Frozen Berries!

I am so glad that I froze a bunch of berries that we picked this year!  Even the frozen berries that you buy in the store still do not compare to fresh picked berries that you froze yourself!  Today I used blueberries that I had.  It probably will not be as delightful as it was over the summer with fresh berries but you never know!!

Blueberry Pie

3/4 cup sugar
4 tablepoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup water
4 cups blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and water.  Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until thickened (it will end up with an almost gel like consistency.)  Remove from heat and cool completely. 

In large bowl combine blueberries and lemon juice.  Add cooled mixture to berries.  Pour into prepared crust.  Top with lattice top or solid top with a few slits for ventilation.    

Cook for 20 minutes at 425 and then keeping pie in oven reduce heat to 350 for 25 more minutes. 

Chocolate + Mint = Yum!!

I love Pepperidge Farm's Mint Milano cookies.  I haven't had them in years....probably a good thing!  But when I saw this recipe I had to make them, they looked just like them!!  They came out so yummy and you can make them in many different flavors just by changing the peppermint extract to that of your choosing! 

Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectionery sugar

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In small bowl mix together flour and salt.  In bowl with electric mixer beat butter and granulated sugar on high until fluffy, appx. 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and egg, beat to combine.  With mixer on low add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Transfer dough to a quart size Ziploc bag.  Press out air and seal.  Cut a 3/4 inch opening at one tip of bag.  Pipe dough, each being 2 inches long.  You should have appx. 54 cookies.  Place sheets in fridge for 30 minutes until firm.

Remove from fridge and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and place promptly on cooling racks.  Let cool completely.

Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl.  Heat in 10-15 second increments, stirring after each time until completely melted.  In another bowl add confectionery sugar, 4 tablespoons of water and peppermint extract.  Mix to combine.

Roll out a few sheets of paper towels to work on.  Match up cookies in pairs (they will bake differently so some will fit better with others.)  On one side of the cookie using a spoon or knife spread on chocolate.  Continue coating one side of each cookie until complete.  Again, using knife or spoon (I recommend a spoon for the peppermint as it is runnier), spread on peppermint mixture.  When completed sandwich the cookie together and let sit on paper towels for at least 30 minutes!

These cookies will last up to 5 days in a Tupperware container!

Childhood Favorite

Where I grew up there was a great restaurant that specialized in chicken pot pie!  When I found this recipe from Ina Garten, it definitely lived up to my childhood memory!  I altered it a bit, as she makes individual pot pies and I made one large one.  I also add potatoes and use a different crust!  This is a great recipe to make with leftover chicken if you have it!!  I do not have a picture because everyone dug in before I could snap one....it's yummy :)

Chicken Pot Pie

6 split chicken breasts, bone in and skin on or 4-6 cups leftover chicken shredded/cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper
5 cups chicken stock
2 bouillon cubes
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups potatoes, cut to 1 inch cubes
1 pie crust, not frozen but store bought is fine
1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon water

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock.  Add in diced potatoes and boil until tender about 10 minutes.  Remove potatoes from stock and set aside. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas and potatoes. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour filling into a large casserole dish and top with dough.  Dough will hang over the sides, press to seal to the sides against the dish.  Brush the dough with egg wash (mix yolk and water) and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with coarse salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Happy Birthday Dad!!

My Dad's birthday was this week :)  It was his last year in the 50's.....next year the big 60!!  He loves German food so I used that as the basis for his birthday dinner.  We then went out with family over this weekend to an authentic German restaurant, really great food.....and really LARGE beers.  I personally feel sorry for my mom as she had to ride home with my father in his drunken state....but then again I had to drive my husband who also indulged in the giant beers :)  Even though we may be banned from this delightful restaurant good times were had by all!!  I love my family :)


Beer Braised Sausages with Red Potatoes

2 tablespoons olive-oil
1 1/2 pounds italian sausage
1 medium onion, sliced thin

12 ounces pale ale

1 1/2 pounds red skin potatoes, cut in half
salt and pepper
parsley (optional)

In large pot heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add sausages and brown on all sides.  About 5-10 minutes.  Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes.  Add beer, potatoes and 2 cups of water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Make sure potatoes are submerged in liquid.

Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to med-low.  Cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove sausages and potatoes and place on platter with foil, keep cooking liquid in pot.  Bring liquids in pot to a boil and cook down for about 10-15 minutes.  Liquid will thicken and reduce to about one cup.  Remove foil from platter and cover with sauce, sprinkle with parsley, serve!!

