelnut in the center before baking. Either way, this recipe is a winner and well worth a try.

Sift together:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder

Cream together until light and fluffy:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Add and blend well:

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup Nutella

Fold the dry ingredients into the creamed nutella mixture in three different additions and

1/3 cup milk

in two separate additions, alternating between the two but beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about a half hour  before rolling it into 1 inch balls. Place the balls about 2 - 3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Slightly press down the balls with the bottom of a water glass and sprinkle each one with a small pinch of sea salt.

Bake at 325 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

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Ham Sweet Potato & Parsnip Soup

I'd have to say that one of the top five favorite meals at our house is the fantastically juicy, sweet and salty Mustard and Demerrara Sugar Glazed Ham and if you haven't tried that recipe, it should be at the top of your "Gotta Try" list. Yesterday we featured some of the leftovers of that ham in Toutons Benedict, a great brunch idea and today the sweet and salty theme continues in this delicious soup. Sweet roasted onions, sweet potatoes and parsnips all form the base of this pureed soup along with a simple ham stock made from the leftover ham bone. Small pieces of the leftover ham are added at the end for a counterbalance to the sweetness of the roasted vegetables, while ginger, smoked paprika and a little cinnamon add warm and smoky notes to this fantastic appetizer or lunchtime soup.

3 medium sized sweet potatoes
4 large parsnips
2 medium sized red onions
2 liters ham stock
8 cloves garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper to season
2 - 3 cups leftover diced ham

Prepare the ham stock by covering the ham bone and any leftover scraps of ham with 2 litres of water and adding an onion to the pot. Simmer for a couple of hours over low heat. Strain and set aside.

Chop the sweet potatoes, onions and parsnips into about a 2 inch dice. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and the garlic cloves which should be left in their skins to roast. Place the vegetables in a large baking dish in a single layer, season lightly with salt and pepper and roast at 350 degrees F until all of the vegetables are fork tender. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins and add it along with the roasted vegetables to a large pot and add the ham stock, paprika, cinnamon & ginger. Simmer over low heat for 15 -20 minutes before pureéing the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add the diced ham and simmer for 10 minutes before tasting and doing a final seasoning with salt and pepper before serving.

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Toutons Benedict

 

I do look forward to my weekend brunches and this one really hit the spot. Toutons instead of a toasted English muffins are much better as the base for this twist on a classic brunch dish. Fried tomato slices are delicious with this brunch and are just excellent with the freshly made Hollandaise Sauce.
 
Now I know some of you are thinking why didn't he use fried bologna instead of ham? Don't Newfoundlanders love fried bologna? Well I don't much care for bologna, fried or otherwise really, but fill yer boots if you'd rather use that. I happened to have some beautiful Dijon Mustard and Demerara Sugar Glazed Ham leftover from supper the other night which I sliced thin and lightly fried before slipping it on top of a warm touton along with a poached egg and a simple blender version of Hollandaise Sauce. 

You can find the simple touton recipe here .

Easy Summer Savoury Hollandaise Sauce
4 toutons
4 poached eggs
8 ounces thinly sliced and lightly fried ham


Easy Summer Savoury Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tsp fresh or dried summer savoury
1/2 cup hot melted butter

In a blender combine the egg yolks, mustard and lemon juice for only a few seconds. With the blender on medium speed, slowly pour in the hot butter in a thin stream. The sauce should thicken quite quickly. Pour into a bowl and keep the bowl warm in a warm water bath while preparing the other components of the Toutons Benedict.

Place the cooked ham on the warm toutons, top with a poached egg and finally the Hollandaise sauce.

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