Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle Ranch
Smoked Salmon Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Chives
Ingredients
3 ounces Neufchâtel or other light cream cheese, softened
6 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/4 pound (4 ounces) sliced smoked salmon
Method
Spread cream cheese on one side of each slice of bread then sprinkle with zest and chives. Top with slices of salmon, then remaining slices of bread. Cut sandwiches in half and transfer to plates. Serve immediately or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Raspberry and Cocoa Linzer Torte
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup ground blanched almonds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Whole Trade™ unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt
10 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 cup Whole Trade™ raspberry jam
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Put flour, almonds, granulated sugar, cocoa, cinnamon and salt into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal; transfer to a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat together yolks and lemon juice then add to flour mixture along with milk and stir with a fork just until mixture comes together. Press about 2/3 of the dough into an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or spring form pan to form a 1/2-inch-thick crust. (If using a tart pan, crust should reach the top of the pan. If using a spring form pan, crust should reach about 1 inch up the sides.) Spread jam thickly over the bottom of the crust; set aside. Working on a well-floured surface, use floured hands to roll remaining dough into 3/4-inch-wide ropes. Press ropes into 1-inch-wide strips and lay across tart in a crisscross pattern to form a lattice top. Bake tart until jam is bubbly and crust is just golden brown around the edges, about 40 minutes. Serve tart at room temperature or chilled, dusted with powdered sugar, if you like.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Savory Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
5 cups (1-inch) cubes sourdough or white bread
1/2 pound loose breakfast sausage, cooked (about 1 cup cooked)
1 cup spinach leaves
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Method
Layer bread, sausage and spinach in an 8-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, salt, pepper and sage then pour over contents in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover dish and bake until cooked through and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes then serve.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Cinnamon Sweet Rolls with Dates and Walnuts
Ingredients
Dough
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup warm water (about 110°F)
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
Filling
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup finely chopped pitted dates
Method
Put milk and butter into a small pot and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Transfer milk mixture to a large bowl and set aside until just lukewarm. Meanwhile, combine warm water, 2 teaspoons of the sugar and yeast in a small bowl and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, egg and yeast mixture into milk mixture, then stir in flours until well combined. Using well-floured hands, form dough into a ball and transfer to a greased bowl. Cover bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Roll out dough on a heavily floured surface to form a 10- x 16-inch rectangle. For the filling, gently spread butter over dough. Sprinkle all over with sugar and cinnamon then scatter walnuts and dates over the top. Starting with the long side, roll dough snugly into a cylinder. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut dough crosswise into 12 slices. Arrange slices in a greased 10- x 15-inch baking dish, cover and chill overnight. Set dish aside at room temperature until rolls are puffed, about 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls until golden brown and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Set rolls aside for 10 minutes, then drizzle with honey and serve.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Dark Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
Butter and flour for pan preparation
6 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour