Mushroom and Leek Tart

 

I am making the beginnings of this delicious mushroom and leek tart today because I have both leeks and mushrooms that need to be used. I'll cook these two ingredients and then freeze it and make the tart when company comes. Because it is company worthy. Warning: Must like sharp cheese. I think I used gorgonzola when I made this. This recipe is adapted from Olivemagazine.com. 

Ingredients

1 pie crust

2 Tbsp. butter

2 leeks (or one large, use your judgment)

1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

1/4 crumbled blue or stilton or gorgonzola cheese. Technically, it calls for 5 oz., so go heavy.

1 cup double cream. Or if you're like me, 1 cup of something liquid and white that's come out of your refrigerator.

3 eggs beaten

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Put the pie crust in a quiche dish. Or the recipe says to use a tart tin with a removable base.

3. Prick the base all over with a fork, trim the edges flush with the tin and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Cover pastry with a large circle of baking paper and fill the centre with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 minutes, the remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 7-10 minutes, until very pale golden.  

5. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the heat down to 325 degrees.

6. In large frying pan melt the butter, add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and cook on low-medium for 5 minutes. 

7. Remove the lid, turn the heat up, add mushrooms and cook briskly for a few minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and lots of black pepper.

8. Spoon leek mixture into quiche pan. Scatter cheese.  Beat the milk and eggs and pour in carefully. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden and just set. Cool before cutting.

Chopped Autumn Salad

This recipe came to me from my dear friend and great cook, Amy Niendorf. She got it from Espressoandcream.com. It is a crowd-pleaser. And it provides a great opportunity to get creative with the various ingredients or to adapt to what you have on hand. Apples instead of pears? Almonds instead of pecans? Bleu cheese or goat cheese instead of feta? Add diced chicken? Maybe add chow mein noodles? Whatever you end up throwing into it, the ingredients and the two different dressings really knock this out of the park.

Ingredients
6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped (or one can chopped)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)
Balsamic Vinaigrette (I made my own since it called just a little. 1/8 cup each balsamic vinegar and olive oil. 1 Tbsp. honey. 1 tsp. Dijon. 1 minced garlic clove. pinch of dried thyme. Salt and papper. Shake it up.) 

Instructions
On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

Apple Pie

 

I am posting this recipe for apple pie because I made it last night for an Ann Arbor gathering and it got so many compliments that I didn't want to risk forgetting which recipe I followed. It calls for Granny Smith apples, which I may try next time. But this time I had Macintosh and we all really loved them in this pie. I only ever use store bought pie crusts. Thank you to Little Spoon Farm, whose recipe this is and which also has a recipe for pie crust there. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (9") pie crusts
• 7 large Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored and sliced into ½ inch slices)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar (loosely packed)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (plus the zest of half of a lemon)
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten in a small bowl for egg wash)
• 2 tablespoons sanding sugar (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Place oven rack in the center position and Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).

1. In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice and lemon zest; toss to coat evenly.
2. Remove the pie crust dough from the fridge and let rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 12" circle that is ⅛" thick. Carefully lay the crust into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate.
3. Spoon the apple filling over the bottom crust and discard juices at the bottom of the bowl. Roll out the second disc of pie crust until it is ⅛" thick and lay it over the apple filling.
4. Use a sharp knife to trim the dough along the outside edge of the pie plate. Lift the edges where the two pie crust meet, gently press to seal and fold them under. Rotate the pie plate and repeat this process until edges are neatly tucked under themselves. Cut 4 slits in the top of the dough to allow steam to vent. Place the pie on a baking sheet.
5. Brush the surface of the pie crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Cover the edges with a pie shield or a strip of foil to keep them from over browning during the first 25 minutes.
6. Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the pie shield, turn the oven down to 375° and continue to bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbly. Cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours.

Spicy California Shrimp Stack

 

This is a great little recipe from Skinny Taste, who always serves up delicious recipes. This is company worthy. It comes out looking like something you'd be served at a restaurant. A few tips from the cook:

Apparently, Trader Joe’s carries frozen brown rice, which is a great short-cut for busy weeknights and the texture is perfect. Using their rice, this came together in less than 15 minutes. If you make the rice yourself, use short grain sushi rice, the sticky texture is perfect for this.

• This would also be great with crab meat to make a more traditional California roll, or even raw sushi grade salmon or tuna.
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• If your shrimp is raw, you can poach them quickly in a pot of salted, boiling water, for 2-3 minutes, until they are just pink. Then, rinse them under cold water to stop them from cooking.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/3 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, from 1/2 cup uncooked
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 8 ounces cooked shrimp, peeled and tails removed
• 1 cup diced cucumber, about 1 small
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 cup mashed avocado, about 1 medium
• 4 teaspoons Furikake, such as Eden Shake or use sesame seeds
• 4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, or gluten-free
• 4 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and oil. When rice is done, add rice vinegar and stir. Evenly spread rice on a sheet to cool.

Cut shrimp into one-inch cubes. In a small bowl combine cucumber and chives. In another small bowl combine mayonnaise and sriracha.

Using a one cup dry measure cup, layer 1/4 cup cucumber, 2 tablespoons avocado, then 1/4 of the shrimp and 1/3 cup of rice.

Carefully flip over measuring cup onto a plate, tapping the bottom if necessary. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 tsp. sriracha mayonnaise. Be prepared to dazzle.

Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff

 

Norma didn't have great successes in the kitchen, but beef stroganoff is one that I remember really liking. I like this mushroom stroganoff even better. I think it would be fine to use vegetable broth instead of beef broth. Perhaps add a little Worcestershire sauce to enrich the taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces medium pasta shells
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 large shallots, diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup sour cream (I usually use Greek yogurt)
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 5-7 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about one minute.
4. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about one minute
5. Gradually whisk in beef stock and Dijon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly, about 4-5 minutes.
6. Stir in pasta and sour cream until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve immediately.

From Damn Delicious

Chickpea Shakshuka

 
After several attempts at putting a picture in here, I'll just have to go ahead with the recipe. Note: This can be made in one pot. I love that!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
• 1/2 cup diced white onion or shallot
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1-3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2-3 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup (or omit if avoiding sugar)
• Sea salt to taste
• 2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 pinch each cardamom and coriander (optional)
• 1 ½ 15-ounce cans cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 4-5 whole kalamata or green olives (optional // pitted and halved)

Instructions

• Heat a large rimmed metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant.
• Add tomato puree or diced tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, sea salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional), cardamom, and coriander (optional). Stir to combine.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add chickpeas and olives (optional). Stir to combine. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and marry with the beans.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more cumin or paprika for smokiness, cayenne for heat, coconut sugar for sweetness, cardamom and coriander for earthiness (or slight curry flavor), chili powder for smoke/heat, or olives for saltiness and to balance the tomato flavor. Cook longer, as needed, to develop flavors.
• Serve as is or with bread, pasta, or rice. Garnish with fresh lemon juice, additional olives, and cilantro or parsley for extra flavor (optional).

From The Minimalist Baker

One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake

 

It takes longer to say the name of this recipe than it does to make it. I'm always going for easy. Nothing complicated gets made in my kitchen. Talk about delicious? This stuff is amazing. I wouldn't worry if you don't have fresh basil. 

Ingredients

• ▢2-3 cups cherry tomatoes
• ▢3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ▢1 shallot, chopped
• ▢1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• ▢chili flakes
• ▢kosher salt and black pepper
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• ▢1 pound dry orzo pasta
• ▢1 (8 ounce) jar basil pesto
• 2-3 tablespoons sliced peperoncinis (left these out as they weren't in my refrigerator)
• 1 1/2 cups mozarella cheese

• Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

    2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, shallots, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Pull the tomatoes out of the oven. To the same pan, add the orzo, pesto, and peperoncinis. Pour over 2 1/2 cups of water and stir to combine. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until most of the water has cooked into the pasta, but not all of it.

    3. Stir the pasta around, then sprinkle over the cheese. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce bubbling. If there's a lot of oil from the pesto on top, drain off the excess. Top with fresh basil!

  
  
• From Half-Baked Harvest