Cauliflower Gratin

 

For Gratin:

1 head cauliflower, cored, broken into bite-sized florets.  

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese

For Topping:

2 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Steam the cauliflower until al dent, about 3 to 4  minutes.  

Add 2 Tbsp of butter to a saucepan, melt butter and then add the flour.  Cook the flour and butter for a minute,  until it smells nutty. Add the paprika, mustard, salt and pepper.  stir for a few seconds and then slowly add the milk, stirring as you add it to break up any lumps. Bring to a low simmer and continue to stir as the sauce thickens. 

Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove pan from heat and  stir in  the shredded cheese.

place panko in a small bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and pour over the panko.  mix the butter into the panko.  set aside. 

Spread a teaspoon of butter over the insides of a 2-quart gratin dish. Place the lightly steamed cauliflower florets in an even layer in the dish. Pour cheese sauce over the cauliflower.   Top with the pakno mixture.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes to heat through.  be sure panko potting does not get too brown.

Cranberry Peach Cake

 

1 1/2 cups Sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup soft butter, cut into cubes.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

1 tablespoon orange zest
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
12 oz bag cranberries 
1/2 cup peeled very ripe or canned peached cut into cubes. 
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 8" springform pan. 

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whip the eggs and sugar until light in color and very fluffy.  with the mixer on high add the cubes of butter, one at a time, until well incorporated.  add in vanilla and almond extract and zest. mix until incorporated.  fold in peaches.

mix flour, salt and cranberries in a bowl.  once mixed, fold into the egg mixture until just combined. 

Spread mixture into prepared springform pan.  top with slivered almonds. 

bake cake for 75 to 90 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown. 

Cool cake for 30 minutes.  use a knife and run around the inner edge of pan to release the cake from the pan.  

Fruitcake with Nuts

 

1 ½ cup flour

¾ cup almond meal, finely ground

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ginger

2 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon clove

½ teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) softened butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon orange zest

¼ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons finely diced crystalized ginger

7 cups chopped dried fruit.  I used a mixture of apricot, dark raisins, golden raisins, prunes, figs, cherries, cranberries, dates (if I could have found them I would have used currents).  If some of the fruit is really dry, soak for a few hours in the rum to soften them up.

3 cups roasted nuts, coarsely chopped – almonds, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts are what I use.

Rum – I like Goslings Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum because of its rich flavor

Candied orange slices for garnish

 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8 inch spring form pan with a removable bottom. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Also line the sides of the pan with a strip of parchment paper that extends about 2 inches above the rim of the pan.

 

In a bowl mix together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, spices and salt.  Set aside.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together over medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each egg is incorporated.  Scrape the sides of the bowl, add in at low speed, the vanilla, orange juice and orange zest and mix until blended, about 30 seconds.    

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined, about 30 to 60 seconds, scraping bowl after about 20 seconds to mix in anything not mixing well.

Fold in the fruit, crystalized ginger and nuts into the dough.  Mix until everything is evenly incorporated.  There will be very little dough to fruit and the mixing can be an arm workout.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking pan.  Spread the dough out evenly and smooth out the top. 

 

Bake on the center rack in your preheated oven for approximately 90 minutes.  The cake should feel firm to the touch at the center and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. The cake should be cooled completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing.

With a skewer, poke holes in the top surface of the cake and liberally brush with the rum. Wrap the cake thoroughly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in a cake tin or plastic bag. Store in a cool dry place. (If you live in a warm climate I find it best to store the cake in the refrigerator.) Brush the cake periodically (once or twice a week for about two to three weeks) with the rum. This cake will keep several weeks or it can be frozen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

White Chicken Chili

 

• 2 pounds pulled/shredded chicken.  I like pulled rotisserie chicken
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 to 6 cups chicken broth or water, Start with 4 cups, reserve 2 cups
• 1 (24 fluid ounce) bottle fire roasted green  salsa
• ½ (4 ounce) can chopped roasted green chilies
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• I packet chi chi’s fiesta restaurant seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 4 to 6 oz pkg cream cheese

In a deep soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté onions in the butter over medium heat until translucent and starting to carnalize around the edges.  Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.  Add the remaining ingredients except for the cream cheese.  cook until the flavors melt together, about  20 minutes.  Remove from heat.

melt the cream cheese in microwave for 10 to 20 seconds and add to the chili or place cream cream cheese in blender or food processor with 1/2 to 1 cup of chili broth (be carful with the hot broth) blend until cream cheese is smooth and will easily mix into the chili.   

If chili is too thick add 2 reserved cups chicken broth and reheat chili to 175 degrees if needed.  

I really like this green salsa and seasoning mix. 

Baked Chicken & Rice

Baked Chicken & Rice

I had some chicken thigh in the fridge and needed something quick and easy to make.  I whipped this all together and tossed it in the oven.  It was a hit here and was voted as a repeat item.  So here is the recipe so I can remember what I did for next time.

• 5 chicken thighs
• 2 T. oil
• 2 cups rice, rinsed of starch
• 1/2 med onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• salt & pepper
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 t. paprika
• 1 t. Turmeric
•  1/2 t. garlic powder
• 4 cups chicken stock
• some cauliflower (i did think this added to the dish)

Preheat oven to 375.

season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in a Dutch oven with some oil.  once browned removed from pan and set aside.  remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil.

toss in onion, carrot, and spices stir around in the hot oil then add the rice and stir until it starts to get nutty.  Stir in the peas and cauliflower .  Add in the browned chicken (with any juices that accumulated) to the pan (Dutch oven) on top of the rice and the chicken broth. 

Place lid on pan and place in the oven for about 35 minutes.  check half way through to see if any more chicken broth needs to be added to the pan. 

Wild Huckleberry Pie

My Brother's Birthday is August 1st which happens to be during huckleberry season and he LOVED huckleberry pie and every year for his birthday our mom would make him huckleberry pie. My brother will be 30 this year and I plan to surprise him with the pie mom used to make for him when he was a kid.

3/4 Cup Sugar

21/2 T. Corn Starch

1/4 t. salt

2/3 cup water

1 cup Huckleberries or any other berry that is in season

2 T. Butter

11/2 T. Lemon Juice

2 cups huckleberries

In a sauce pan bring to boil 1st 5 ingredients, cook until very thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir in last 3 ingredients.

Pour into cooked pie shell, chill.

Serve with whipped cream