Swiss Chard Pie

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped

4 minced cloves garlic

2-3 pounds swiss chard, cut stems into 1/2 inch pieces and chop leaves
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
3 tablespoons flour
homemade or store bought double crust (not frozen)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In large pot place olive oil and garlic.  Turn heat to medium high.  Saute until fragrant about 2-3 minutes.  Add chopped onion and cook until begins to soften about 1-2 minutes.  Add chopped swiss chard stems and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until stems begin to soften.

Add chopped leaves into pot sprinkle with salt and pepper.  You will have to force them in....they will cook down!!  Reduce heat to medium and cover.  Leaves will wilt down in about 5 minutes.  Uncover and stir, cook for another 5 minutes. 

Place mixture in large bowl and add swiss cheese and flour.  Set aside.

In a 8-9 inch cake pan place one round of pie dough.  Push into pan so that dough covers bottom and sides of cake pan, it will hang over the sides as well!  Place mixture into crust.  Place top crust on and fold over to create a seal with bottom crust.  Cut four slits in center of pie.  Bake for 40-45 minutes!


Black Forest Cake

*I cannot find the recipe!!!!  As soon as I do I will post it!!  But here is the picture anyways!!*

 

CatchUp!!

I am way behind on postings from this week!!  It has been a busy week for us, so tonight hopefully I can play catch up and start next week on a good note :) 

I love cooking from Julia Child's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  The recipes always come out great!  Not only does she have great recipes but she teaches a different method of cooking with almost every recipe.  Tonight's dinner used a very interesting way to cook chicken breast and it was delightful!  On the side I served her risotto.  It had great flavor but this recipe was a lot of extra work and I did not feel that it was better than the stove top cooking method that I normally use.  This was a first for me, normally I find her methods far superior than what I am used to!

I would recommend buying her cookbook, but with that make sure you have a few stove and oven proof casserole dishes.....she uses them in soo many recipes!

Chicken Breast with Cream

4 Boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Pepper
Butter
Wax Paper

Heavy Fire Proof Covered Casserole Dish

Sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup port

1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut wax paper into a circle that will fit inside of the casserole dish and butter one side.

Rub chicken breasts with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Over medium heat melt the butter in casserole dish until foaming.  Quickly roll the chicken breasts in the butter and lay in casserole dish.  Place was paper circle over chicken with buttered side down.  Cover dish and place in hot oven.

After 6 minutes press chicken with finger and if it springs back it is finished.  If it is still soft return to oven for 2-3 minutes.  When done remove from casserole and place on platter, cover with foil.  Keep cooking liquids in casserole.

Return the casserole to the stove top-careful it will be hot from the oven!!!  I have been burned too many times!!  Pour chicken stock and wine into casserole with remaining cooking liquids.  Boil on high until liquid is thick and syrupy.  Stir in cream, bring to boil again over high heat until  thickened slightly.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice to taste.

Pour over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.



  

Sunday Dinner

I love the idea of the Sunday dinner.  A great family meal before the work week begins, definitely a great tradition that I hope to continue.  This week I tried a new recipe for pork loin.  My husband is always skeptical when I cook pork....I tend to overcook it, which is true, but I keep on trying new recipes!  Tonight's dinner was so tender and juicy, it really came out great!  I served it with a cherry brandy sauce that was well worth the pricey ingredients.  On the side, a butternut squash puree.   


Peppercorn Crusted Pork Loin

3 pound center cut pork loin

2 tablespoons coarse ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

Combine sugar, pepper and salt and rub all over pork. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange pork on V-rack set in roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook until meat registers 140 degrees, about 50 minutes longer. Transfer pork to cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest 20 minutes. Slice pork and serve.


Cherry Brandy Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 onions, chopped
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup brandy
8 oz. frozen pitted sweet cherries, thawed
1 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in broth, brandy, and cherries and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar and remaining butter. Season with salt. Spoon over pork and serve on the side as well.

Butternut Squash Puree

2 medium butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons maple syrup

coarse salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place squash on baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter.  Cook for 30-35 minutes until tender.

Using an immersion blender or food processor puree squash until smooth.  Mix in maple syrup and salt to taste.  Serve. 

Fall Nights

Fall is such a great time for cooking :)  It is nice and cool outside and comfort foods are making a comeback.  I never complain about the cooler weather coming in, but my little man has caught a cold :(   With all the leftover chicken from the other night, chicken soup was on the stove today!  Hopefully he will be feeling better soon!


For dinner I tried an Emeril recipe for Turkey Meatloaf.  It came out great and definitely hit the spot on a cool fall evening!   

