Cranberry Chutney

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adapted from Orangette

24 ounces apricot preserves
¾ cup raspberry vinegar, or ¾ cup white distilled vinegar plus 1 ½ tsp raspberry preserves
A pinch of salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ cup Grand Marnier
2 bags fresh cranberries, nasty ones discarded
½ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 ¼ cups dried tart cherries

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, raspberry vinegar (or vinegar and raspberry preserves), salt, cloves, and Grand Marnier. Stir to mix, and place over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue to cook – it will bubble aggressively, and you should stir regularly to keep it from scorching – for about 10-15 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly. Reduce the heat to medium, add the cranberries, and cook until they are soft but not popped. [I know that they’re ready when I hear one or two of them pop; that’s a good indicator that most of them must be getting pretty soft.] Add the ginger and cherries, stir well, and remove from the heat. Cool completely before serving. The chutney will thicken considerably as it cools.

 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

(Perfect) Vegetable Minestrone

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3 large carrots, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (12 oz) bag fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 (24 oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano~not drained

1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes~not drained

2 (32 oz) containers of beef broth

1 (15.8 oz) can great Northern beans~drained

1 (16 oz) can dark red kidney beans~drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed chili peppers

1 1/2 cup uncooked ditalini pasta

1 (6 oz) bag fresh baby spinach

2 1/2 tablespoons homemade or jarred pesto

freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Heat the olive oil and saute the first 6 ingredients until crisp~tender, about 7 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and the next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Add the pasta and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the pasta is tender. Stir in the spinach and cook for about 1 minute, until the spinach wilts. Stir in the pesto. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Golden raisin, and Cranberry Strudel

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adapted from Savory Baking

1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound (8 ounces) phyllo pastry, thawed
1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted and finely chopped
Coarse sea salt
3/4 cup crème fraîche (see Note)

1. Put the cranberries and golden raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; set aside to plump for 10 minutes, then drain.
2. Put the potato in a medium saucepan, cover with hot water, and add a little salt. Cook over high heat until fork-tender. Meanwhile, put the carrots in a small saucepan, cover with hot water, and add a little salt. Cook over high heat until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and carrots in a strainer and set aside.
3. Put the butter in a small saucepan over high heat. Let the butter melt and then stir continuously until the butter starts browning on the bottom of the pan. It will also start bubbling and foaming a little. The butter should have a medium golden-brown color. Immediately pour the butter into a small dish and set aside.
4. Smash the soft-cooked potatoes and carrots with a fork or hand held potato masher. You are looking for a lumpy consistency. Stir 6 tablespoons of the brown butter into the vegetables. Blend in the dried fruit and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and fit a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
6. To make the strudel, unroll the phyllo dough and lay it flat on a clean work surface. The dimensions of the dough will be 9 by 13 inches, or cut large sheets of phyllo dough to 9 by 13 inches. To help prevent the dough from drying out while working with it, cover with a slightly dampened clean kitchen cloth. Carefully place one sheet of dough on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the melted brown butter, and lightly sprinkle with pecans and coarse sea salt. Lay another sheet on top and continue layering with brown butter, sea salt, and pecans. Layer and stack seven sheets together.
7. Carefully spoon the vegetable-dried fruit filling along one of the long edges of the dough, packing it with your hands into a tube like shape. Starting with the filling side of the dough, roll the strudel tightly into a log. Place the strudel in the center of the baking sheet, brush with the remaining butter, and sprinkle with pecans and a little sea salt.
8. Place the strudel in the center of the oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven to a cooling rack. Transfer the strudel to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut the strudel using long sawing motions. This will help prevent excessive flaking of the pastry. Serve warm or at room temperature with spiced crème fraîche.

Note: To make your own crème fraîche, stir 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream with 4 tablespoons buttermilk in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat but do not bring to a boil. Pour the warm liquid into a small container and cover. Store at room temperature until thick, 8 to 48 hours. Once the crème fraîche is thick, cover and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Spice up homemade crème fraîche with a hint of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla extract. Add as much or as little as your taste buds desire.

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enjoy!

Chile Cheese Gratin Sandwiches

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 Adapted from Savory Baking

I definitely fall solidly into the cheese lovers camp, so this is just the sort of recipe that gets my blood pumping. Of course, the chiles and tomatoes take this over the top. I sprayed my pans with non-stick spray and some of the bread stuck to the bottom, so be sure to grease your pans well.

