Strawberry Shortcake Roll

Ingredients

Egg Whites, Vanilla Extract, Sugar, Cake Flour, Powder Sugar, Whipping Cream, Strawberries.

Personally, strawberry shortcake is a delight to my palate.  Just the very thought conjures up wonderful thoughts of warm summer days spent laying in a hammock.  Growing up, I discovered a variety of ways to enjoy this seasonal delight; there was the biscuit with juicy strawberries, the juicy strawberries poured over delicate angel food cake, and the not so traditional way of serving the dessert… crumbled bisquick with strawberries and milk poured over the bisquick crumbles.  Frankly, none of these ways served my palate the way this recipe does.  The barely there strawberries folded with fresh whipped cream, rolled into a delicious vanilla laden angel food cake may be the best thing since sliced bread.

To make the angel food cake, first beat 9 egg whites at room temperature with 2 tablespoons vanilla extract until soft peaks form.  Then gradually add 1 and 1/8 cup granulated sugar; next gradually fold in ¾ cup cake flour (very important that cake flour is used because of the fine texture).  Spread mixture into a 10×15-baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, for about 15 minutes or until cake springs back with touch.  Next lay out 2 connected clean paper towels and dust with powdered sugar.  Gently turn cake out on to the paper towels and remove parchment paper.  Next, gently roll up cake with the paper towel into a jellyroll style; now set aside and allow cake to cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, dice up about 1-½ cups fresh strawberries and set aside.  In a separate bowl, whip about 2 cups of heavy cream and ½ cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold strawberries into the whipped cream and chill in refrigerator until cake is done cooling.

Once cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread whipped cream and strawberry mixture onto the cake.  Next, simply roll the cake into a jellyroll; sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with a half of strawberry (optional).

Bon Appétit

Papas De Tacos

Ingredients

Yukon Gold potatoes, sour cream, butter, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, corn tortillas, sunflower oil, shredded cheese, butter lettuce or green cabbage, red onion, avocado, tomatillo salsa, cilantro.

I came across this wonderful little piece of heaven about 17 years ago in a little Mexican eatery.  I had never heard of a potato taco, and I certainly was not going to let this divine concept go without being tasted by me.  I was surprised by the use of potatoes in a deep fried taco, and also with the simplicity of the meal. I have tried Papas De Tacos several times at other various restaurants over the course of the last 17 years; however, I have discovered that not all potato tacos are created equal.  So, for the past several years I began to emulate this little piece of heaven; all the while honing my own potato taco skills.  The following recipe is my most favorite of ways to enjoy this delicious little treat…

First, boil about 4 to 5 small to medium Yukon Gold potatoes with skins on in heavily salted water until the potatoes are very tender; then remove the potatoes and place them in a bowl with ¼ cup butter, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried crushed cumin, and salt and pepper to taste; mash the ingredients together.  Heat 1 cup or so of sunflower oil in a skillet; meanwhile spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of mashed potatoes into individual corn tortillas and fold into taco shape, place the tacos into the heated oil and fry until golden brown on both sides.  Place cooked tacos onto paper towels and pat excess oil from the tacos.  Next, open the tacos gently, and place choice of shredded cheese into the taco, followed by a little shredded lettuce or green cabbage, chopped red onion, sliced avocado, and top with tomatillo salsa and torn cilantro.

Bon Appétit

Roasted Corn Risotto

Ingredients
Arborio Rice, butter, red onion,  white wine, vegetable broth or chicken broth, green Anaheim chili, corn, garlic powder, salt, pepper, herbed feta cheese, pepper jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, fresh cilantro.

This is easily my favorite go-to dish for all sorts of occasions; it works well for dinner parties, back yard barbeques, and even while camping.

This risotto is packed full of wonderful flavors; all the while it is pretty simple to make.

From time to time, I will create some dishes with chicken broth; not a very vegetarian move, however some dishes really pop with flavor when made with chicken broth, and this risotto is one of those dishes that really does best with the chicken broth.

First,  start off by browning about 1 ½ cups of Arborio rice in a skillet with about ¼ cup of butter.  Once the rice has taken on a wonderful light brown hue, mix in 1 coarsely chopped red onion and ½ cup dry white wine; let simmer for about 3 minutes.  Next slowly add about 5 cups chicken broth (reserve about ½ cup of broth until near the end); this process should be done over about 15 minutes, until rice is nearly completely cooked.  While the rice is cooking roast 2 ears of corn and 1 green Anaheim chili on a grill until both are somewhat blackened. Once blackened, remove the corn and chili from the grill.  For the corn, cut the corn kernels off the cob and set aside.  For the chili, peel the blackened skin off; next cut the chili in half and remove the seeds and discard the seeds; next dice the chili and then set aside.  Now chop about ½ cup worth of fresh cilantro and set aside.  Once the rice is cooked add remaining ½ cup of broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, add corn and diced chili; mix well.  Now, add 1 cup crumbled herbed feta cheese, ¾ cup pepper jack cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese; mix well. Last, fold fresh cilantro into the mixture.

Bon Appétit

Vegan Paella

Ingredients

Arborio rice, butter, dry white wine, vegetable broth, bay leaves, olive oil, saffron, red pepper flakes, turmeric, paprika, salt, corn, red onion, garlic, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, lima beans, tomatoes, kalamata olives, parsley.

I’m obsessed with risotto of any sort, so this paella takes on a risotto vibe with the Arborio rice and the method of cooking the dish.  This is a fantastic dish that pairs well with just about anything, so even if you are having a summer barbeque and you are not vegetarian, this is a wonderful option as a side.

First, begin by toasting about 2 cups of Arborio rice in a skillet with about 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the rice has taken on a pale brown hue, add about 1 cup of dry white wine, followed by slowly adding about 4 to 5 cups of vegetable broth.  As the rice is simmering add 2 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ teaspoon saffron, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon paprika, and salt to taste.  After the rice has had time to soften on a slow simmer, add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 diced red onion, ½ diced green bell pepper, ½ diced red bell pepper, 1 cup of corn, and frozen Lima beans.  At this time remove the bay leaves and allow the rice to simmer for about 10 minutes more. Lastly, add crushed kalamata olives, 2 quartered tomatoes, and sprinkle with  chopped parsley.

 

 

Brie Mousse Cakes with Tomato Jam

This little delight is sure to impress at any party.  The process can be a little daunting; however it is well worth the time invested.

INGREDIENTS

Small roll type buns, 3 to 4 tomatoes, 1 shallot, clove of garlic, 3 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, olive oil, sugar, balsamic vinegar, reduction of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, heavy cream, vegetable stock, Parmesan cheese, brie, Portobello mushroom caps, baby arugula, spinach, Maldon flake salt.

First off, begin by blanching the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes, and then transfer the tomatoes into cold water.  Once the tomatoes have cooled, remove the skins, cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. Then, dice the tomatoes and place in saucepan; add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, finely chopped shallots, and finely chopped garlic.  Cook for a few minutes, then add the bay leaves and sprigs of thyme; reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then remove the bay leaves and thyme; add 2 to 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and let the jam cool completely.

Next, slice the Portobello caps ultra-thin, place the sliced mushrooms into a frying pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 finely chopped clove of garlic. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic until tender; and then add salt and pepper to taste.  Then set aside.

To make the brie mousse, combine 5 to 6 oz of heavy cream, about a half small can of vegetable stock, 4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, 1 cup of diced brie, and a teaspoon of salt, in a sauce pan.  Cook until temperature of mixture hits about 215 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then, transfer mixture to a finely meshed strainer into a bowl that is set into another bowl filled with ice.  Cool mixture completely.  Meanwhile, whip additional heavy cream until firm.  Once the mixture is completely cooled off, fold in the whipped cream.

Cut off the tops of the small buns and scoop out center (think bread bowl).  Then, line the inside of the bun with spinach leaves, add the brie mousse to the bun, garnish with a bit of tomato jam, sautéed mushrooms, baby arugula, drizzle with reduction of balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with Maldon salt flakes.

Truffle Fries

I stumbled upon this tasty arch nemesis of my waistline a few years ago at a lovely french restaurant; it was exactly at first taste that I fell in love with all things truffle.  Simply put, truffle french fries is hands down one of my favorite things to eat.

Ingredients

Potatoes (amount depends on how much you want to make), grape seed oil (vegetable oil is a more cost conscious choice), freshly grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, fine salt, truffle oil.

First, cut the potatoes however you desire; then fry the potatoes in the grape seed oil (I do this on the stove top).  Once cooked, promptly remove the potatoes and pat dry in a paper towel.  Then place the fries on a separate plate and drizzle the fries with the truffle oil; use a micro grater to grate the Parmesan cheese over the fries, sprinkle with fine salt, and sprinkle the fries with small flakes of parsley. Simply Delicious

Truffle Mushroom Pizza

After a lengthy conversation about our mutual affinity for all things truffle, my dear friend Molly suggested that I should make a truffle mushroom pizza.  This was music to my ears.  After I was finished making this delightful creation, and after it was devoured by my family, my Swiss hubby explained to me that at the ski resorts in Switzerland this is a staple for the apres-ski food and drink festivities.

Typically I would make my own pizza dough; however, I find that Trader Jo’s has a wonderful prepackaged pizza dough that works just as well.

Ingredients

Cremini mushrooms sliced, grape seed oil, garlic, Ricotta cheese, truffle cheese, Quattro fromage or mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese, white truffle oil.

First drizzle grape seed oil on the prepared dough.  Add a little finely chopped garlic and spread around in the oil on the pizza dough. Add ricotta cheese and spread generously over the pizza dough.  Then sprinkle the grated truffle cheese generously over the pizza, layer sliced mushrooms over the pizza.  Next sprinkle the grated Quattro fromage over the pizza and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan.  Bake in the oven at about 425F, turning frequently until the pizza is of a light golden brown color.  Lastly, after the pizza is done baking and cooled slightly, lightly drizzle the truffle oil over the whole pizza.