French Onion Dip

 From my favorite, Alton Brown.

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/onion-dip-from-scratch-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

White Chocolate Coconut & Banana S’more Bars

Recipe courtesy of Top with Cinnamon.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup white chocolate, chopped
2 large bananas
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square tin with foil, then spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray or oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut, vanilla, salt and egg whites. Stir in the chopped white chocolate and sugar. Press into the lined tin.

Wrap the bananas in foil. Place the foil-wrapped bananas and the coconut base into the oven separately. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the coconut base is golden brown and the bananas are dark and starting to seep a bit.

Immediately peel the bananas into a bowl and mash roughly with a fork. Spread the mashed banana over the coconut base and sprinkle on the chopped chocolate. Spread the chocolate evenly to cover the entire base and sprinkle with marshmallows.

Turn your broiler on and put the oven rack on the top third of the oven. Place the pan under the broiler for less than one minute, just until the marshmallows are toasted. Watch them closely! Remove from the pan and peel away the foil. Cut s’mores bars into 12 or 16 squares. You could also make these s’mores over the barbecue by making the base in the oven ahead of time and roasting the remaining ingredients over the heat. Enjoy!

Berry Trifle with Pound Cake

Pound cake recipe from Martha Stewart. Berry Trifle recipe from Recipe Girl.

Ingredients:
Pound Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), sifted, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water

Layers:
Pound cake
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 cups fresh blueberries
3 cups fresh strawberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until very light and fluffy, 7 minutes. Scrape down bowl and beat 1 minute more. Add vanilla, then gradually add eggs, beating well and scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add salt, then gradually add flour, beating well to combine and scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer batter to pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 65 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 1 hour. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack before slicing.

Prepare lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar, lemon juice and water to a boil over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar completely. Let cool.

Slice cake into 3/4-inch slices. Then brush over both sides of each cake slice. Quarter each slice.

Beat cream cheese with sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and slowly add cream. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake pieces in the bottom of a glass serving bowl or dish (2 qt. size is sufficient). Spoon half the cream-cheese mixture over the cake in dollops; spread to the sides of the dish. Scatter half of the blueberries and strawberries on top. Repeat layering with cake, cream cheese and berries. Pile additional strawberries on top.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled (about an hour). You may also refrigerate overnight.

Marinade for Grilled Vegetables

Great marinade for grilled vegetables, courtesy of AllRecipes.

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetables: I've used this on zucchinis, red peppers, red onions and potatoes

Directions:
Whisk olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss vegetables in soy sauce marinade. Marinate for about 45 minutes.

Rose Sangia

Amazing sangria using Rose wine, courtesy of (ironically enough due to my personal feelings toward the herb...) The Cilantropist.

Ingredients:
1 large orange
2 ripe yellow peaches
About 2 cups strawberries
About 1 cup raspberries
1/4-1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup triple sec
1/4 cup citron vodka
1 bottle Rose wine
1 1/2 cups ginger ale

Directions:
First wash all the fruits well. Then cut the orange in half, and cut the halves into slices. Next thinly slice the peaches (slice around the peach to divide into quarters, then pull each quarter away from the pit to slice again), hull and quarter the strawberries, and leave the raspberries whole. Place all the fruits in a large bowl, and add the sugar, triple sec, and vodka. Mix the fruit well, pressing it down in the bowl so it is mostly covered by the sugar/alcohol mixture. Soak the fruit, mixing occasionally, for at least 1 hour, but if you can soak it for 2-3 hours it will be even better.

To mix up the sangria, add the bottle of Rose wine, and the ginger ale to a large bowl, then stir in the fruit and alcohol. (Or if you have a drink dispenser, you can just add everything in there and swirl it around.) Mix well, and chill before serving. If you like, serve with ice, in glasses garnished with orange slices or fresh raspberries.

Skillet Matzo Brei with Cinnamon, Apple, and Raisins

 Fabulous Passover breakfast, from Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:
5 matzos, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Fruit preserves, creme fraiche, honey, or maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Place matzos in a bowl, and cover with water. Place a plate on surface to keep matzos submerged. Let stand for 5 minutes, and drain. Return to bowl.

Whisk eggs and salt together in a small bowl. Add to matzo. Add sugar, apple, raisins, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup oil. Gently stir until combined.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread matzo mixture evenly in skillet, pressing firmly into pan. Cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula, 1 piece at a time. (The mixture will break into 3 or 4 pieces.) Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Spoon onto serving plates. Serve hot or warm with toppings if desired.

Strawberry-Lemon Trifle

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart. A great Passover addition!

Ingredients:
Lemon Curd for Passover
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons, freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon potato starch
8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine, cut into 12 pieces

Passover Sponge Cake, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Margarine, for pan
Matzo meal, for pan
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup potato starch

Trifle
2 pints strawberries, hulled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:
To make the Lemon Curd, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and potato starch in a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until thick, about 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in margarine, one piece at a time, until all of the pieces have been fully incorporated. Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl, and lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool, and store in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

To make the Passover Sponge Cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with margarine. Dust pan with matzo meal; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on medium-high speed with 1/4 cup sugar until thickened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and the whisk attachment.

Place egg whites and salt in mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. With machine running, slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Fold egg whites and orange zest into yolk mixture. Sift potato starch over the mixture, and fold in.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool 15 minutes.

 

To assemble the Trifle, quarter the strawberries, and place in a medium bowl; toss with 1/2 cup sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add orange juice, and toss. Strain strawberries over a bowl, reserving juice. Place sponge-cake pieces in a 1 1/2-quart heatproof bowl. Pour reserved juice over cake; let sit 30 minutes. Spoon lemon curd over cake; top with strawberries. Enjoy!

