One Box of Puff Pastry, Dinner and Dessert for Six

The holiday season is upon us and that means a lot of guests will be knocking at our doors...whether we expect them or not! It seems that my pantry and freezer is amply stocked during the last quarter of the year. Some years I've needed it and others, well, not so much.

I do enjoy having guests in my home. In fact, I wish I would host more often. For the most part every guest has been a joy to have over, but I have had a doozy or two as well.

And speaking of doozies, let me introduce you to "Guest". Guest arrived at my door two days early (unannounced.) I was very glad to see Guest but was somewhat irked that I had not been forewarned. The guest room still needed to be tidied, food needed to be bought and the house needed to be picked up. Believe it or not, Guest was offended that dinner was not piping hot out of the oven upon their arrival. We took Guest out to dinner and rather than asking me if they could sit by the window, they grabbed the hood of my jacket as I was sitting down and yanked me out of the booth. I was mortified, other diners had witnessed...strike one.

As days passed we had a great time enjoying each others company. I did however cringe at the sight of unflushed toilets and fingernails spit across my living room floor (strike two and three.) What was even worse, Guest did not have plans to leave. I simply was told, "Just tell me when you want me to go." How awkward is that??? Guest left a day earlier than expected (really not on good terms...OK, hubby coaxed Guest out), but we still talk every now and then.

Mmmmm...so I noticed I mentioned dirty toilets and fingernails spit upon a floor in a food blog. How appealing is that? Nevertheless I have two great recipes that will knock your guests socks off (invited and uninvited.) Frozen puff pastry is a staple in my freezer and with a box you can create a rustic tart and a steamy, comforting and inviting chicken pot pie.

Chicken Pot Pie

• One sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
  
• One 3-4 pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded into bite size pieces
  
• 9 oz. red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 5 T. unsalted butter
• 1 leek, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 6 oz. cremini mushrooms
• 5 T. flour
• 1 c. milk
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 2 T. thyme
• 2 T. parsley
  
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 T. heavy cream

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to turn golden, 4-5 minutes. Add leek, carrots, mushrooms, then cook 4-5 minutes more. Add flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
2. Stir milk and chicken stock into pot; bring to a simmer. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken meat, thyme and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Transfer filling to a deep 10-inch glass pie dish. ***Steps 1 &2 can be made one day ahead; let cool completely, then cover pie dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream; set aside. Unfold thawed pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to a 10-inch square. Cut out a steam vent in the center of the pastry using a small coolie cutter. Lay pastry over the pie dish, and press onto filling. Brush dough with egg wash, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Freeze until firm, 30 minutes.
4. Place pie dish on a rimmed cookie sheet; bake 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit; continue baking until crust is puffed and golden brown and juices are bubbling, 15-20 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes.
   

Rustic Apple Tart

• One sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
• Flour, for work surface
• 3 granny smith apples
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 t. cinnamon
• pinch of each; cloves and nutmeg
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp. of heavy cream, set aside
• 2 T. unsalted butter, cubed
  
• 2 T. apple jelly

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry sheet to a 10-by-10-inch square. Trim 3/4 of an inch off the edge with a pizza cutter or sharp paring knife, creating strips for the tart shell. Transfer to a baking sheet; place in freezer. Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4 inch thick. Toss in a large bowl with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
2. Brush outer border of tart base with egg wash and adhere the trimmed strips to the tart. Place apples inside border, and dot with butter. Brush the exposed pastry border with egg wash. Bake until pastry is golden and apples are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, heat jelly with 1 tablespoon water until melted. Brush apples with glaze. Serve tart warm or at room temperature, cutting into pieces with a serrated knife

Holiday Fruit Salad

I can honestly say that I have never prepared a Thanksgiving turkey! Can you believe it! I suppose it is because I have never hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner and am always a guest. So what to bring, what to bring when you are one's guest???

The homes I usually travel to never assign a dish (green veggie, starch, dessert, salad, etc.) Sometimes I think it would be easier if they did. That way, when you approach the buffet you are not greeted with a myriad of green bean casseroles!

Lately, I've been bringing salad and fresh vegetables to potlucks. Though these are staple dishes at my home, they seem not to be at my friend's and family's kitchens. A simple saute of blanched green beans and garlic has been the star of the buffet table at many functions-the "recipe" has been requested by many. I was somewhat taken aback because it is so simple.

Last year as I was poaching pears I thought about making a poached fruit salad. I simply added my poaching spices to simple syrup, poured it over acidulated sliced apples and the lone pear left in my refrigerator, raided my staple of dried fruit and voila! A handful of pomegranate seeds (dried cranberries looked too wrinkly-if that's the word I'm going for) thrown over the top of the salad and a star was born.

Holiday Fruit Salad
1 cup of sugar
4 cups of water
1/2 vanilla bean, split in half
1 cinnamon stick
3 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 bayleaf
4 2-inch long pieces of lemon and/or orange zest
Juice of one lemon
8 dried apricots, quartered
6 dried figs, quartered
3 firm Granny Smith Apples
1 firm Bosc Pear
pomegranate seeds for garnish

1. Fill saucepan with 4 cups of water. Add the sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves, bayleaf and zest. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar has dissolved. Let sugar syrup cool for 5-10 minutes and add dried apricots and figs to the warm syrup. Let it cool completely.
2. Peel, slice and core apples and pear. Slice thinly and place in a large bowl, toss with lemon juice.
3. Pour cooled syrup over apples and pears. (you can strain syrup to remove poaching spices-I only kept the zest and vanilla bean for decoration) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Using a slotted spoon, ladle fruit into a serving bowl, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve.

'Wich Craft

Once people find out my ties to food (baker, pastry chef, amateur food blogger) I'm often asked what is my favorite thing to eat. I always end up drawing a blank and my answer seems to be very broad...general...and yes, boring. The answer that usually is to follow is: I don't have a favorite.

What a LIE! It isn't until several hours later that a light clicks on in my head and the answer is revealed (and I am reminded)-the sandwich. I LOVE sandwiches.

I think for many, the appeal of food is the combination of flavors, layers and different textures. Well, isn't that a sandwich?

The perfect sandwich, for me, has to be toasted. It has to have buttery Havarti and turkey, preferably smoked turkey breast and a combination of sweet and savory-something along the lines of cranberry. Of course, color is important too!

My husband and I often frequented a sandwich shop across from the university where he worked. I always ordered #22, turkey with cream cheese and avocado. I really liked it, but it needed a kick. Here is my version of #22, which is perfect for using those Thanksgiving leftovers.

My Favorite: Turkey Sandwich

1. Start out with two slices of good bread (crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside). I use a French loaf. Lightly drizzle one side of each slice with olive oil. Lay slices oiled side down. Lets start building our sandwich!!!


2. Spread room temperature cream cream over the slices of bread. Top cream cheese with slices of Havarti cheese.


3. Add a layer of sliced, smoked turkey breast to the top of one of the slices of bread. Add slices of avocado on top of the turkey.


4. Slather a layer of cranberry sauce on the other slice of bread. Combine slices together and press down slightly.


5. Place in a preheated sandwich/panini press and press and cook for about 7 minutes or until heated through and cheese has melted.

Popcorn Balls-Happy Halloween

I had plans to write something fun, witty, spooky, "Halloweeny"...but my brain is exhausted and I can't think clearly enough to write something worth while. My plans were foiled when my popcorn popper decided to bite the dust in the middle of making these great treats. So I'm reposting an entry from my family blog site. I hope you make these for your little ghosts and goblins!

Original Post: Seven Wonders Of The World, October, 2008.

Happy Halloween. . . well almost. Popcorn balls have a special place in my heart. My Nanny always made them every Halloween and yes it was exciting to go to her house to show off our costumes but it was equally (or more) exciting to sink our teeth into the sugary, sweet, crunchy and sticky goodness known as the popcorn ball.

This first recipe is for the traditionalist. It calls for a sugar syrup poured over freshly popped popcorn and formed into baseball sized balls. I use an aluminum roasting pan to avoid clean up.

Grandma Anderson's Popcorn Balls:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup white syrup

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup water
3 qts. popped popcorn (9 tablespoons of unpopped kernels)

• Boil sugar, syrup, salt, vinegar, vanilla and water to soft ball stage or 250 degrees on candy thermometer
• Pour sugar mixture over popcorn that has been placed in aluminum roasting pan (let cool before forming with buttered hands)
• Shape into baseball or small softball sized balls

The second recipe is for the kid in all of us. It has a marshmallow base, rather than syrup and has a hint of caramel from the brown sugar. Oh-and chocolate! How bad can that be?