Chicken Soup

1 3-4 lb whole chicken (leftover is great as long as there is still a good amount of meat on it)

1/2 lb. large elbow pasta (use more or less depending on preference)
1/2 lb sliced carrots
1-2 tablespoons dried minced onion
salt and pepper


Place chicken in large stockpot and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil over high heat and then turn down to simmer.  Simmer until meat is falling off the bone, about 45 minutes or so. 

Remove chicken from pot and separate meat from bones, discard bones.  Using a mesh strainer, strain liquid from the pot into a large bowl.  Return strained liquid and chicken to pot.  Return to boil and add carrots and onion.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add uncooked pasta, return to boil.  Cook until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Some people prefer to boil the pasta separately and add in right before eating to ensure it does not get too soft.  I think that the starch in the pasta really adds to the soup, but it is a personal preference!*

Emeril's Turkey Meatloaf

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 oz. chopped turkey bacon chopped (I used regular bacon)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper

coarse salt and pepper

1 minced garlic clove
3/4 cup oats-not instant
1 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey

1 1/4 cups ketchup or chili sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook bacon in microwave until almost crisp, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove and chop.  In large saucepan heat oil over medium heat.  Add bacon, onions and peppers to pan and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

In large bowl mix oats and evaporated milk.  Mix in vegetables and allow to cool.  Add ground turkey, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 2 tablespoons ketchup.  Mix to combine.  Mixture will be very wet.  

Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.  Put mixture in pan and top with remaining ketchup.  Cook for 70 minutes.  Let set about 20 minutes before cutting!

*I served the meatloaf with mashed potatoes.*
 

   

I have seen chicken cooked this way before, but never really knew how they did it!  I tried it and it was a lot easier than I had imagined.  I was also shocked at how short the cooking time was!  This meal is an easy way to have a quick weeknight dinner look like a Sunday night feast!  I have made this a couple of times and you can vary the recipe using different spices and vegetables.  Pictured below I added carrots, onions and brussels sprouts.  The first time I used an organic chicken and it was delicious.  The second time I used a non-organic chicken and the texture of the chicken was not great.  I would recommend an organic chicken for this recipe.   

Garlic Lemon Chicken

3-4 lb whole chicken
4-6 cloves garlic
1-2 lemons
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
roasting potatoes (any other roasting vegetables can also be used)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Bring large pot of water to a boil, add potatoes and boil until just tender.

Meanwhile, on cutting board place chicken with breast side down.  Using kitchen shears cut out the backbone of the chicken.  You will end up cutting on the right and then left side of the bone to remove it.  Flip the chicken over and you can now lay it flat breast side up!  You can save the bone to use for chicken stock or just discard it. 

Place chicken on foil lined jelly roll pan, rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Slice 3 garlic cloves and slide under breast skin as well as a few lemon slices.

Place potatoes around chicken on pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Slice remainder of garlic and lemon and scatter over chicken and potatoes.  Mix together water and wine and pour over chicken and potatoes.

Place in oven for 20 minutes or until juices run clear!

Apple Season!

We went apple picking for the first time this year a few days ago!  Always love the first apples of fall :)  My little man preferred to pick the apples off the ground and throw them, but he had a blast!  I tried a new apple recipe today and it is really yummy!!  I am sure this will be the first of many apple recipes in the coming months!  Nothing like fall in New England....

Apple Crumb Squares

Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup peach preserves, heated

Crumb Topping
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease 15x10 inch pan.  Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.  Beat in vanilla.  On low speed add in flour and salt until just combined.  Spread mixture in pan and top with layers of apples.  Brush with preserves and place in oven for 25 minutes.

Whisk together flour, brown sugar, spice and salt.  Add butter and mix until moistened and crumbly.  Sprinkle over cake and return to oven for another 35 minutes.  Cool and dust with sugar! 

 

Peaches, Tomatoes and Pickles Oh My!

Sorry for the cheesy title....couldn't help myself :)

Yay!  The Peach Jelly I made actually set and tastes great :)  With the over abundance of vegetables from my garden this year I decided that I should learn how to can them.  The jelly was definately the hardest- or at least the most tedious item that I made.  Needless to say I was so excited the next day when it had set correctly!!

I had a ton of tomatoes and pickling cucumbers this year.  I made tomato sauce and pickles and both came out great!  For the tomato sauce I went with very simple ingredients and it was the best sauce I have ever had!  As with the pickles I combined various recipes using basic ingredients altering the amounts to taste.  The tomato sauce was easier as I could taste as I went.  The pickles had to sit in the fridge for a few days before I was able to tell if what I did worked!  They definately tasted great, but next time I would use less garlic and dill- I have adjusted the amounts in the recipe below. 

First, my short lesson on canning, I am however no pro!  You will need half-pint jars for the jelly and quart jars for the sauce and pickles.  Bring water to a boil in a large pot, I used the common black pot with the white speckles!