Guacamole

Fabulous guacamole, courtesy of Alton Brown. As I am a tomato and cilantro hater, I leave those out from the original recipe and add in Red Pepper for color and texture!

Ingredients:
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, red peppers, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Baked Plantain Chips

A healthier chip option, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:
2 pounds plantains or green bananas, scored, peeled, and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Divide plantains between two rimmed baking sheets. Toss with oil, then arrange in a single layer on sheets. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating sheets and flipping plantains halfway through. Drain plantains on paper towels.

To store, place cooled chips in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Passover Crumb Cake

Another amazing Passover cake! Recipe courtesy of Susie Fishbein's Passover By Design cookbook.

Ingredients:
nonstick cooking spray
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 cup potato starch

Crumb Topping:
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, cut into small bits
3/4 (5.5-ounce) box vanilla cookies, crushed and crumbled (I used a food processor)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9- by- 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, at medium speed, mix the sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla sugar, oil, eggs, and potato starch until you have a smooth batter.

Pour into prepared pan and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, toss the cinnamon, butter or margarine, crushed cookies, brown sugar, and sugar. Use your fingers to pinch into coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the cake and return to the oven to bake for an additional 35 minutes.

Eggplant Rollatini

Delicious recipe from Real Simple.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large eggplants (about 3 pounds total ), sliced lengthwise (about 16 slices total)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce container ricotta
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups grated mozzarella (8 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 1/2 ounces)

Directions:
Heat oven to 450° F. Divide the oil between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Dividing evenly, arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheets and turn to coat in the oil; season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Bake the eggplant, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until soft and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool. Reduce heat to 400° F.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish, spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, oregano, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Place about 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on one end of a slice of eggplant, roll it up, and transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and ricotta mixture.

Top the eggplant rolls with the remaining cup of marinara sauce and the remaining cup of mozzarella. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

Recipe courtesy of David Lebovitz.

Ingredients:
For the caramel praline (mix-in)
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream custard
2 cups whole milk, divided
1½ cups sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty 6 quart saucepan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.

Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.) Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn. It won’t take long.

Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring, then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they’re floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts) over the ice, pour 1 cup of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

Spread 1½ cups sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.

Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup of the milk.

Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens.

Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti. I also added in chopped up bittersweet chocolate chunks.

Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel and chocolate, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Grilled Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats.

Ingredients:
1 pound waxy potatoes, such as white or fingerling, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 cups white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Place potatoes and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let potatoes cool in vinegar for 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and gently toss with oil, salt, and pepper.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Grill potatoes until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from grill, sprinkle with more salt to taste, and serve.

Kabobs

For our recent BBQ, we decided to go all kabob for the ease of grilling and dividing. Soak wooden skewers for an hour before using.


Insalata Caprese Kabobs with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Ingredients:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 small container cherry tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) container fresh mozzarella (recommended: Ciliegine)
1 bunch large fresh basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
Preheat a grill to medium heat.

To make the sauce, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and reduce very slowly on low heat. Stir occasionally until it reduced to the consistency of syrup, approximately 10 minutes.

Onto a skewer, layer 1 cherry tomato, 1 piece of fresh mozzarella and 1 large folded basil leaf. Repeat this pattern until 2 inches are left on the end of the skewer. Push the ingredients down towards the bottom tip for easy handling of the tops. Repeat with the remaining skewers and ingredients. When the skewers are ready to grill, put them onto a large piece of foil, brush them with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the sheet of foil with the skewers onto the grill and shut the lid until the cheese begins to melt, about 3 minutes. When finished, pull the skewers from the heat by gripping the sides of the foil. Drizzle each skewer evenly with the balsamic reduction. Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy.


Honey Chipotle Lime Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts in 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons adobo sauce (minced chipotle peppers if you want to make it spicier)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons good-quality honey
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Bell peppers and red onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
Whisk together adobo sauce, olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, salt and pepper until well blended to make a marinade. Put chicken into a large resealable plastic bag with marinade and refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, for three hours, or overnight.

Skewer chicken on skewers, along with peppers and red onions. Grill chicken until just cooked through and slightly charred, turning often, about eight minutes.


Marinated Beef Kabobs

Ingredients:
2 pounds trimmed beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons beef stock or red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoons steak seasoning
1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
Bell peppers and red onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
Stir together the beef stock (or red wine), balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, steak seasoning, dried thyme, dried oregano, black pepper, and add bay leaves. Put meat cubes into the smallest Ziploc bag (or plastic container with a snap-tight lid) that will fit all the meat, then pour in the marinade. Marinate meat at least 4-6 hours in the refrigerator (or longer is fine if you're gone all day.)

Put meat tightly on skewers, along with peppers and red onions and let it come to room temperature while the grill heats. Grill kabobs to desired doneness, turning as soon as you get some browned spots on the first side. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the meat and how hot your grill is, but approximate times would be about 8-10 minutes for rare, 10-12 minutes for medium rare, or 12-15 minutes for medium.


Marinated Veggie Kabobs

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Bell Peppers, and Red Onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. The marinade can be prepared in advance and held covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.  Place vegetables in a shallow dish or container. Pour marinade over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Remove vegetables from the marinade, reserving marinade. Thread vegetables onto skewers, alternating colors. Cook skewers on grill until vegetables are lightly charred all over, about 10 minutes, basting with reserved marinade and turning occasionally. 

Neely's Lemon Pasta Salad

 Flavorful pasta salad, courtesy of the Food Network.

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound corkscrew pasta
1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
7 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

In another large pot of boiling salted water, add the asparagus and blanch until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider and shock in icy cold water. Remove from the water and dry well.

Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut into bite-size pieces on the bias.

Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine the reserved asparagus and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, dill, peas, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.