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
4 T. unsalted butter
1 ten oz. bag miniature marshmallows
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
3 qts. popped popcorn
1 c M&Ms

• Place popped popcorn and M&M's into an aluminum roasting pan.
  
• Melt butter in heavy pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar, stir until melted. Remove from heat. Let cool for 2-3 minutes
• Pour over popcorn and M&Ms; toss well. With buttered hands, shape into balls.

*I found that spraying your hands with non-stick spray works really well when shaping balls. Keep it on the counter and spray as needed.

Pumpkin Pancakes & Pumpkin Smoothie

Hmmmm???Which pumpkin shall I pick???

My 13 month old is a picky eater. But then again, I've come across alot of moms with finicky toddlers, so I know I'm not alone. From the beginning he immediately snubbed his nose at jarred food, refused any type of meat and only ate Tyler Florence's Sprout baby food. Tyler was a saving grace, though I have prepared many items that Eli just L-O-V-E-S. So, I thought I'd share them with you since they are very "fall"-after all!

I've been playing around with pumpkin and adding it to many of Eli's dishes. He loves pumpkin mac-n-cheese (and I admit I do too!), slurps down pumpkin smoothies and chows down on these beautiful pumpkin pancakes. Toddler approved, but I'm sure any adult can enjoy them too! And why not? Pumpkin is a super food...super food for a super boy. (Sorry, I had to throw that in...I just love my baby boy!)

Pumpkin Pancakes
yields: 2 dozen silver dollar pancakes
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 1/3 T. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. pureed pumpkin
1 t. vanilla
2 c. milk

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg into a medium sized bowl.
2. Add sugar, eggs, pureed pumpkin, vanilla and milk and whisk until smooth.
3. Add spoonfuls (I used my trusty cookie sized ice cream scooper) to a lightly oiled and heated griddle. Turn pancakes over once bubbles have formed and tops look like they are drying.

Autumn Smoothie
yield: one for Mom and one for Baby!
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
1/2 c. vanilla soy milk
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 frozen banana

1. Combine in a blender and blend until smooth.
   

Pecorino And Bean Salad

First of all I know what you're thinking...what??? a salad??? I love salads and I have no idea why I never feature them on the blog. Probably because I end up chowing down on them immediately after I make them-therefore no picture to display.

I saw this recipe as I was watching the beautiful Giada one morning and was intrigued. The colors are so beautiful and the salad does look rather elegant for beans and cheese. Every component in this salad appeals to my senses, therefore I had to make it right away.

I love edamame still nestled in its pod, dipped in salt and ready for it to be popped into my mouth. I adore creamy cannellini beans and my kitchen is never without garlic, parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. (My husband would tell you we live off of parm!) But never would I have thought to combine them together. And I must say with the creaminess of the cannellinis, the tender bite of the edamame, saltiness from the Pecorino and the woodsy aroma of rosemary...it is a match made in heaven.

Pecorino and Bean Salad
Source: Giada At Home

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 cups (9 ounces) shelled edamame beans
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 ounces pecorino, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Directions

In a small, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Set aside.

Combine the edamame beans, cannellini beans, cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper in a serving bowl. Add the garlic mixture and toss well until all the ingredients are coated.

Longing for Autumn-Sticky Buns

As I look out my window I see a gray and overcast sky. It has been raining (finally) for days now and the hot Texas sun has been replaced with cool drizzle and a slight breeze. Should I be happy that this is a sign of a Texas Fall? Growing up in Texas I didn't realize that our autumn ran parallel to what many consider an Indian Summer. It really isn't that impressive of a season.

I didn't know what a *real* autumn was until three years ago. My husband and I moved to Idaho and by mid September we were greeted with true autumnal beauty. The forest roads were lined with shimmering golden aspen trees that delicately danced in the wind atop white bases. Vibrant red trees bled from the small western range that lined the city. Porches were decorated with pumpkins and orange, purple and russet colored chrysanthemums grace the steps to the front door. And the wind. The wind was brisk, crisp and carried a chill to remind us that the first snowfall would soon be near. In that moment I fell in love with autumn.

I love seasonal autumn fare as well. And there is nothing like waking up on a brisk morning and have these warm, gooey, scrumptious sticky buns meet your fingertips. The first time I made these it was love at first bite. Sweet, sticky, gooey, soft and crunchy all rolled into one (literally).

