Olive Cheese Cake

I have been looking through recipes that i have not made in a long while. I first made this cake 4 years ago after taking a class at the CIA here in NYC and it got me thinking that not all cakes need to be sweet. So i experiment with various ingredients and came upon this and a few others. But i like this one the best since it is great to serve with wine.

Olive Cheese Cake

Ingredients

4 cups of all purpose flour, unbleached of course
1 cup of pancetta - diced
1 cup of reblochon cheese or a brie works well too - cubed
1 cup of pitted black olives (please not the one in a can, gets some really great olives for this)
1 cup of milk
3/4 cup creme fraiche
3/4 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
3 1/2 table spoons of unsalted butter - melted
1 large egg
1 table spoon fresh thyme
1 table spoon fresh dill
1 table spoon fresh rosemary
1 table spoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions
Grease 3 mini loaf pans or one 5 x 9 pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large skillet render the pacetta until golden brown. Remove from pan and place in a bowl with the olives and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Next add the cubed reblochon, pancetta/olive mixture and half of the parmesan cheese.
In other bowl whisk together the milk, egg, butter and creme fraiche.
Now with a non stick spoon mix the wet into the flour bowl. Once it is all combine well it is ready to spoon into the pan, but first sprinkle 2/3rds of the remaining parmesan cheese evenly in the pan, then spoon in the batter and top off with the remaining cheese.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. If you hit cheese try again with another tooth pick.
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

You and also makes these into muffins, you will just need to reduce the baking time to about 20 to 25 minutes.

I have also made this with mushrooms, a ham and cheese one - play with the options you will be surprised what you come up with.

Enjoy Cooking

Pumpkin Soup

A quick and easy soup to have this time of year.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

32 oz of low salt chicken stock
2 16 oz cans of pure pumpkin puree
1 cup sour cream
2 table spoons molasses
2 table spoons raw honey
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped and stems removed
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large soup pot over medium high heat place the chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat and whisk in the pumpkin puree, spices, molasses and honey and simmer for about 25 minutes. Now add the sour cream, stir and simmer for an additional minute or so, so that the cream has warmed. Remove from heat stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro, ladle into bowls. Sprinkle bowls with the additional cilantro and serve.

Simple Squid with Vinaigrette

I make this all the time and Michael asked why i never posted it - Hmm i thought i had - here it is - it is really simple to make

Simple Squid with Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 pound of cleaned Squid
1 onion chopped
2 limes, zest and juice
1 jalapeno, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups chopped baby Bok Choy
1 cup Italian fry peppers, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeds removed

Directions

Arrange bok choy, Italian peppers and tomatoes into four bowls and set aside

In a bowl place lime zest and juice, jalapeno, garlic, salt & pepper and red pepper flakes and have it ready by the stove. In a large skillet over medium high heat add the olive oil and onions and saute until soft. Next add the Squid and stir for about 2 minutes, remove from heat and add the lime mixture to pan and stir for an additional minute and spoon over greens. Note make sure to also add the liquid from the pans to the bowls and serve. Simple as that.

Enjoy Cooking

Cherry Upside down cake

Here is another recipe from Thursday night - I did a variation on the cake from my cardamon cupcakes i have posted earlier.

Cherry upside down cake

Ingredients

12 table spoons of unsalted butter plus 4 table spoons for the top
1 cup of raw sugar plus 1/2 a cup for the top
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup half and half
2 cups dried cherries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease up an angel food cake pan. Then mix together the 1/2 cup of raw sugar, cinnamon and allspice and sprinkle it on the bottom of the pan. Next cut up the 4 table spoons of butter into small cubes and place them in the pan. Now add the cherries and set aside.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamon and basil.
In another large bowl cream together the 12 table spoons of butter and the cup of raw sugar. Once light and fluffy add the eggs and vanilla to mixture. Now alternating with the flour and the half and half: 3 to 2 - 3 parts flour to 2 parts half and half, once all combined and smooth, pour into pan. Its a thick batter so you really need to spoon it into the pan. Smooth out the top and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. I have had to bake it for as long as an hour, i would just check on the cake after 45 minutes.
Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, remove the outter pan then invert over a dish and remove the center cone. Note: you may need to use a knife to loosen the sugar glaze from the pan prior to inverting.

