Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon & Shallots

 

I used to hate brussel sprouts, and probably would have never tried this recipe, had a friend not made it for a recent holiday party.  This is a delicious dish, and pairs well with anything!  So if you too hate brussel sprouts, I would urge you to try this recipe.  It won't dissapoint.

 

Ingredients

 

5 slices of bacon (cut into slices)

2 large shallots, peeled, quartered
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, rinsed, trimmed, halved

Directions

 

Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy (you may want to drain some of the fat, is bacon is very thick).  Add shallots and brussel sprouts, cut sides down. Cook on medium high, turning once or twice, until tender and browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from: Epicurious

Greek Phyllo Wrapped Chicken with Spinach & Goat Cheese

 

Here is some advice about working with phyllo dough.  I thaw it and take it out of the fridge about an hour before preparation.  Once it is room temperature it is easier to work with.  Have a large, clean, dry cutting board to work on.  When layering phyllo, you essentially brush each layer with melted butter and keep adding layers.  Then put whatever you are assembling in the middle and wrap it up!  It is a little time consuming, but the end result is always delish!  I had leftover spinach filling, so I threw together some Spanikopita triangles.  This is one of my all time favorite dishes!  I served it with some parmesan cous cous and roasted brussel sprouts.

 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

2 egg yolks

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped green onion

2/3 cup frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed of water)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 sheets phyllo pastry

1/3 cup butter, melted

lemon wedge

Directions

1. In bowl, mash together cheese, egg yolks and garlic.
2. Mix in onions, spinach, parsley, mint and pepper.
3. Butterfly chicken in half almost all the way through and lay flat.
4. Spread feta mixture evenly on 1 half of each breast; fold breast back over to enclose.
5. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, keeping remainder covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
6. Brush lightly with some of the butter; top with second sheet and brush lightly with butter. Repeat with two more sheets for a total of four
7. Center 1 breast on phyllo about 2 inches from the short edge; fold long sides over chicken and roll up.
8. Repeat with remaining chicken.
9. Place in lightly greased baking dish; brush with remaining butter.
10. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
11. Bake in 350 degree F oven until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes.

Tyler Florence's Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless

4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma

1/2 pound Gruyere, grated

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon thyme

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs

Extra-virgin olive oil or olive oil spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken using flat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet of plastic and lay 1 slice of prosciutto over the top and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto. Roll the chicken like a jellyrollup and wrap inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the roll gently to seal and twist both ends of plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs,thyme, garlic and kosher salt, pepper, and melted butter. Beat together the eggs.

Remove the plastic wrap. Roll the chicken in the flour, dip in the egg mixture and then coat in the bread crumbs. Coat a baking pan with olive oil spray and carefully transfer the roulades onto it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Pioneer Woman's Beef with Snow Peas

 

Ingredients

1-½ pound Flank Steak (sliced thin against the grain)

½ cups Soy Sauce

3 Tablespoons Sherry

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 Tablespoon  Minced Fresh Ginger

8 ounces Fresh Snow Peas

5 chopped Scallions

3 Tablespoons Peanut Oil

Crushed Red Pepper

4 cups cooked Jasmine Rice

Directions

Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss. Reserve the other half of the liquid.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir fry for one minute. Remove to a plate.

Allow pan to get hot again. Add half the meat mixture and add half the scallions. Sear meat on both sides until brown. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After all the meat is cooked, add the plateful of meat, the remaining marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds. Serve over hot cooked rice and sprinkle with red pepper flakes

Recipe Adapted from: Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond

Sesame Chicken

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 4 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 dash sesame oil 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed

1 cup chicken broth 1 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon chile paste 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup water 1 quart vegetable oil for frying 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 4 cups cooked white rice

Directions:

1.	Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil and mix until smooth. Fold in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2.	In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a simmer over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
3.	Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4.	Drop in half the battered chicken pieces, and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a paper towel covered plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.   Toss fried chicken pieces in the hot sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish.  Serve over hot cooked rice.

Samoa Cheesecake Cupcake Bites

 

Ingredients:

1 box samoa girl scout cookies
2 pounds (4 8-oz packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt

Chocolate sauce
Caramel Sauce
Sweetened Coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top.  Top with sweetened coconut, and drizzle with chocolate sauce & caramel sauce.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Devil's Food Samoa Cupcake with a Caramel Buttercream

 

Devils' Food Samoa Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 box of Samoa Girl Scout Cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-
   quarters full. Place a crushed samoa in each cupcake and mix in.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

 

For the Buttercream:

Ingredients

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup caramel sauce (store bought)

Directions

1. Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and caramel and beat until buttercream is smooth.
3. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes using a 1M Wilton tip

 

For the Ganache:

Ingredients

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (we like 61 percent cacao)

1 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1. Coarsely chop chocolate.
2. Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over chocolate, and add salt. Let stand for 10 minutes (don't stir -- doing so will cool the ganache too quickly, making it grainy).
3. Stir with a whisk until smooth

 

Garnish with Ganache, Caramel Sauce & a Samoa Cookie

 

Cupcake recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart

Thin Mint Cheesecake Bites

 

Ingredients:

1 box thin mint girl scout cookies

2 pounds (4 8-oz packages) cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt

Chocolate sauce

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275°F. Line 12 standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in 6 chopped cookies by hand.

Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce. 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Bourbon Pecan Brie Puffed Pastries

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon bourbon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 package puff pastry thawed

1 lb brie

1 egg

Directions:

Heat butter in medium saucepan and add the pecans and bourbon. Toast pecans slightly and then set aside to cool. 

 

Cut puff pastry into 3 equal strips. Cut each remaining strip into 3 squares for a total of 9. Grease muffin tin. Place a square in each muffin cup, pressing into bottom and up sides and leaving corners pointing up. Place about 1 tablespoon round of brie in the middle of each pastry. Top with the browned pecans and some sugar. Fold pastry over filling, pressing corners together to meet in center.  Brush with egg wash.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until brown. 

 

 

Devil's Food Tagalong Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

 

 

Devils' Food Tagalong Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 box of Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-
   quarters full. Place one crushed Tagalong in each cupcake and mix in gently.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

 

For the Buttercream:

Ingredients

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup caramel sauce (store bought)

Directions

1. Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract, and beat until buttercream is smooth.
3. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes using a 1M Wilton tip

 

For the Ganache:

Ingredients

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (we like 61 percent cacao)

1 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1. Coarsely chop chocolate.
2. Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over chocolate, and add salt. Let stand for 10 minutes (don't stir -- doing so will cool the ganache too quickly, making it grainy).
3. Stir with a whisk until smooth
 

Garnish cupcakes with Ganache, Caramel Sauce & a Cookie!

 

Cupcake recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart