Archives for December 2014

Mincemeat Pie

December 25, 2014 by Dan Leave a Comment

mincemeat pie

It’s Christmas! Along with lots of wonderful presents under the tree, we’d like to give you a treat for your tummy too! This is one of our Christmas desserts this year, a very easy mincemeat pie. The preparation time is relatively short and you can actually even bake it after your turkey comes out of the oven.

1 27-oz jar Mincemeat
1 to 2 red Apples, cored and chopped (1/4″ pieces are perfect)
1 cup Raisins, plumped in hot water and then squeezed of water
3/4 cup dried Cherries, chopped
1/2 cup chopped Pecans
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
1/4 teaspoon Clove
2 tablespoons dark Rum

1 egg beaten

Crust for a 9 inch double crust pie or two 8 inch double crust pies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the jar of mincemeat, the fruit nuts and spices and stir well. Add the rum and stir that in.

Line a 9-inch pie pan with pie dough or 2 8-inch pie pans. Fill with the filling and cover with a top crust. Crimp the edges and slit to allow steam to escape.

Beat an egg and then brush the crust with the egg. Sprinkle with sugar.

Place a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch any juice that boils out of the pie. Bake on the middle rack of your oven about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Serve warm or cold.

Lemon Cheesecake

December 18, 2014 by Dan Leave a Comment

Lemon Cheesecake

This week we bring you an ancient dish that is as drool worthy today, as it has been through the ages – the very decadent cheesecake! While meandering through the fresh fruit at our local grocers some Meyer Lemons caught our attention, and somehow screamed “Cheesecake!” from their display. Who are we to argue with citrus?! So, whether it was serendipity, fruit fairies, or strung out holiday shoppers, please find below our inspired lemon cheese cake recipe:

Crust

13 oz. Gingersnap Cookies
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick) cut into pieces
1/2 cup Sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons Sugar for the pan

Filling

3/4 cup Sugar
16 oz. soft white Goat Cheese (Chevre)
1/2 Nutmeg grated (yes, 1/2 of a nutmeg, I grated mine with a micro plain)
3 tablespoons all purpose Flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup goat milk
6 egg yolks
zest of one large lemon
juice of 1/2 large lemon
6 egg whites

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9-10 inch springform pan and dust with sugar (like you normally would flour a pan for baking).

Process the gingersnaps in a food processor until they are a course powder. Add in the butter and sugar and process until well blended. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you finish your filling.

Combine the sugar, cheese, vanilla, nutmeg, flour, corn starch and goat milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine and break up the cheese into very small pieces. Add egg yolks one at a time and stir to blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Be sure the bowl and beater are clean and dry or the eggs won’t beat properly.

Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to your filling and stir well. Gently fold 1/4 to 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into your filling mixture, by hand with a rubber spatula. Add another 1/4 to 1/3 and fold in, then fold in the remaining egg whites. This should make a relatively light batter. Be sure to fold in the egg whites, do not beat or mix.

Pour your filling into your springform pan and place on the center rack of your oven. Bake for approximately an hour or until the batter is mostly set. It may still be a little jiggly in the middle. Remove from the oven and gently run a butter knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the edge of the pan.

Cool and serve with whipped cream and a slice of lemon.

Taco Shell Bites

December 11, 2014 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Tacos made with shell pasta by D Fenwick http://dfenwickphotography.com

Taco Shells

With all the frantic holiday planning and preparations this time of year, it can be difficult to cook something “interesting” for a weekday dinner. A study in 2009 found that the average cook relied on just nine recipes they rotate through, with fast recipes chosen more often over healthy ones. Today’s recipe is one of our quick and easy mainstays, but with one little change: we’re replacing tortillas with pasta shells! OMG this is good! Let’s get cookin’!

1 lb ground meat (we used beef)
1 packet taco seasoning (we used Mild, but you can also find Spicy or Gluten Free at your grocers)
1 15 oz can of tomato puree
1/2 package of pasta shells
~2 cups of grated cheese (we used dairy free cheese in Monterey Jack and Cheddar flavors)
Salsa
Optional: sour cream, cilantro, green onions, hot sauce

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan by spreading a thin coating of butter to keep the pasta from sticking.

While the beef is browning in a skillet, heat a pot of water to boiling for the pasta. When the beef is done remove excess oil and add the Taco Seasoning but omit the water. Stir. After the seasoning is incorporated add in the tomato puree and stir to combine evenly. Once it begins to bubble remove from heat and set aside.

Cook your pasta until almost done (so on the chewier side of al dente), remember – you’re going to bake the shells later. Once the pasta is ready pour into a sieve and cool with cold running water (your basically stopping the cooking process).

Now it’s time to combine all the parts: Fill each shell with a tablespoon or two of the meat mixture then place into an even layer in the baking pan. When all the shells are full, sprinkle the cheese over the top, then bake about 15-20 mins or until the cheese melts.

Serve topped with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and/or hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Turkey Noodle Casserole

December 5, 2014 by Dan Leave a Comment

Turkey Noodle Casserole

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas on the horizon, the nagging question is: “What to do with the left over turkey?” This versatile bird can easily adapt to any occasion, even the humble leftover dinner. Here’s a lovely dish tailor made for an overlooked drumstick or those turkey bits left behind on the serving tray.

12 oz Pasta (pick your favorite kind and cook in salted water until still a little chewy, retain some of the water)

1/2 cup chopped Carrots
1/2 cup chopped Celery
1/2 cup chopped Onion
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
2 cups Chicken Stock
4 oz. Chevre (or other soft white cheese)
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup water from cooking your pasta
2 cups Turkey cut into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Butter a 9×13 baking dish and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet melt your butter over medium low heat. When the butter is melted add the carrots, celery and onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables in the pan and stir to coat evenly and combine with the butter. Cook stirring gently 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t let it stick to the bottom of the pan or it will burn. Add 2 cups chicken stock a little at a time, stirring to combine well before adding more. Let this simmer for a few minutes until it starts to thicken. Add the pasta and stir well, then add the turkey, cheese and sour cream. Stir to combine well and melt the cheese. Taste the mixture at this point and add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the mixture into your 9×13 baking dish and bake 30 to 40 minutes. The top will brown a little and the casserole will be bubbly.

For another possibility, use shredded cheddar cheese and ham in place of the chevre and turkey. Add the cheese and sour cream before the pasta and ham and stir until the cheese melts and combines with the sauce. Then add the pasta and ham. Cook as above.

Enjoy