Here are a few variations on this;
1. you also can add pecans to the top, reduce the cherries by a cup and replace with the pecans.
2. Skip the step of adding the sugar, butter and cherries to the pan. Bake the cake and then make the topping for the cake and pour it over the top. You will need to add 1/4 of water and 1/4 light corn syrup to the mix, heat slowly over medium heat, once to a nice texture pour over cake.

Enjoy Cooking

Cloverleaf Rolls

Here is one from Thursday night dinner - I looked up how to make dinner rolls and it seamed a bit dull so switched it up a bit.

Cloverleaf Rolls

Ingredients

2 2/3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup Half and Half
1 egg
2 table spoons of unsalted butter plus 1 stick for the wash
1 table spoon molasses
3/4 tea spoon salt

1 package of active dry yeast
2 table spoons of water at 105 to 155 degrees

Directions
Warm the half and half add to that the butter, molasses and salt. Once the butter has melted and the half and half.

Melt the stick of butter and set aside.

Grease a bowl in prep of the dough.

Now add the 2 table spoons of water to the yeast and stir. Once it has started to foam up add it to the half and half mixture. Stir to combine. Now whisk in the egg.

Next start adding the flour to the mixture and at a certain point you will no longer be able to mix in the flour with a spoon you will need to knead it in with your hands. Depending on all sorts of things you may not need all the flour. Form dough into a ball and place in the greased bowl, brush with the melted butter and cover with at damp towel and set aside to rise.

Grease a muffin tin of the next step and preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and remove from the bowl. Now divide the dough into about 1 inch balls and place 3 balls each into each of the muffin tins. Brush with more melted butter and cover with a damp towel. Note: I put empty spice jars on the tin so that the towel would ne to laying directly on the dough.

Once the dough has doubled in size again, bake for about 15 minutes or until the rolls start to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and remove the rolls from the muffin tin - Serve.

Note: for a sweeter roll increase the molasses - for a hot cross bun sweetness increase it to a 1/4 cup.

Enjoy cooking

Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples

I had come up with about a year ago and i just found the recipe in a pad of paper here at the cabin.

Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples

Ingredients

1 lb of pork tenderloin
3 apples cored and sliced
3 shallots halved and sliced
1 cup apple juice
3 table spoons of molasses
3 table spoons of honey
2 table spoon Hoisin sauce
6 table spoons of fresh grated ginger
6 cloves of garlic minced
1 table spoon olive oil
1/8 tea spoon Cayenne pepper
2 table spoons of fresh chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to broil
In a medium sauce pan place apple juice, molasses, 3 table spoons of ginger and garlic and 2 table spoons of honey - bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens.
Place pork on a roaster rack in a broiler pan, brush pork with the sauce and broil pork until internal temps reads 155 degrees - Remove from heat and tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes - Note: it should take about 15 to 20 minutes for the internal temp of the pork to reach 155 degrees, also bast the pork with the sauce about every 5 minutes.
In a large skillet over medium high heat saute shallots in the olive oil until soft. Next add apples and reduce heat to medium. saute apples and shallots for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Now add the garlic, ginger, honey, hoisin sauce and cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste - stir for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice pork and plate with apple/shallot mixture and top with the diced chives.

Enjoy cooking

Pickled Green Tomatoes

I keep forgetting to post this - at the end of the season we had tons of green tomatoes on the vine when the first frost hit - well i was not going to let all those tomatoes go to waste, so i pickled them and this is a really simple way of doing it. And it works well with other veggies too.