Once boiling place the jars without tops in the water to sterilize for 15-20 minutes.  I used tongs to get the jars in and out.  Once sterile, remove jars and place on paper towels.  Place lids in for a few minutes to soften the band and help to seal the jar.  Remove lids from water.

Fill jars with recipe and place lids and rings on the jars.  Submerge filled jars in water and let boil for appx. 20 min.  Remove jars and place on papertowels or pot holders.  Let sit, after about 30 minutes the lids should pop down creating a seal!   

Peach Jelly

3 1/2 cups peach juice
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 packets pectin
7 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp butter


Peel and pit peaches.  Place peaches and 1 1/2 cups water in saucepan.  Boil for 30 minutes- or longer depending on how much juice is rendered.  Pour peaches over mesh strainer and let juice drip into medium bowl until correct amount is measured-discard peach pulp, or use for another recipe.  Stir in lemon juice.

In saucepan pour in juice, sugar and butter (butter reduces foaming.)  Bring to a rapid boil over high heat stirring constantly.  Stir in pectin and return to full boil.  Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and skim off foam if any. 

Ladle into prepared jars, fill to 1/8in from top.  Boil for 10 minutes!

*The jelly takes around 24 hours to set.  I cut the recipe in half and it worked just fine!*

This recipe is adapted from Sure Jell Pectin

Tomato Sauce

Fresh ripe tomatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Minced Garlic

Basil

Sugar

Salt
Pepper

Bring large pot of water to a boil and set up another larger bowl with ice water.  Rinse all tomatoes.  With a knife cut an X in the bottom of the tomatoes and cut out stem.  Drop tomatoes in boiling water for 30-60 seconds.  Remove and place directly in ice water.  Once the tomatoes are cooled in the water the skins will pull of easily!

Place all tomatoes in large pot on stove-I leave in the seeds!  With a potato masher, mash the tomatoes until broken up, but still leave some chunks.  Turn heat to medium bring to simmer- lower temp if needed.  Simmer.  Meanwhile in a small pan place a few tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic.  Heat until fragrant, few minutes.  Add to sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes taste the sauce, you may want to add more garlic.   Repeat the heating of the garlic in olive oil and add to sauce.  Add chopped basil, salt, pepper, and sugar(if desired) all to taste.  Once the sauce is to your taste follow the instructions for canning.  You can also freeze this sauce or just eat it right away!!


Pickles

Pickling Cucumbers

3 Cups Water

6 Tbsp. Vinegar

3 Tbsp. Coarse Salt
Garlic
Fresh Dill
Dill Seed

These pickles are to be kept in the fridge so you will not need to put them through the canning process!  Combine water, vinegar and salt in bowl.  Mix until salt is dissolved.

In jars place a few sprigs of dill and 1/2-1 tsp. dill seed.  Top with 1-2 tbsp. minced garlic.  Fill jars with pickle slices or spears and then fill the jar with the vinegar, water and salt mixture.  Top with lids and place in the fridge for 3 days.  Then they are ready to eat!

First Post!

I am not really sure how to start my first blog post....so here it goes...

Today was just one of those days.  I attempted to accomplish far to many things.  I did acutally finish what I set out to do, but not without hiccups!!  Everything is harder with a toddler :)  Somedays I wish there was someone video taping my little man and I, just so at the end of the day I could watch and at least have a good laugh!

The first thing I set out to do was to finally use up the 24 pounds of peaches that we picked last weekend.  After already making peach preserves, coffee cake, cobbler and crisp...time for jam.  This summer has been my first attempt at canning, so far so good!  But since it takes a little bit to see if the jam will actually set, I won't post the recipe until I know if it works!!  Fingers crossed :)

For dinner I tried out a new recipe from Martha Stewart.  I am always looking for new ways to make ground turkey taste delightful.  I made Martha's Turkey Meatballs, really great!!  I was pleasantly surprised, very moist and flavorful!  I served them over thin linguine with a homemade tomato sauce.  They were a hit! 

Turkey Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup grated parmesan

2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

salt and pepper

2 jars tomato sauce

In large bowl mix together egg, milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Add bread crumbs, parmesan, onion and parsley.  Mix together.  Add in turkey, mix.  Form into balls- she recommends 1 1/2 inches each,  I make them around 3 inches.

In large pan coat bottom with a layer of sauce. Over medium heat, place meatballs on sauce.  Cover with more sauce and cook about 10 minutes!

*I layer my meatballs in the pan, just using a thin layer of sauce to seperate them*

Serve over pasta with sauce and sprinkle with cheese!