4th of July Apple Pie
What is more American than Apple Pie? No 4th of July celebration is complete without a delicious homemade Apple Pie. The secret here is to use a combination of tart apples, like Winesap or Granny Smith, and sweet apples like Fuji, Jonagold, Idared or Mutsu. Your patriotic crowd will love this pie.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Zest
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 1/2 Pounds Apples Cut Into Wedges
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Pastry Dough
1 Lightly Beaten Egg
Preheat your oven to 425° F. Place a large baking sheet in the middle of the oven.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice, salt and 2/3 cup sugar. Gently toss with the apples and lemon juice. Roll out 1 piece of your dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. You want your dough to be about 13 inches round to fit into a 9 inch glass pie plate. Keep the other piece of dough in the refrigerator. Trim the edge making sure to leave a 1/2 inch overhang. Chill the shell while rolling out the dough for the top crust. Roll out the top piece of dough on the lightly floured surface into an 11 inch round. Now you are ready to spoon your filling into the pastry shell. Cover with the top and trim leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Press the edges together then crimp. Lightly brush the top of the pie with the egg and then sprinkle all over with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Cut 3 steam vents in the top of the crust with a small sharp knife. Bake the pie on the hot baking sheet for 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375° F. and continue to bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool your yummy pie on a rack for at least 2 hours. Serves 6
Pastry Dough
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 3/4 Cups Shortening
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Large Slightly Beaten Egg
1 Teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
Mix the flour, shortening, sugar, salt, egg, red wine vinegar and the water together. Place in a ziplock bag. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for 1 hour. Separate into 4 balls of dough. Roll out on a floured surface and place in 9 inch pie pans. Bake in a preheated 425° F oven for 12 minutes for the unfilled crust or use the recipe for a filled pie crust. Makes 2 crusts with tops. The unbaked dough may be kept for 1 week in a ziplock bag in the fridge.
Nana’s Calzone
Nana’s Calzone is a delicious lunch or it can be served cold on a summer day. When I serve it warm, I top it with a bit of marinara sauce. All that is needed to complete the meal is a nice tossed salad.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Prosciutto
2 Pounds Ricotta Cheese
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Olive Oil
1/2 Pound Cubed Mozzarella Cheese
1 Pound Pizza Dough (Store Bought or Homemade)
1 Cup Marinara Sauce
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a large size bowl mix together the prosciutto, ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper. Set aside. Stretch the pizza dough to make a 12 to 14 inch round. Leave the dough slightly thick so that the filling will not ooze out. Put the dough on a lightly oiled pizza pan. Avoid the edges of the pan. Spoon the filling onto half of the pizza round and fold the other half of the dough over to form a large turnover. Press the edges tightly together, with your fingertips, until all of the dough is sealed. Moisten the top and sides of the calzone with olive oil by using the palm of your hand to spread it evenly. Cut a few slits in the middle of the calzone. Put some cubes of the mozzarella and a couple tablespoons full of marinara sauce in each of the slits. Use all of the cheese and sauce. Bake the calzone in the oven for 45 minutes until golden brown. I like to use the medium rack in the oven. Remove from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes. This will allow the cheese to set. Cut into slices and serve as a lunch dish or an appetizer. Top with more marinara sauce. As an appetizer serves 8 and as a main course serves 1 to 2.
Basic Pizza Dough
3/4 Cup Lukewarm Water
1 Package Dry Yeast
1/8 Teaspoon Sugar
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Put the lukewarm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast and sugar over it. Let stand in a warm and draft free place for 15 minutes until a foam forms on the top. Make sure that the water is NOT hot or it will kill the yeast. In a large bowl combine 1 cup of flour and the salt. Add the olive oil to the yeast mixture and pour the mixture into the bowl of flour. Slowly add the second cup of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. When the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl turn it out onto a floured board. Gradually knead the rest of the flour into the dough until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should no longer be sticky. Depending on how moist your dough is will depend on how much flour you will need. Coat a medium bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it. Roll the dough to coat on all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for about an hour. The dough should double in size. To test if the dough has doubled gently press your fingers into it. If your fingers leave an impression then the dough is ready.
Pain Perdu
In honor of St. Anthony we are making Pain Perdu or “Lost Bread.”
What we call French toast, the French call Pain Perdu.
Baked in butter and served covered with powdered sugar, Pain Perdu is considered a dessert in France.
INGREDIENTS
6 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
12 Thick Slices French or Italian Bread
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Powdered Sugar
Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a large size bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Place the bread in a large shallow baking dish
slightly overlapping one another. It is best to use day old bread. If you don't have day old bread don't worry about it. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and let sit for 30 minutes.
Turn the bread with a spatula so that it gets evenly moistened halfway through the sitting time. Put the two oven racks in the middle of the oven. Place 3 tablespoons of the butter on
two baking sheets. Put in the oven and melt the butter for 1 minute. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and make sure that the butter covers the entire baking sheet evenly.
Arrange 6 slices of the soaked bread on each of the hot baking sheets. Make sure to space them evenly. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn them over to bake an additional 15
minutes. You will want the bread to be puffed and evenly browned. If you need to bake them a bit more then go ahead. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter.
Dust with powdered sugar. Serves 12
Homemade Ricotta
Homemade Ricotta sounds like a lot of work, I know, but trust me it is actually pretty darned easy. If you rinse the pot with cold water before pouring in the milk it will save you some serious cleanup. The reserved liquid whey can go into soups, stews and curries. It can also be used to cook pasta and rice. The liquid whey will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
INGREDIENTS
1 Gallon High Quality Organic Whole Milk
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (Typically 1 Large Lemon)
You will need a large colander for this recipe. Line the colander with a layer of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to save the whey). Wet the cheesecloth to hold it firmly in place. To make the ricotta you will need a large heavy pot. Rinse the pot with cold water before pouring in the milk. Bring the milk and salt to a gentle simmer over a medium high heat. Stir in the lemon juice and continue to simmer gently for 2 minutes. You want the curds to begin to form and float to the top. They will first look like spatters of white and then gather into soft clumps that look like little clouds. You will see the liquid begin to clear of cloudiness and the curds firming up, but not hard. This is when you need to scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Let the curds drain thoroughly in the colander. If the curds are very soft press gently to extract just a little of the moisture, but do not squeeze dry as you don’t want to dry out the cheese. Transfer your homemade ricotta to a large bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Make 1 1/2 pounds.
Poulet Saute΄
Poulet Saute΄ is such an easy French dish to prepare. There is, however, a standard procedure for preparing this delicious chicken dish. First the pieces of chicken are dusted with salt and pepper. Then they are cooked in butter transferred from the skillet where a sauce is made. The chicken is then returned to the skillet and cooked, covered, until the chicken is nice and tender. That is pretty much all there is to it.
INGREDIENTS
3 Pound Chicken Cut Into Pieces
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Pepper
6 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Shallots
1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Bay Leaf
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
Put the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle each side with the salt and pepper. In an extra large skillet add 4 tablespoons of the butter and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat over a medium heat. When the oil and butter are hot, but not brown, add the chicken pieces in one layer. Your skillet should be large enough to hold all of the chicken in one layer. Cook over the medium heat for 5 minutes until the chicken is quite brown on one side. Turn the pieces over and cook for another 5 minutes until the brown. Turn the heat down to low and remove the chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside. Pour off most of the fat from the skillet, but try very hard not to pour out the brown cooking particles that have mixed with the fat. Add the remaining butter to the skillet and when it has melted add the shallots. Stir them briefly and do not let the shallots burn. When the shallots have briefly cooked add the white wine and cook until the wine has nearly evaporated. Still do not brown the shallots. Sprinkle the flour over the skillet and continue to stir while add the chicken stock. When thick and smooth add the bay leaf. Transfer the chicken back to the skillet and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes. You will want the chicken to be tender. Stir in the lemon juices and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer chicken & sauce to a serving dish. Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta. Serves 4
Potage Paysanne
Potage Paysanne or Peasant Soup is easy to make and absolutely delicious.