Pickled Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

4 cups of sliced green tomatoes
1 large onion halved and sliced
6 sprigs of fresh dill
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups of water
1 cup raw sugar
1 table spoon yellow mustard seeds
1 table spoon fennel seeds
1 table spoon celery seeds
1 table spoon pepper corns - what ever you have on hand
1 tab;e spoon salt

Directions
In a large sauce pan add all the ingredients with the exception of the tomatoes, onions and dill. Place over medium high heat, stir and when it just starts to boil remove from heat and let cool.

Place tomatoes, onions an dill into three jars, pour in cooled pickling sauce, seal and place in fridge over night.

This will last in the fridge for months.

I just served the tomatoes of greens the other night, Michael really likes these.

Enjoy Cooking

Roasted Turnips

Well i have been playing around with side veggies, trying to figure out what to serve with dinner on Thursday. One of the veggies i was thinking out was turnips: but i did not want to mash them up so i thought about roasting them. And here is what i came up with.

Roasted Turnips

Ingredients

6 cups of rough chopped Turnips, roots removed but skins left on
1 large onion chopped
8 cloves of garlic diced
1 stick of butter - diced
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed
1/4 olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 table spoon fresh grated ginger
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a large zip lock bag place turnips, onions, garlic. rosemary leaves, celery seeds, olive oil, salt and pepper - close bag and shake.
Dump contents of bag into a deep baking dish and place in oven for 45 minutes - turnips should just be about tender. Remove from oven add butter and Ginger and toss - return to oven for 10 minutes.

Serve

Enjoy Cooking

Spicy Clams and Mussels over Pasta

Here is a real simple dish that we are actually going to have tomorrow night.

Spicy Clams and Mussels over Pasta

Ingredients
1 stick of unsalted butter
6 shallots, sliced
2 sweet onions, halved and sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups white wine
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
½ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped and stems removed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
24 littleneck clams, cleaned
24 mussels, cleaned
2 pound fresh linguine pasta
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions
Pasta: follow the directions on the package but only cook it to al dente – the pasta will be added to the sauce and you do not want to over cooked, once pasta is done and rinsed, quickly toss it with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Sauce: In a deep soup pot place the butter over medium high heat. Once butter has melted, add the onions and shallots and cook until they start to caramelize. Once the butter and the onions are a nice golden brown add garlic and heat the garlic for about a minute before you add the wine to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Also add the thyme sprigs at this time. Let simmer for 15 minutes. While sauce is simmering clean the clams and the mussels. After the 15 minutes add the red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste, raise the heat to high and add the clams and mussels to the pot: stir every few minutes to raise the clams and mussels on the bottom to the top. The clams and mussels should open up with in 5 to 8 minutes. If they all open sooner remove the pot from the heat and the clams and mussels from pot and set aside. If they all to not open within 8 minutes remove the pot from the pan and throw away any of the non open clams or mussels. Do not cook for more than 8 minutes the clams and mussels will get rubbery.
Add the parsley and the pasta to pot with sauce and toss well to coat. Now you can place the pasta in one big bowl and place the clams and mussels on top or serve it out into individual bowls. It up to you but serve within 5 minutes of the clams and mussels being removed from the pot.

Enjoy Cooking

Pork Stew

I got the idea for this stew after having a french version a few years ago, only it need a bit more of kick so i went south of the boarder with it. Some time i can find some of the veggies in this stew but you can easily swap out more common veggies if you can not find the Mexican ones.

Mexican Pork Stew

Ingredients

2 pounds of pork shoulder cut into about 1 inch cubes
2 pounds of Chayote squash, peeled, seeded and sliced - if you can not find this swap it out for potatoes
2 pounds of lime beans , i some time use green beans as well - you could use red or black beans but it is really about the green color that is needed in the stew
2 red onions, halved and sliced
4 cobs of corn sliced into 1 inch medallions
1 to 2 Jalapeno diced
3 sprigs of fresh oregano
2 sprigs of epazote
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper corns
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
This is really simple and is done in one pot.
In a large soup pot place pork and cover with water to about 1 inch above the meat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and the pepper corns, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender. Skim off excess fat during the cooking process.
Once meat is tender add the squash and beans and simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until squash and beans are tender. Now add the balance of the ingredients and simmer for 15 more minutes.