Chile-Cheese Bread:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
4 ounces (1 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 4-ounce can peeled mild green chiles, drained
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced
½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
Cheddar Topping:
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces (1 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ounce (¼ cup) Romano cheese, shredded
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
Pinch of salt
8 tomato slices

To prepare the bread:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF and butter or spray an 8-by-3-inch loaf pan.  Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, pepper, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Add the cheese and gently toss until the cheese is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Whisk the milk, oil, egg. green chiles, chopped jalapeño, and red bell pepper in another bowl.  Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and briefly blend with a spatula.  The batter will look moist.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the oven.  Bake until the top is golden brown and springs back gently when touched in the center, about 45 minutes.  Put the loaf on a cooking rack for 10 minutes and then remove the bread from the pan to completely cool.

To Prepare the Topping:
Put the butter, Cheddar and Romano cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and a little salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment.  Whip for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Set the oven to broil.  Cut the loaf into 8 slices and lay the slices on a baking sheet.  Place a tomato slice on each piece of bread.  Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese topping over each tomato slice.  Put the baking sheet into the oven about 4 inches away from the flame and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

 (Wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month.  Remove the loaf from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours.  The Cheddar topping can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

enjoy!

[easy] APPLE PIE

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Tweaked from Easy Swedish Apple Pie

I cook with apples the same way I cook with wine, using a brand I would like to eat ~ Honey crisp, Fuji, Pink Lady or Gala, and if I have one, I will toss in a pear... just because.


filling:

3 medium apples and 1 pear – peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar, divided
1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/4 tsp nutmeg
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup very soft butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss apples and pear with 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and lemon juice.  Pour into deep dish pie plate.  Thoroughly mix together flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, vanilla and egg.  Spread evenly over the top of pie. Bake until apples and pears have cooked and the topping is golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

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enjoy!

Brownie Puddle Tart

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1 cup pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3 ounce bar bittersweet chocolate, broken into squares
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons (lightly spooned) unsweetened cocoa
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 3 ounce package cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/2 cup (dip and sweep method) all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
pinch of salt
Ganache Puddle:
2/3 of a 3 ounce bar of bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 liquid cup heavy cream, at room temperature

Equipment
A 9-1/2" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, bottom greased, lined with parchment and then lightly sprayed with Baker's Joy or non-stick vegetable spray.
NOTE: A 9" parchment circle is the perfect size because the bottom of the tart pan is slightly smaller, so that the parchment goes a very little way up the sides, preventing any leaking.

Preheat oven to 325°F at least 15 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven before preheating.

Place the pecans on a cookie sheet and toast them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or just until the color deepens, slightly. Cool completely.
In a double boiler over hot water or in microwave-proof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring two or three times. If using a double boiler, transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Beat the cocoa, then the sugar, into the chocolate mixture, beating until incorporated. (If you are doing this by hand, use a whisk). Beat in the eggs and vanilla. When incorporated, beat in the cream cheese until only small bits remain. Add the flour and salt and mix only until the flour is fully moistened. Stir in the nuts.
Place the prepared tart pan on a cookie sheet to catch any possible leaks. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. It will fill the pan almost to the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the batter has set. A toothpick inserted 1" from the side should come out clean. The mixture will puff and rise a little above the sides but sinks on cooling.
Make the Ganache "Puddle":
While the brownie is baking, prepare the puddle. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot but not simmering water, stirring occasionally, or in a microwave, using 15 second bursts on high power and stirring several times. Add the cream and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and dark. If necessary (if the cream was too cold and the mixture is not entirely smooth), return it to the heat and stir until totally fluid and uniform in color.

Assembly:
As soon as the brownie is removed from the oven, grease the end of a wooden spoon (1/2" diameter) and insert it into the brownie at 1" intervals, all the way to the bottom, twisting slightly as you insert and withdraw it, to create 23-28 little holes.

Using a small spoon or a reclosable freezer bag with a small piece cut off one corner, fill the holes with the ganache until slightly rounded on top (you will need at least 1/2 teaspoon for each). Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely. The chocolate puddles will sink in as the brownie cools and more ganache can be added to fill in any depression as long as the brownie is still warm enough to melt it. (If necessary, you can set the tart under a lamp to heat the ganache puddles and make them smooth.) Unmold the tart.

To remove the parchment, refrigerate the tart or allow it to sit at room temperature until the puddles are firm to the touch. Cover a flat plate with plastic wrap, spray it lightly with nonstick vegetable spray, and set it on top of the tart. Invert the tart, peel off the parchment, and reinvert it onto a serving plate.

To serve, use a thin sharp knife to cut wedges.
Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container, room temperature, up to 1 week; refrigerated, up to 1 month; frozen, several months. Try it frozen or chilled if you like a chewy brownie, at room temperature for a softer creamier texture.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS: Make the holes in the brownie for the puddles as soon as it is removed from the oven to prevent the crust from cracking. Fill them as soon as possible so the ganache melts and settles smoothly into the openings. 

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  enjoy!