Blueberry Turnovers

I love blueberries and they are in season.

Ingredients

* 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
* 1/2 cup blueberry preserves
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
* 1 cup fresh blueberries
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons water
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions

Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the puff pastry sheets into squares 12 inches by 12 inches; the pastry will become slightly thinner. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the preserves, cornstarch, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Fold in the fresh blueberries and vanilla, and chill while you cut the dough. Using a sharp knife, cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 (6-inch) squares.

Lay a pastry square on a work surface and brush the edges with egg wash. In the center of the square, place 2 heaping tablespoons of blueberry filling. Brush the edges of the pastry square with egg wash and fold it in half to create a triangle. Carefully press the edges together to seal them well with fork tines. Transfer to the cookie sheet and keep refrigerated. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, placing the turnovers 1-inch apart. Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve warm or let cool to room temperature. Serve within 1 day. Yeah, I don’t think that will be a problem.

Lasagna

Lasagna combines so many ingredients and (literally) layers of flavor.  Fresh pasta, ricotta, marinara, bolognese, mozarella and parmesan. Together they marry and make a dish worth the time and effort.

bolognese:

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, ground by butcher or thinly sliced and pulsed in food processor until finely chopped
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground pork (not lean)
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook onions, celery, carrot, and garlic in oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add pancetta, veal, and pork and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, milk, wine, water, and thyme and gently simmer, covered, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.

marinara

1/4 cup olive oil,

1 29 oz. can of tomato sauce

basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

Mirepoix

Mirepoix is the basis for many dishes, and is simple. Onion, carrot and celery chopped. Together these make a flavor that gives sweetness, savor and texture to any dish.

Ricotta Cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

8 cups whole milk

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

(1/2 recipe pictured)

Heat the milk and salt to simmer over medium high heat. Add the lemon juice and as curds form (1-2 minutes) remove them to cheesecloth with a finely slotted spoon. Chill in a covered bowl for at least 3 hours.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup sugar, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white sugar
mix until smooth and add 2 eggs and 1 Tbsp vanilla
mix until fluffy
in separate bowl, mix
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
add gradually to butter mixture
add 2 1/2 cups oats and 1 c raisins and mix
drop onto cookie sheet
bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, remove from sheet onto cooling racks and let cool

Chicken Elegante

Mix sour cream, lemon juice and worchestire sauce and marinate in refrigerator (covered) boneless skinless chicken breasts overnight. You can scrimp on this time limit, but you will taste the difference if you short it.

Use homemade breadcrumbs: grated baguette, parsley, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken breasts with the bread crumbs and coat with melted butter.

Bake at 375 for ~45 minutes or until golden brown and pour the remaining butter over the breast/s halfway through baking.

Beefsteak Tomatoes Stuffed with Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

beefsteak tomatos, hollowed

chicken salad (cubed chicken breast, onion, dill pickle, celery and mayo)

mayonnaise (eggs, peanut oil and lemon juice)

salt and pepper to taste and garnished with parsley

Savory Crescent Chicken Squares

These are a delicious and self contained treat made from Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, cubed chicken breast, cream cheese, pimiento and onion. Oh and butter. Plenty of butter.

Clams Casino

This is a tasty treat I first had at some cocktail party and had to stop myself from standing at the buffet and just eating the whole platter. So I made my own.

I used Giada DeLaurentis’ recipe:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces sliced pancetta or bacon, finely chopped
• 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped shallots
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 18 medium (2 1/2-inch) littleneck clams, shucked, bottom shells reserved

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate. Add the bell pepper, shallots, garlic, and oregano to the same skillet and saute until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool completely. Stir the reserved pancetta and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese into the vegetable mixture. Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with foil. Arrange the clams in the reserved shells on the baking sheet. Spoon the vegetable mixture atop the clams, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Bake until the clams are just cooked through and the topping is golden, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the clams on the platter and serve.

Creme Brulee

1 pt heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks
1 quarts hot water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Use a real vanilla bean, split and scraped.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color.

Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually.

Pour the liquid into 3 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/4 cup sugar equally among the 3 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

first i got this mini torch.

bah! too small! now this is a blowtorch