Serve with corn tortillas.

Enjoy cooking

Mexican Meatballs

Well I sort of came up with this as an alternative to my Swedish meat ball recipe: only this one is much easier to take and does not take as much time to prepare. I was thinking I like the flavors in meat tacos but wouldn’t it be great in a meat ball sub sometimes too, or as an app at a dinner party without the mess of a taco.

I have served this many times at our cabin and our friends cabin.

I hope you like it.

Mexican meatballs

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 pound ground pork
1 cup dry panko bread crumbs
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground yellow mustard
4 sprigs of fresh oregano – leaves removed from stems

6 cups of Fresh Salsa – there is a recipe on this blog for Rancho Salsa, this is what I use.

Corn tortillas or a nice baguette and fresh grated cheese


Heat oven to 400° F.
In a skillet over medium high heat place the olive oil and the onions and cook until soft. Remove from heat add garlic, jalapenos and the fresh oregano and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and the spices. Once the onions mixture has cooled add the onions to the eggs. The onions must be cooled you do not want to scramble the eggs.
In a large bowl place the pork and break it up with your hands. Next add the egg mixture to pork and using hands combine all the ingredients. Lastly add the bread crumbs and kneed the mixture. Once combined, form into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment line cookie sheet. Yes you are going to bake them. Place in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the meatballs have started to brown and firm up. Remove the meatballs from oven and place them in a deep baking dish and cover with 4 cups of salsa and return to oven to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with either Corn tortillas and the additional salsa or place on a baguette and cover with cheese to make a Mexican meatball sub.
If serving at a dinner party as an app, I have removed the meatballs from the baking dish and placed them on toothpicks and placed the on a platter with additional salsa.

Enjoy Cooking

Roasted Beets with Roquefort

I have been working on what we are going to have on Thanksgiving, I like beets but Michael does not so I think i am going to try this one in hopes I can convert him. I got the idea from watching some really old cooking shows late one night when i could not sleep. The French cook used turnips and she roasted them and mixed them up with goat cheese but she mentioned trying the same thing with beets but using a stronger cheese. (note: she also julienned some of the turnips and placed them on the dish at the end for some crunch - i used carrots instead above)

So i played with it last year and came up with this recipe. It is really simple.

Roasted Beets with Roquefort

Ingredients

3 red beets, tops removed, skins left on
3 yellow beets, tops removed , skins left on
1/2 cup Roquefort
4 table spoons olive oil
2 table spoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
4 table spoons of fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Pecans, chopped - you can also use almonds or walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Wrap beets in tin foil like you would do a potato, place in the oven and roasted for about 50 minutes to an hour, or roast until tender - Do the knife test. Remove from oven and let cool. Once you are able to handle the beets, just rub with your fingers and the skins will come off easy. Cut into wedges and place in a bowl.
Next in another bowl place all the ingredients with the exception of the cheese and nuts. Whip until combined and smooth. Add to the bowl with the beets, also add the cheese, crumbled and the nuts and toss. Done.

You can also add a touch of honey if you prefer the beets a bit sweeter. Or if you like a bit more roasted taste. Cut the beets in half, place the cut side down on a cookie sheet, coat with olive oil and roast uncover until tender. Then follow the recipe above for the rest.

