Greek Feta Couscous

1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
3 scallions, sliced into small rounds with green and white parts separated
1 cup roughly chopped arugula
12 olives, rinsed and finely chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the white part of the scallions and saute 30 seconds.
Add the couscous and cook about 3 minutes until slightly brown, stirring frequently.
Add the olives and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until all of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally and scraping up the couscous at the bottom of the pan.
Remove the couscous from the heat, and while it is still hot mix in the arugula so that it wilts. Add the tomatoes, feta, and green parts of the scallions.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients then pour over the couscous. Mix to combine.

Enjoy! (:

Baked Peaches with Blueberry Port Coulis

Serves 6
3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
3/4 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
Coulis
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup ruby port
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
For Serving
1 cup plain greek yogurt
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up, then lay our the peaches cut side up.
Sprinkle the Chinese Five Spice over each peach, then place 1/3 tablespoon butter in the center of each peach half. Drizzle the honey over the butter, dividing evenly among the peaches.
Bake for at least 15 – 25 minutes, until the peaches are soft when pierced with a fork.
Place a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and toss in all of the coulis ingredients except for the cornstarch. Bring the blueberry mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes while the peaches are baking.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water then mix it into the blueberry coulis. Bring the mixture back to a boil for a few seconds. You should see the sauce slightly thicken.
Place half a peach on a plate, and top with some greek yogurt. Finish off the dish by spooning on some of the blueberry port coulis on top of the yogurt.

Sorry for not making any blogs lately but I was kind of busy..

Enjoy! (:

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

Makes 18 cupcakes
2 cups (218 grams) cake flour
1 cup (220 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest (approx. 2 lemons)
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 eggs, room temperature
Coconut Frosting
Double the ingredients below if you like a lot of frosting
1 stick (113 grams; 1/ pound) butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 – 4 tablespoons cream of coconut
1 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
Unsweetened dried coconut flakes (for garnish)

Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line 18 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, hand whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the lemon zest.
Add the heavy cream, canola oil and vanilla to the flour mixture. Use the whisk to mix until just combined.
Add the lemon juice. Use the whisk to mix until just combined.
Add the eggs. Use the whisk to mix until just combined.
Spoon (or use an ice cream scooper) the batter into the cupcake liners. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out with crumbs (instead of wet batter).
Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting (approximately 1 hour).
To make the frosting:
Using an electric mixer (use the beater blade/paddle attachment if you have a stand mixer), mix together the butter and salt until creamy (approximately 30 seconds). Mix the cream of coconut can contents using a spoon because the cream and liquid is often separated when you open it. Add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons cream of coconut. Mix until just incorporated. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup at a time. If the frosting looks too dry, add 1 more tablespoon of cream of coconut. (If you add too much, it will become runny and hard to work with.)
Frost the cupcakes and top with the coconut flakes.
 

Enjoy! (:

Bridal Shower Recipes

Filling
4 bone-in chicken breasts or thighs
1/3 – 1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
16 slices white bread

Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pot and simmer the chicken on low heat for about 30 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.

Remove the chicken from the pot and discard the water (or use it as chicken broth for another recipe). Remove the skin and shred the chicken using two forks.

Add 1/3 cup mayonnaise and the champagne vinegar with the shredded chicken. Mix well. If you prefer a more wet chicken salad, add and mix in an additional 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise at a time until your reach the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The filling can be made the day before and refrigerated.

Wash the basil and pat dry with a paper towel. Rip the basil into small pieces and add it to the chicken mixture. Ripping the basil prevents it from browning as much as when you cut it with a knife. Carefully mix the chicken and basil mixture.

Spread the chicken and basil mixture on half of the bread slices, leaving a 1/4 inch border. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Slice off the crust on the four sides of each sandwich. Slice an X into each square, creating 4 small triangular finger sandwiched

Spread
1 1/2  8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened (12 ounces total)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons cup chopped fresh dill (wash, pat dry then chop)

1 long hot house cucumber (these have edible seeds and are often sold wrapped in plastic)
20 slices white bread

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix the cream cheese until it is smooth. Alternatively, you can use a mixer. Add the garlic powder and mix well. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Add the dill and carefully mix into the cream cheese mixture.

The spread can be made the day before and refrigerated. The day of the event, set out the cream cheese mixture 1 hour before using to let it soften.

