Month: February 2020

Coquilles St. Jacques

Coquilles St. Jacques

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 lbs sea scallops
  • 2 Tbs margarine
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 Tbs minced shallots
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese ((1 ounce))
  1. Place flour in a zip-top plastic bag; add scallops. Seal and shake to coat. Remove scallops from bag, shaking off excess flour; set aside.
  2. Melt margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add shallots and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add scallops, wine, and next 4 ingredients (wine through bay leaf). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Uncover and bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute. Discard bay leaf. Divide scallop mixture evenly among 4 individual gratin dishes. Top each with 1 tablespoon cheese; broil 30 seconds or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.
  3. Note: Substitute 3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth for wine, if desired.

Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons instant espresso or 4 teaspoons instant coffee granules
  • 8 ounces egg substitute
  • 18 1/4 ounces devil's food cake mix — (without pudding in the mix)
  • 3 9/10 ounces chocolate instant pudding mix
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, and dust with flour; set aside.
  3. Combine the sour cream and next 6 ingredients (sour cream through chocolate pudding mix) in a large bowl, and beat mixture at medium speed of a mixer for 3 minutes. Add the chocolate chips, and beat the mixture for 30 seconds.
  4. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake cake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Invert cake onto a wire rack, and cool completely. Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.

Cider-Roasted Chicken

Cider-Roasted Chicken

  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 quart apple cider
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 roasting chicken ((6-pound))
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1 large onion (peeled and halved)
  • 4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  • 4 garlic cloves (peeled)
  1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat; cool completely.
  2. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Pour brine into a 2-gallon zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°.
  4. Bring 2 cups cider to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until cider has thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
  5. Remove chicken from bag; discard brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place the onion halves, parsley, and garlic into cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Tie legs. Place chicken on rack of a broiler pan. Bake at 400° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 175°. Remove from oven (do not turn oven off). Carefully remove and discard skin. Baste chicken with half of reduced cider; return to 400° oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; baste with remaining cider reduction. Transfer chicken to a platter.
  6. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Serve jus over chicken.

Classic Angel Food Cake

Classic Angel Food Cake

  • 1 cup sifted cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar — divided
  • 12 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 3/4 cup sugar, stirring with a whisk.
  3. Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla, juice, and almond extract.
  4. Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla, juice, and almond extract. Sift 1/4 cup flour mixture over egg white mixture; fold in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.
  5. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through the batter with a knife. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert the cake onto a plate.
  6. Nutty: For nut lovers; fold 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted nuts–such as almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts–into the batter with the flour.
  7. Chocolate glazed: Whisk together 3 tablespoons unsweeetened cocoa, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and about 3 tablespoons water or cold coffee. Drizzle over cooled cake.
  8. Chocolate malt: Add 2 tablespoons malted milk powder and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour mixture.
  9. Citrus-glazed: Whisk together 2 tablespoons lime, lemon, orange juice and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.
  10. Ice cream: Cut the cake horizontally into 3 layers, then spread each layer with cup of softened ice cream or sorbet. Reassemble the cake, then freeze it until ready to serve.
  11. Orange: Fold 2 tablespoons grated orange peel and 1 teaspoon orange extract into the batter.
  12. Pink Peppermint: Add 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring to the batter and fold in 1/4 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies.
  13. Spiced: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice to the flour mixture.