INGREDIENTS
2 Diced Carrots
2 Cubed Potatoes
2 Sliced Leeks
1 Diced Onion
1/4 Head Rough Chopped Cabbage
2 Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cubes Diced Celery
6 Minced Garlic Cloves
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cups Cooked White Beans
6 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Parsley
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
In a stock pot add the olive oil and heat over a medium heat. Add the carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions, leeks, celery, cabbage, salt pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley. Cook for 8 minutes stirring frequently. Add the vegetable or chicken stock. Cook for two hours on medium low heat. Stir frequently. Add the cooked white beans, chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat for another 30 minutes. Transfer to soup bowls or a soup tureen and serve. Serves 4
Mom’s Minestrone Soup
This easy and delicious soup can be made ahead. I like to make it to have for lunch after church. Mom’s Minestrone Soup can be made for lunch, dinner or a first course. Great in all seasons!
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Vegetable Broth
2 Diced Tomatoes
2 Cups Cooked Navy Beans (Canned or Home Cooked)
2 Chopped Carrots
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Zucchini
2 Cups Ditalini Pasta
1 Teaspoon Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Sage
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Basil (Optional)
In a stock pot combine the vegetable broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. If you want to cut down on the cooking time you can cook on high for 3 hours. 35 minutes before the soup is done cooking add the pasta and zucchini. Cover and cook for 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Transfer the soup to individual bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or basil if you like. Serves 4
Roasted Cornish Hens
Use Victoria’s Dry Rub to add new flavor to these roasted hens. You can stuff them with either wild rice or my Southern Cornbread (recipe to follow).
INGREDIENTS
Stuffing & Hens:
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
6 Ounces Diced Andouille Sausage
3 Diced Carrots
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
3 Diced Celery Stalks
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Bay Leaf
2 Tablespoons Chopped Sage
Crumbled Southern Cornbread or Wild Rice
1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
4 Cornish Game Hens (1 1/2 Pounds Each)
Victoria’s Dry Rub
Or 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt & 1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Melted Unsalted Butter
Prepare the stuffing. In a large skillet melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the Andouille sausage, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the sage and either cornbread or cooked wild rice. Continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir continuously to blend the flavors. Add the chicken stock, stir and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until you are ready to stuff the hens. This stuffing can be prepared and refrigerate, covered, up to a day in advance. Remove the bay leaf before stuffing.
Thoroughly rinse and dry the hens. Rub the hens inside and out with Victoria’s Dry Rub or the salt and pepper mixture. Fill the cavity of each hen with 3/4 cup of stuffing. Spoon the remaining stuffing into a well buttered baking dish and cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil. Arrange the hens in a roasting pan and brush with the melted butter. Place the pan and baking dish in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes until the hens are nicely browned and crisp and the juices run clear when a thigh is pricked with a fork. The dish of stuffing should be very hot. Serve each hen on a small bed of additional stuffing. Serves 4
Sour Cream Gratin Potatoes
All I have to say about this side dish is DELICIOUS! Serve beside beef steak or chicken and you have a beautiful meal.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 Pounds Russet Potatoes
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Beaten Egg
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Minced Dill
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Preheat your oven to 375° F. In a medium saucepan put the potatoes in lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes on low boil for 15 minutes until just tender. Remove from the heat and drain. Let cool slightly and then peel. Slice the potatoes and put in layers in a buttered 9×6 baking dish. In a medium size mixing bowl combine the sour cream, egg, milk, garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes. Evenly spread the cheese over the top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve alongside the main dish of your choice. Serves 4
Belgian Chocolate Brownies
To get the best brownies use the best chocolate and use a lot of it.
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Chopped Unsweetened Belgian Chocolate
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
6 Large Eggs
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Half & Half
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Line a 13×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper or you can butter the baking dish. We don’t want the brownies sticking to the pan!
In a double boiler or a heavy saucepan melt the chocolate and butter together over a low heat. Stir often and make sure not to overcook the chocolate and butter mixture. Remove from the heat and set aside to let cool.
In a large size bowl combine the eggs, vanilla and salt and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the flour and the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture – alternating. Mix until the batter is nice and smooth. Pour the batter into the baking dish and then brush the half & half evenly on top. Bake for 35 minutes. The brownies should look risen and lightly cracked on top. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan before cutting. Makes 18 brownies.