Wash and pat dry the hot house cucumber. Peel the cucumber and slice it very thinly. The cucumbers can be sliced the day before, Wrapped in paper towels and placed in an airtight container.

Thinly spread the cream cheese mixture on all of the bread slices. On half of the bread slices, lay the cucumbers along two vertical rows, each cucumber overlapping slightly with the the next cucumber in the same row. Cover with a slice of bread, spread side down.

Slice off the crust on the four sides of each sandwich. Slice each sandwich in half, in between the two vertical rows of cucumbers.

1 pint raspberries (2 small boxes), plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons rose water
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups grape juice, chilled
2 cups seltzer, chilled

Place the 1 pint raspberries in a blender and puree. Strain the raspberry puree by placing a small amount at a time in a fine mesh strainer and pushing the raspberries through with a spatula. The seeds should be left behind in the strainer.

The raspberries can be pureed the day before and stored in the refrigerator.

Combine the raspberry puree, rose water and sugar in a large pitcher or bowl. Mix to dissolve the sugar. Add the grape juice and seltzer. Garnish with whole raspberries.

Enjoy! (:

Cookie Swap: Chocolate-Dipped Bacon Shortbread Cookies

8 ounces bacon slices
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Place the bacon as a single layer in a large frying pan, and cook over medium-high heat until crispy.
Place the bacon slices on a paper towel lined plate and let cool.
Place the bacon in a plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin (or another heavy object like a can or pan) so that you end up with bacon bits. You can also place the bacon in the food processor. Set aside.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and confectioner’s sugar until combined. Add the vanilla extract and beat for another 15 seconds until it is incorporated. Add the flour mixture and combine on low. Add in the bacon bits and beat on low just until incorporated.
Separate the dough into two discs and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove one dough disc from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface (I like to roll out my cookies on a silicone baking mat). Pound (do not roll) the dough with a rolling pin to flatten it further and spread it out evenly. After every few pounds, pick up the dough and turn it 90 degrees, adding more flour underneath if necessary. Continue this until the dough is 1/4 inch thick. Give the dough a quick roll with the rolling pin to flatten out the top.
Cut out shapes, dipping your cookie cutter in flour each time. Transfer the cookies to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (For better shaped cookies, place the sheet of cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.) Bake for 13 – 15 minutes until cookies just start to turn golden brown at the edges. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool on the rack for another 20 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently. Once it is melted, dip each cookie into the chocolate. Shake off the excess chocolate and place on a sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Let cool until the chocolate hardens. (You can stir 1/4 teaspoon of vegetable shortening into the chocolate if it is too thick for dipping.)

Enjoy! (:

Overnight Turkey Recipe

Preheat your oven to 400°
You Will Need:
A Big Turkey
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Two Heads of Garlic
Yellow Onions
Poultry Spice – Or Any Fresh Herbs Your Prefer
Celery
Parsnips
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
An Instant Read Thermometer

Procedure:
1. Thoroughly wash your turkey inside and out. Pat dry.

2. Place in a Large Roasting pan – on a rack.

3. Season with Salt, Pepper, Poultry Spice (I use Bell's), Paprika and Garlic Powder. Remember to season inside as well as outside.

4. Clean and peel two heads of garlic and place garlic, celery, parsnips, onions and water under the rack, (add enough water to come to the top of the rack – and not to touch the turkey itself). Add the turkey neck, liver and gizzard to the water in the pan.

5. Place the turkey in the oven (at 400°) and roast for 30 minutes.

6. After 30 minutes baste the turkey – and lower oven to 250°. COVER THE PAN COMPLETELY BY MAKING A TENT OUT OF HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM FOIL. You must make sure that all the edges of the pan are covered so that the moisture will remain in the pan. This is the only tricky part to cooking a turkey like this. You should check the water before sealing the pan. There only needs to be a few inches.

7. Now go to sleep – and you will dream of turkey. (I think it has to do with the smell of the turkey cooking.)

8. If you are of an age that you get up during the night to go to the bathroom – you can check the turkey – but it should be fine. By 7am – the turkey should be fully cooked. You can check by inserting an instant read thermometer in the breast it should read 165°.

9. You can unwrap the turkey, baste and raise the temperature to brown the breast. (Please do not consume undercooked poultry.)