This recipe comes from Foster's Market located in Durham, NC. I use her refrigerator roll recipe as suggested and am tempted to use my grandmother's roll recipe instead. I tweaked it by soaking the raisins in rum. My godmother makes the sticky and uses Pillsbury's cinnamon rolls for a quick shortcut. Either way its done, its guaranteed to be finger lickin' good.

Foster's Market's Killer Pecan Sticky Buns

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ recipe Granny Foster's Refrigerator Rolls (recipe follows)
¾ cup raisins
¼ cup rum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup honey
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a deep 9-inch round glass baking dish with the softened butter and set aside.

3. Remove the refrigerator roll dough from the refrigerator, punch it down, cover loosely with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and set aside to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Combine the raisins andrum in a bowl and set aside to soak 20 to 30 minutes, until plumped.

5. Stir together the cinnamon, ½ cup of the brown sugar, and the butter in a separate bowl and set aside.

6. Stir together the remaining brown sugar, the honey, and the pecans in a separate bowl. Spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of the glass baking dish and set aside.

7. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12 by 6-inch rectangle about ⅛ inch thick. Spread the brown sugar-butter mixture evenly over the center of the dough, leaving about 1 inch of exposed dough all the way around. Drain the raisins and sprinkle them over the brown sugar-butter mixture.

yield: about one dozen

Granny Foster's Refrigerator Rolls
yield:2 1/2-3 dozen rolls

½ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
One ¼-ounce package active dry yeast
½ cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
6 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

1. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.

2. Place the warm water, yeast, and about 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl; stir once or twice just to mix. Let stand in a warm place for 5 or 7 minutes, until small bubbles form on top.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the butter, milk, salt, and remaining sugar and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Do not let the mixture go over 115 degrees or it will kill the yeast; it should be just warm enough for the sugar to dissolve. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a large bowl.

4. Add the yeast mixture to the milk mixture and stir until combined. Stir in about 6 cups of the flour and mix until the mixture forms a soft dough. Add the remaining flour if the dough is still sticky.

5. Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured work surface 5 to 8 times, until dough forms a ball or comes together.

6. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl; cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in bulk.

7. Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Place the pieces on a work surface and cover loosely with a tea towel or an inverted bowl and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. (The dough can be refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use at this point. Remove from the refrigerator and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then proceed as the recipe directs.)

8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

9. Working with a piece of dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured work surface until ¾ to 1 inch thick. Cut with a 2½-inch round biscuit cutter.

10. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet and let rise 20 to 25 minutes more, until the rolls have doubled in bulk. (It may take 10 to 15 minutes longer for dough to rise if it has been refrigerated.) Brush the tops lightly with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining dough.

11. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

I'm Your Huckleberry (Crisp)

Before I moved to Idaho the extent of my huckleberry knowledge included Huckleberry Hound, Huckleberry Finn and the infamous Tombstone line "I'm your huckleberry." Growing up in the south the image of a blue dog with a southern drawl, a young boy setting afloat on the Mississippi or Val Kilmer's "Doc" (still looking rather handsome despite the tuberculosis) is what one would imagine before thinking of an actual berry. We know of and probably have picked blueberries and dewberries, but not huckleberries.

I came across the actual berry at the South East Idaho Farmers Market one crisp early autumn day. Amongst the mounds of potatoes, trailers of gourds, squash and pumpkins sat a tiny table displaying a mass of mason jars glistening with berries. It caught my attention. They resembled the blueberry but were darker and smaller. The taste was similar to a blueberry as well, but had a unique astringency to it. Intrigued, I bought a jar and ended up making this peach and huckleberry crisp.

Peach and Huckleberry Crisp
adapted from : Ina Garten

Ingredients nocoupons

• 4 to 5 ripe large peaches
  
• 1/2 orange, zested
• 1/2 c. plus 1/8 c. cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cups plus 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup huckleberries
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions
Filling

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 10 inch round baking dish. Cut a small X just through the skin of the peaches.
  
• Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl.
  
• Add the orange zest, 1/8 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoons of flour. Toss well.
  
• Gently mix in the huckleberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
  
• If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

Crumb Topping

• Combine 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
  
• Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly.
  
• Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches and huckleberries.
  
• Bake for 1 hour, until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.