Enjoy Cooking

Roasted Corn Soup

Here is my take on a Mexican Corn Soup

Roasted Corn Soup

Ingredients
6 ears fresh, kernels removed from cob
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
32 oz box of low salt chicken broth
4 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves removed from stems
¼ lb of bacon, roughed chopped
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 limes zest and juiced
1 jalapeño, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
Cup of cilantro chopped and stems removed
1/2 cup queso fresco
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions
In large skillet render off the bacon until crisp, place on a paper towel and set aside. Pour off half of the fat from the pan. Next add onions to skillet and cook until soft. Remove onions to a bowl add garlic, oregano, cumin, mustard and jalapeño, stir and set aside. Now add the corn to the same pan and roast until kernels start to brown, remove from heat and add lime juice to corn, stir then add corn to the bowl with the onions and garlic, mix to combine. Note: remove with a spoon do not dump in so that any remain fat does not go into the bowl.
In a blender place diced tomatoes, half the corn, onion and garlic mixture, and two cups of the broth and puree.
In a large soup pot add the remaining stock and corn, onion, garlic mixture, the tomato/corn puree, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the soup starts to thicken. Next stir in cream and half the chopped cilantro and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Spoon in to bowls, top with bacon, crumbled cheese, lime zest and cilantro and serve with chips.

Enjoy Cooking

Jello Cookies

Here is a family recipe i grew up with. I have modified it a bit from the recipe that was handed down but it is still a great holiday favorite of mine.

Jello Cookies

Ingredients

4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
3 sticks of butter room temp
3 eggs - beaten
1 1/2 cups of raw sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 package of regular jello - blueberry, strawberry and lime are the best.

Directions

Cream sugar and butter together until light and creamy. In a other bowl mix the balance of the dry ingredients. With the stand mixer on low add the the eggs to the cream mixture. Next add the vanilla and mix until well combined. Now slowly add the dry ingredients to the cream mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using a cookie press add dough to press and press out cookie onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes or until edges start to brown. Remove from oven to baking rack to to cool.

A simple holiday favorite .

Enjoy cooking

Dark Chocolate Raspberry pots de creme

Well i am back from my trade show and planning our Thanksgiving Meal and I though this recipe is always a good one around the holidays. I know below I do not use my standard Green & Blacks chocolate but they do not make a 100% bar, at least I can not find one.


Dark Chocolate Raspberry Pots de Creme

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream (you can use half and half to save some calories but what is the point)
1 teaspoon of orange water
1 teaspoon of orange zest
6 egg yokes
1/2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 & 1/2 bars 4oz bar of 100% chocolate, Ghiradelli
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 10oz package of frozen raspberries defrosted and mashed
(you will need 1 1/2 cups if you use fresh, you will still need to mash them up)
1 table spoon of flour
4 table spoons of warm milk

Topping
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon of orange extract


Directions
Preheat oven to 350
Place heavy cream, orange water, orange zest and the vanilla bean and the seeds into a medium sauce pan. Heat over med to low heat for about 4 to 6 minutes, you want the cream very warm but not boiling, you want to infuse the favors into the cream. After the cream is warm reduce the heat to very low and remove the vanilla bean.
In a medium bowl wish together the egg yokes, sugar and salt. Set aside
Over a double boiler melt chocolate, melt do not boil the chocolate.
Mix flour and milk together so that there are no lumps.
Once chocolate is complete melted stir in milk and flour mixture until completely blended.
Now blend the chocolate into the cream mixture until very smooth and creamy.
Next whisk in by hand, slowly, the chocolate mixture into the eggs. Do this very slowly and whisk quickly so that the egg/sugar mixture does not scramble.
Once complete blended now add the mashed raspberries.
Now ladle the mixture into ramekins, i use a 5oz one and this will fill about 8 of them.
Place filled ramekins into high sided baking pan, next fill the pan with water so that it comes half way up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes until custard is set.
Remove pan from oven and allow the ramekins to cool while still in the water about 1 hour.
Remove the ramekins from the water and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I usually make this the night before.

Topping -
place a ingredients into a medium bowl and blend on high speed into firm. You could add a 1/4 cup of powder sugar to the cream, but i like it with out the sugar, i like the freshness of the cream against the sweetness of the pots de creme

Enjoy Cooking