2/1/07

Creamy Potato Salad


Creamy Potato Salad

Serves 8

2 pounds Yukon Gold or round white potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
5 eggs, hard boiled
½ cup celery, minced
½ cup red onion, chopped
5 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
½ cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup green onions finely sliced
1 teaspoon paprika


Put the potatoes in a large pot. Fill with water, enough to cover the potatoes by at least an inch. Add the teaspoon of salt and bring water to a boil. Cook the potatoes in their skins until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain completely and return the potatoes to the pot.

Allow the potatoes to cool 10-15 minutes and then peel and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Peel 3 of the eggs and place in a large bowl. Using a fork, mash the eggs. Add the potatoes, celery and red onion to the bowl.

Crumble 3 of the bacon slices and add to the bowl.

In a small bowl mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar and sugar. Pour over the potato mixture and stir gently.

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Slice the remaining 2 eggs and lay the slices over the potato mixture.

Crumble the remaining 2 bacon slices over the potato mixture.

Garnish with green onions and paprika

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature

1/31/07

Grilled Chicken Empanadas


Grilled Chicken Empanadas

This recipe is best if the chicken is marinated for at least 8 hours prior to grilling it.

Yield: 20 empanadas


4 chicken breast fillets
1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
15-20 pitted green olives stuffed with pimientos
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ large yellow onion, diced
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1 (15-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (10-count) packs prepared frozen dough for empanadas, thawed
1 egg white, beaten
Small bowl of warm water


In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the garlic and herb seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight.

With a sharp knife, dice the olives. Mix with the lemon juice, parsley and black pepper. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Saute the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the olives and sauté another 2 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl.

Put the eggs in a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add the eggs to the mixing bowl.

Add the red peppers, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and garlic powder to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grill the chicken over medium heat until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes on each side.

Cut each chicken breast into quarters. Process in food processor for 30 seconds, until minced. Add chicken to the mixing bowl. Use wooden spoon to combine.

Drop 2 Tablespoons chicken mixture on a dough round. Dip your finger in the warm water and dampen the edge of the dough all the way around. Fold dough in half over the chicken mixture to form a half-moon shape.

Using the tines of a fork, press firmly all the way around the open edges to form a seam. Make sure there are no openings left around the edges of the dough.

Using your fork poke a hole through the top of the empanada. Fill the rest of the dough rounds using the same method.

Place a Silpat on a large baking sheet. Lay the empanadas side by side on the Silpat. Brush the top of each empanada with the egg white.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and serve warm with hot sauce or a dish of salsa.

These can be frozen in an airtight container. To reheat, defrost completely and bake for at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

Serves 6

1 box (13.5-ounce) graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
8 Tablespoons fresh key lime juice
1 teaspoon grated key lime zest
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a 9-inch pie pan.

With an electric mixer, combine key lime juice, key lime zest, milk and eggs. Beat until frothy. Pour filling into pie crust.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until set. Cool completely on a wire rack and then refrigerate at least 3 hours.

1/28/07

Traditional New Orleans Beignets

Traditional New Orleans Beignets

Beignets are a New Orleans staple and if you’ve never tried one of these hot doughnuts, you’re truly missing out. Beignets are the New Orleans version of a French fritter. They’re served hot, usually 3 or 4 per serving, and they’re topped with lots of powdered sugar. Café du Monde is probably the most famous place in the city to buy these but there are plenty of other quaint little places to try them. Beignets are traditionally enjoyed with a good cup of hickory coffee or café au lait.

Yield: approximately 2 dozen

1 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Confectioner’s sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add sugar, egg, milk and salt. Whisk until combined. Gradually stir in 2 cups of flour and stir until smooth.

Stir in butter and slowly add the rest of the flour, ¼ cup at a time. Mix by hand until butter is completely incorporated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Place dough on a floured cutting board, punch down and roll out to 1/8 inch thick.

Using a pizza cutter, cut into rectangles, approximately 2 x 3 inches.

Heat the oil in a large pot to 360 degrees.

Gently drop the dough in, a few at a time, and fry until they puff up and are golden brown, about 2 minutes

Drain on paper towel and top with plenty of Confectioner’s sugar. Serve hot with a cup of hickory coffee or café au lait

Citrus Shrimp

Citrus Shrimp

Serves 4

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1(16-ounce) bag frozen green peas
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup dry white wine
1-1/2 pounds large (16-20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Juice of one lime
1(16-ounce) bag frozen green peas
4 cups white rice, cooked
1 lime, cut in wedges

Put oil and butter in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. When oil is hot add onion, yellow and red peppers, pepper flakes and garlic. Saute until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 4 minutes.

Add peas, orange juice and wine to the pan. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute.

Add the shrimp and lime juice to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook 3-5 minutes until shrimp just turn pink.

Spoon shrimp over rice and garnish with lime wedges

Thai Red Chicken Curry


Thai Red Curry Chicken

Serves 2

¼ cup corn starch
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 large chicken breast fillets, cut in 1-inch pieces
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons red curry paste
3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
½ cup frozen green peas
½ cup chopped fresh carrots
1/3 cup water
6 fresh basil leaves, stems attached
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 cups Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

In a medium bowl mix corn starch, paprika and black pepper. Toss chicken pieces in mixture to coat.

Add oil to a large sauté pan. Swirl oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat over medium heat. Sauté chicken about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so chicken does not stick to pan.

Using a slotted spoon remove chicken and drain on paper towel. Discard oil and wipe out pan.

Return pan to heat. Add coconut milk. Add the 3 Tablespoons of water to the can, mix to remove any remaining coconut milk, and add the water to the pan. Stir in red curry paste. Simmer for 4 minutes.

Add fish sauce, brown sugar, peas, carrots and remaining 1/3 cup water. Stir and let simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Return chicken pieces to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.

Divide rice and place in the middle of two serving plates. Spoon chicken mixture over rice. Garnish with basil and chopped cilantro.