This tart reminds me of a Good Humor Toasted Almond Bar....my favorite!!
Tart shell:
1 8 ounce package almond biscotti (about 10 pieces) or enough to make 2 cups when crumbed
8 Tbl butter, melted
Place the biscotti in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine crumbs are formed. Thoroughly combine the crumbs with the butter and press into a 10 inch tart or quiche pan.
Bake the shell in a 350F oven for 15 minutes. Set aside.
Filling:
1 cup whole milk, heated to almost boiling
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups ricotta cheese
sliced almonds, chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, or fresh fruit for garnish
In a double boiler over simmering water quickly whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour together.
Slowly add the hot milk, whisking constantly.
Whisk over the heat until the mixture forms a custard like consistency. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Beat the ricotta until it softens and then add to the custard mixture and thoroughly incorporate.
Pour the mixture into the tart shell and bake at 325F for 30 minutes or until the center is set.
Cool to room temperature and garnish.
Chill thoroughly before serving.
Make this easy spinach and mandarin orange salad to go along with grilled steak or chicken. The dressing is very light but big in flavor.
About 6 cups baby spinach leaves
1 10 -11 ounce can of mandarin oranges ( reserve 1/2 cup of the juice)
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
Toss everything together and make the dressing.
1/2 cup reserved mandarin orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk this all together(or shake it in a jar)
Dress the salad with some or all of the dressing.
Told you we like spinach!!
This being St. Paddy's week I wanted to create a soup with potatoes and cabbage. This one's a little different because it has ricotta and sour cream..not bad though.
4 strips bacon
1 Tbl butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup sliced leek
1/2 cup diced onion
4 - 5 cups diced potatoes
4 cups chopped savoy cabbage
8 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 Tbl salt
1 Tbl black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup sour cream
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Grated cheddar for garnish
In a dutch oven or soup pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
Leaving the bacon fat in the pot, add the butter, leek, celery and onion and saute until everything softens up.
Add the potatoes, cabbage, stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Cool the soup a bit, fish out the bay leaf, and puree the soup in a food processor or blender ( in batches).
Return the puree to the pot and with the heat at medium, whisk in the ricotta and sour cream until fully incorporated.
Stir in the green onions.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each with some cheddar and the reserved bacon (which you have crumbled)
For St. Patrick's Day friend Pam is serving corned beef, colcannon, and Irish soda bread....here are her recipes. Anyone up for a road trip to Grand Rapids?
Irish Soda Bread:
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbl caraway seeds
1/4 cup butter
2 cups currants (optional)
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 egg yolk ( beaten and set aside)
Sift flour, sugar salt and baking powder into a mixing bowl; stir in caraway seeds. Cut in butter until mix looks like coarse meal; stir in currants if using. Combine buttermilk, 1 egg and baking soda; stir into flour mixture just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly until dough is smooth. Shape into a ball and place in a greased 2 quart oven safe bowl. With a sharp knife cut a 4 inch cross 1/2 inch deep in the center of the dough( this lets evil spirits out, if there are any hiding in the dough!) Brush with the beaten egg yolk.
Bake at 375F for about an hour or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool the bread in the bowl for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely. To serve cut in quarters and the slice the quarters thinly. Serve with lots of butter and jam.
Note: Pam's family is hardcore - no butter- no jam
Another note: If you like, substitute raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries for the currants.
Colcannon:
1 bunch of kale
6 potatoes
2 or 3 leeks
milk
salt and pepper to taste
butter
Clean and chop kale and leeks ( white and light green parts only). Peel and cube the potatoes. Boil the potatoes and leek until almost tender, add the kale and cook until all vegetables are tender. ( Drain the mixture - my addition). Season with the s & p and mash with enough milk and butter to your taste...just like mashed potatoes.
If there is any colcannon and corned beef left over mix them together and heat for a one dish meal.
A small head of cabbage can be substituted for the Kale.
Here's a nice easy one that you can prep ahead of time and finish off in the oven when ready to serve. I usually use Italian bread crumbs for this, but this time I did a combo of panko and parmesan...sooo good!
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut through through the center to make 6 thin halves
2 cups panko crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
flour for dredging ( maybe 1 cup)
2 eggs, beaten with a few tablespoons of water
3 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
6 slices Swiss cheese, each about the size of the chicken breast
vegetable oil for frying
Set up a breading station: place the flour, beaten eggs and panko mixed with the parmesan in three shallow bowls.
Coat each breast, first with flour, then eggs, and then the panko mixture.
In a large frying pan heat enough oil to measure up about 1/2 inch in the pan and brown the breaded chicken on each side.(you may have to do this in batches)
Place the breasts in an oil sprayed 9 x13 inch baking dish.
Place 2 slices of tomato on each breast and bake for 15 minutes at 350F.
Add a slice of Swiss to each breast and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese melts nicely.
I've added a "search" gadget to this blog so that you can find a recipe from the past much faster and easier ( if you want to). Just type in the name of a recipe or ingredient and up will come posts with that particular search term. Makes life so much easier.
In the meantime gaze at these beautiful Honeybell Oranges and Meyer Lemons.
This was our second soup of the week. It's full of assorted greens of the season, beans, a little potato and hot Italian sausage for the "kick". Feel free to use mild sausage or turkey sausage if you like.
1 pound Italian sausage ( hot, mild or turkey)
1 cup sliced leeks
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbl olive oil
8 cups chicken broth
8 cups chopped assorted greens (spinach, kale, escarole, collards, mustard, etc)
2 medium potatoes, diced in 3/4 inch cubes
2 cans (14 -15 oz) white beans with liquid
salt and pepper to taste
Note: If you're using a sweet sausage you can add 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper while sauteing the leeks and garlic
Bake the Italian sausage at 350F for 30 minutes. They may not be totally cooked through, but will firm up for slicing and finish cooking in the pot.
In the meantime, saute the leeks and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
Slice the sausage in 1/2 inch rounds and add to the pot. Saute for about 3 minutes.
Add the broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
Add the greens and the beans, bring back to the boil and simmer until the greens have wilted.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