I leave the turkey in the pan to cool – and I go right back to sleep. I watch the parade and then and only then do I begin to cook my side dishes. This is what my father would call a “gedempte turkey” – so well cooked that it falls off the bone – yet because of how it was cooked it is moist and delicious.**

Strain the drippings and refrigerate them. Remove the fat layer and use the drippings as a base for your gravy. (If you need a gravy recipe email info@zabars.com and we'll send you Andrea's recipe. It’s rich and creamy.) I serve the turkey at room temperature with warm gravy.

I did not mention the turkey neck which was cooked in the pan – because at my house there is always a Thanksgiving Miracle – somehow the neck is eaten while I’m parade watching – and sometimes my turkey loses a wing along the way.

Enjoy! (:

Zucchini Stuffed with Mushrooms and Ham Recipe

As a first course, one half zucchini is sufficient, and for a lunch or light supper I serve two together with bread, wine, and dessert.

Serves 4 or 8

Ingredients

4 zucchini, 6 to 8 inches long, peeled if necessary (see note below)
¼ pound ham (boiled, baked, or smoked), finely chopped
¼ teaspoon fresh or dried thyme leaves
5 sprigs parsley, chopped
Duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms and shallots – see the recipe below)
Mornay Sauce (cheese sauce  – see the recipe below)
2 tablespoons milk
Butter, for baking dish
2 ounces Swiss-style cheese, such as Gruyère or Emmentaler, grated (about ? cup)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F with the rack in the upper third of the oven. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.

2. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.

3. Place the zucchini halves in the boiling water and blanch until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on freshness. Drain on paper towels.

4. Stir the ham, thyme, and parsley into the duxelles. If the Mornay sauce was made ahead of time, reheat it. Thin the sauce with the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk well. Stir 5 to 6 tablespoons of the hot sauce into the stuffing.

5. Butter a baking dish or ovenproof platter that will hold all the zucchini. Fill each zucchini half with stuffing and place in the baking dish. Spoon the sauce over the stuffed zucchini and sprinkle with the grated cheese. (The dish can be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.)

6. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Note: Zucchini skin is sweet when it is very fresh, but can turn bitter when it’s older. While trimming the stem, I cut off and taste a piece of the skin. If it’s bitter, I peel the zucchini. If it’s sweet, I just wash it. Peeled zucchini is fragile when cooked, and care should be taken in handling it.

In Addition: There are many possible fillings for a stuffed zucchini. Cooked chicken, lamb, or ground beef can replace the ham in this recipe. Cooked rice or bread crumbs can be added when unexpected guests appear. Or use a fresh Tomato Sauce with or in place of the cheese sauce.

Duxelles Recipe
Duxelles is one of the foundations of French cooking. It is used by itself, or mixed with chopped meats and herbs to form stuffings. To chop the mushrooms by hand is time-consuming and tedious, but a food processor will do the work in seconds.
Makes 1 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons butter
5 shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped
1 pound white mushrooms, washed, dried, and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots or onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to high, and sauté until most of the water has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Mornay Sauce Recipe
A Mornay is a cheese-flavored béchamel that can be used with poached eggs, crêpes, vegetables, and meat. In France, the cheese used for the sauce is usually Gruyère, or a combination of Gruyère and Parmesan. Any Swiss-style cheese can be used; if you use other than a Swiss-style cheese, such as Camembert, the sauce takes on the name of the cheese. Classically, a Mornay is made with an addition of 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter just before serving. I find this added richness unnecessary and have eliminated it with today’s eating habits in mind. When browning the sauce as in
a gratin, I always sprinkle additional cheese on top.   
Makes 2 cups to serve 8

2½ tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 ounces Swiss-style cheese, such as Gruyère or Emmentaler, grated (about ? cup) or 1 ounce each Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, grated

1. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the roux is pale yellow and frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the milk and stir well with a whisk until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes. (This is a béchamel sauce.)
2. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk vigorously for about 10 seconds. Simmer gently, whisking the sauce well from time to time, until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream, 2 to 3 minutes. Skim off any butter that may rise to the surface.
3. Stir in the cheese and bring to a boil while whisking. At this point the sauce should be slightly thicker than heavy cream and is ready to use. (The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for several days or frozen for later use. Cover the surface with plastic wrap. To reheat, bring to a boil and check the consistency and seasoning before using. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little milk or water.)

This is my Easy Recipes For You!

Enjoy! (: