Month: February 2020

Red Skin Potato Salad (Serves 2)

Red Skin Potato Salad (Serves 2)

  • 2 small red skin potatoes – cubed
  • 1 green onion – sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — (EVOO)
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper — (to taste)
  1. Boil enough water to cover the potatoes. Once boiling add the potatoes and a pinch of salt. Boil until potatoes are fork tender 18-20 minutes.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking make the dressing by combining green onion, lemon juice, evoo, vinegar, and s&p to a small mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly, cover, and place in refrigerator until time to use.
  3. When the potatoes are cooked allow them to cool and then toss with dressing. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving if you can keep your fork out of it long enough.

Roasted Breast of Chicken with Pinot Noir Sauce

Roasted Breast of Chicken with Pinot Noir Sauce

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt — divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper — divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 48 ounces skinless (boneless chicken breast halves)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil — divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 2 cups pinot noir
  • 1 1/2 cups fat-free (lower-sodium chicken broth)
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons chilled butter — cut into small pieces
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Sprinkle thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and rosemary evenly over chicken. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess flour. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 chicken breast halves to pan; cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Arrange chicken in a single layer on the rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160°. Remove from oven. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to saucepan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until wine is reduced to 1 cup. Add broth; cook 16 minutes or until broth mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Gradually add butter, stirring constantly with a whisk until smooth. Serve sauce with chicken.

Raspberry Tart

Raspberry Tart

Pastry:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour — (about 4 1/2 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chilled butter — cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
  • 3 tablespoons ice water

Pastry Cream:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
  • 1 large egg yolk — lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 18 ounces fresh raspberries
  • 3 tablespoons red currant jelly
  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. To prepare pastry, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle surface with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly (do not form a ball).
  3. Gently press mixture into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap, and cover. Chill 10 minutes. Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap and place chilled dough on plastic wrap. Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. Place dough in freezer 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap; fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork; bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  4. To prepare pastry cream, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Stir in egg yolk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Scrape into a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream. Place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.
  5. Spoon pastry cream into crust; spread evenly. Top with raspberries, starting from the center. Place jelly in a small bowl; microwave at high for 10 seconds at a time, stirring well, until jelly is warmed through and thinned. Apply jelly in an even layer over tart using a pastry brush. Chill tart 15 minutes or until jelly sets; cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill at least 45 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce

Pumpkin Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce

  • 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
  • 2 Tbs dry breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbs fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp minced fresh sage
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 30 round wonton wrappers
  • 1 Tbs cornstarch
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup fat-free milk
  • 1 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbs butter
  • 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese ((2 ounces))
  • 3 Tbs chopped hazelnuts (toasted)
  1. Spoon pumpkin onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, minced sage, pepper, and nutmeg.
  2. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon 2 teaspoons pumpkin mixture into the center of wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water and fold in half, pressing edges firmly with fingers to form a half-moon. Place on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch. Repeat procedure with remaining wonton wrappers and pumpkin mixture.
  3. Fill a large Dutch oven with water; bring to a simmer. Add half of ravioli to pan (cover remaining ravioli with a damp towel to keep from drying). Cook 4 minutes or until done (do not boil), stirring gently. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon; lightly coat with cooking spray, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli.
  4. Combine milk and flour in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Gently stir in Gorgonzola.
  5. Place 5 ravioli in each of 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons Gorgonzola mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons hazelnuts. Serve immediately.