Spinach in Puff Pastry

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups chopped onions (2 onions) 

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves) 

2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
 
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions) 

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
 
3/4 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese 

4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 

1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs, plain or seasoned
 
2 teaspoons kosher salt 

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 
1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts 

2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator 

1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Directions:

Heat the butter in a saute pan and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a bowl. Add the onion mixture, scallions, Gruyere, Parmesan, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and pignolis. Mix well.

Unfold one sheet of puff pastry and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the spinach mixture in the middle of the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash. Roll out the second piece of puff pastry on a floured board until it's an inch larger in each direction. Place the second sheet of pastry over the spinach and seal the edges, crimping them with a fork. Brush the top with egg wash but don't let it drip down the sides or the pastry won't rise. Make three small slits in the pastry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned. Transfer to a cutting board and serve hot.

"Barefoot in Paris" by Ina Garten

Penne with Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce with Sausage

Penne with Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce with Sausage

1 pound	uncooked penne pasta
¼ cup	extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves	garlic (minced)
½ teaspoon	red pepper flakes (crushed)
1 28 ounce can	tomatoes (crushed)
¾ teaspoon	salt
¾ teaspoon	pepper
½ cup	heavy whipping cream
¼ cup	fresh parsley (chopped)
1 package	Italian sausage

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. In large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Remove casing from sausage and add to skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until brown. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown.
3. Add tomatoes and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Add cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta, toss for 1 minute. Stir in fresh parsley and serve! 
   
   
   
   

Ice Box Cookies

My mom use to bake these cookies during the christmas season.  This past thanksgiving I asked her if she had the original recipe.  She pulled out her handwritten cookbook, turned several pages and she did!  I copied the recipe and made the cookies a couple of days later. 

Ice Box Cookies

3 cups of flour
2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of shortening
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of cream of tartar
1 tablespoon of hot water
1 cup of walnuts
2 eggs

Disolve the baking soda in the hot water.  Cream the sugar, shortening, baking soda, and eggs.  Add 2 cups of flour, the walnuts, and cream of tartar and mix well.   Add the remaining flour and mix well.  Roll the dough into two logs and refrigerate for 24 hours.  
Slice cookies into 1/2 inch rounds and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes.

Gruyère Prosciutto Mac and Cheese

First time I'm making this recipe.  I added Monterey Jack cheese to this recipe and sprinkled gruyere cheese on top.

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
6 oz Prosciutto
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyère, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, prosciutto, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Herbed Goat Cheese and Zucchini Tart

My good friend Crystal gave me this cookbook as a gift for Christmas.  This is the first recipe i picked and I made in a sheet pan.

Herbed Goat Cheese and Zucchini Tart

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 roll (4 ounces) herbed goat cheese, at room temperature, crumbled
4 or 5 medium-size zucchini
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Carefully unfold the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Use a flour-dusted rolling pin to gently roll the puff pastry into a large rectangle roughly 12 by 16 inches; it should be just smaller than your sheet pan.

Carefully transfer the puff pastry to the prepared pan. Use a sharp knife to score a 3/4-inch-wide border around the puff pastry; do not cut all the way through. Use a fork to prick holes inside the border of the rectangle, poking the dough every inch or so. Place the sheet pan in the fridge or freezer to harden the pastry dough, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir-mash together the ricotta and goat cheese in a small bowl until fully combined. Set aside.

Trim the ends off the zucchini and, using a vegetable peeler, cut them lengthwise into long, thin strips. (Alternatively, you could use a sharp chef's knife to cut them into 1/4-inch rounds.) Place the zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss to distribute the seasoning.

When the dough is good and chilly, place the pan back on your work surface. Spread the chese mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving the border bare. Arrange or pil the zucchini atop the cheese either haphazardly or in your favorite pattern, until the cheese is completely covered. Drizzle the olive oil over the zucchini.
Bake the tart until the crust is puffed and deeply browned and the zucchini has softened and browned at the edges, 45 to 50 minutes.

Allow the tart to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cornish Hens (Poussin) with Apricot Glaze

I thought about making this dish all week but the closest supermarket doesn't carry the hens.  We went to the Garden Gourmet in the Bronx this morning and there they were.

Roast the hens at 375 for about 1 hour.
When the juices run clear test with heat thermometer to170°F, the hens are done.

Apricot Glaze: Mix 1/2 cup apricot jam, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons honey. Brush the apricot glaze over the hens during the last 15 to 20 minutes of roasting.

Panettone Bread Pudding

This always was a favorite of ours.

Bread Pudding:
1 (1-pound) loaf panettone bread, crusts trimmed, bread cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

Directions:
Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, and sugar to blend. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press the bread cubes gently to submerge. Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 45 minutes.