Blueberry Hand Pies

A make a strawberry galette a few weeks ago and had some leftover crust, so I made a few mini blueberry tarts to enjoy. I loved them so much I made them again for company tonight. I started with the crust recipe I like so much with a few minor changes. 

So I add a little more sugar than it calls for and in place of the shortening I grate in a stick of frozen butter (half a cups of butter) and the rest of the fat I pour in some coconut oil.

For me this made 13 hand pies that were perfect for 1 person.

For the filling I used almost 3 packages of blueberries, I used three and had some filling left over. I think it was about 6 cups total. I mixed it with 3/4 a cup of sugar, but that also depends on your berries. Then add 1/4 cup tapioca flour and about 2 - 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mash about 1.2 of a cup of them lightly just to create a little liquid. Stir it all together and let it sit while you mix up the crust. 

It was really easy to assemble from there. I hate rolling and cutting stuff out and dealing with leftover scraps. So I spit the dough into pieces and rolled them individually. They should be about 5 inches across when it's all flat. I started to make ten pies but they were rolling a little too big so I pinched some of the dough off of them and it made enough for three more. Put the rolled out dough on the tray you will be baking them on. I recommend a no stick mat as well, tin foil works too. I have done both. Top with just under a half a cup of filling. I like to stir the filling before scooping each time since the liquid tends to settle. Top with the filling and fold the sides in around the berries. Brush the crust with cream and sprinkle with a coarse sugar. 

Bake at 425 until they are golden brown. I think it took about 25 minutes. You don't want the liquid that seeps out to burn on the pan or it will lend a charred taste to the pastries. Cool on the pan no more than5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. I'm not sure how long these stay good before they get soggy, I suspect they would get soggy if made the day before but I'm not sure since we haven't ever had them last that long.

French Onion Chicken

We had a late dinner, so no natural light, it really was normal colored I promise

So a while ago I made a French onion pasta and all was good. But I saw something on pinterest that was a French onion chicken. And I knew I would be trying it for dinner. But I can't find the pin anywhere now, despite seeing it everywhere for a few days (if you have it let me know so I can give proper credit) So I made up my own version. The hubby said he hoped to see it again soon.

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 large onions, sliced

6 Tbsp butter, divided

2 tsp sugar

Salt & Pepper

1 c. beef broth

(I used water and bouillon)

6 oz. brie cheese

3 - 4 c. hot buttered pasta to serve over

In a large skillet melt 4 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and turn the heat to medium high. Cook the onions, stirring, until translucent. Push the onions to the sides of the pan, away from the middle. 

Trim the chicken and slice into 1 inch thick chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the middle of the pan. Cook over medium high on all sides until browned. Near the end of cooking the center of the pan should be starting to turn a dark brown on the bottom. Add 1/4 c. of water and let bubble so the browned bits on the bottom don't burn. This will turn the chicken brown as well and add a great flavor. 

Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and stir, still on the sides, to combine. Add the remaining butter. Stir the chicken and onions together and continue cooking until onions are a caramel to brown color. Add the beef broth and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Remove the rind from the brie cheese and slice, its soft so it will squish quite a bit. Top the chicken pieces with the sliced brie. Turn the heat off and cover to melt the cheese. When the cheese is melted serve over pasta

Quiche for the freezer

I mentioned a few posts back I was pregnant. And a lot of nights I dont really feel like cooking. And that can be said of most people pregnant or not. So I have started filling my freezer with homemade meals. And I discovered that quiche freezes as well. 

I like to use disposable pans when I freeze food. I don't have enough pans to have most of them in the freezer, they are less bulky then regular pans, and I don't have to wash them afterwards, meaning even less clean up. 

I just used 4 disposable pie pans and quadrupled my regular quiche recipe. I froze them completely uncooked about 4 hours until they were solid; I then wrapped them in tin foil and finally in plastic wrap. 

When I was ready to use them I unwrapped them completely and baked at 350 for 1 hour (15 - 20 minutes longer than normal) Tap the side of the pan to see if the center is set.

Quiche Recipe here

Creme Brulee

When you heat a liquid, usually a dairy, and then mix it into eggs it is called tempering. At that point in this recipe you pour it into the ramekins and bake it, but you can return it to the pan and continue cooking until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon to create custard.

If you go the custard route stir in some chocolate and whipped cream to make silk.

For such a great dessert this was not only super easy to make, but would be great for entertaining. You can make it the day before and just take them out of the fridge before dinner. Then when you are done eating just sprinkle with sugar and torch the top.

1 1/2 c. heavy cream
2 c. half-an-half
6 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 Tbsp Turbinado sugar

Heat the cream, half-an-half, and vanilla until the liquid is really hot, but don't let it boil or it will curdle.

Meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy and is pale in color.

When the cream is hot and the yolks are pale slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg yolks, a little at a time, until completely incorporated.

Pour into ramekins and place on a tray, pour water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes.

Chill overnight. Remove from the fridge and top each with 1 Tbsp sugar, using a kitchen blow torch, run the flame across the top until the sugar is melted. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

I use the lowest setting on my torch. I found that the highest setting burns the top of the sugar before it melts the bottom, the lowest setting melted it throughout and the browned the top nicely.

Quiche Florentine

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion
1/4 lb fresh spinach
3/4 c. sour cream

3/4 c. half-an-half
2 oz. Parmesan cheese
5 oz. mozzarella
1/4 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
Dash fresh cracked black pepper
Pinch fresh grated nutmeg
Bash tabasco

1 pie crust

Saute butter and onion until the onion is tender. Add the spinach and saute until wilted and dark. Set aside to cool

Meanwhile whisk together the sour cream and half-an-half. Add both of the cheeses, mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and tabasco.

Stir in the spinach, onions, and butter.

Fit the pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and pour in the filling.

Bake at 350 for 45 - 55 minutes or until the center is set.

Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Confit Byaldi aka Ratatouille

For something so simply seasoned, this has an excellent flavor. I just happened to have the sundried tomatoes in my fridge, but if you don't have them don't worry about it. Just add a tablespoon of olive oil or butter to the tomato sauce before baking.

I started my recipe by looking at Smitten Kitchens version, she uses the red pepper instead of tomatoes, then I made a few changes of my own. For another tasty looking twist check out her Ratatouille Tart.

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes, drained really well

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

3 sundried tomatoes packed in oil and herbs,

plus about 1 Tbsp of the oil they are packed in

1/4 tsp dried thyme

I added the diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, sundried tomatoes, and the oil from the tomatoes to a food processor and processed until smooth. Stir that into the tomato sauce and add the thyme.

Pour into the bottom of two 9x9 inch casserole dishes

2 large zucchini

2 large yellow squash

1 large bell pepper

2 thin eggplants

Slice all the vegetables thin and layer over the tomato layer alternating vegetables. I only placed a bell pepper slice every few layers. My eggplant was a lot bigger around than my zucchini and squash so I cut the slices in half and put the cut side down, so the rounded purple outside shows.

1/4 c. olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

I used a spray bottle and misted the top of the vegetables.

Sprinkle with

salt

a dash of freshly cracked black pepper

and a little bit of dried thyme

Cover with parchment paper and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until the vegetables look tender and the sauce is bubbling up around the vegetables. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes

French Onion Pasta

So, so, simple, and so, so tasty.

Presto Pasta Nights #223 is at Debbi Does Dinner


1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 Tbsp butter
2 tsp. sugar
salt
1 can beef broth
5 oz penna rigate
1/4 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Heat butter in a large skillet. Add the onions, and cook over low heat until translucent. Add the sugar and salt and continue to cook over low heat until caramelized, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender.

Pour the pasta to a small casserole dish or two 6-in ramekins (or other small oven safe dish) along with any remaining liquid. Top with both cheeses and broil until golden.

This was a small batch, really just enough to test. If you are serving more than 2 double the recipe

Perfect French Country Cooking

A friend loaned me a neat looking cook book yesterday . First off I have to say I love the way DK publishing not only has a picture of every recipe, they also have step-by-step pictures as well.

That being said, there where three recipes that stood out the most to me.

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

Zucchini Tian

Snow Eggs

The first is pretty descriptive, Pork Chops in a Dijon sauce. The recipe also includes bacon and bouquet garni so those flavors are there too.

The Tian is basically pan seared zucchini baked with cooked rice, eggs, parmesan cheese.

And last but not least the snow eggs. Eggs whites and sugar whipped into a meringue, poached, and served with a tasty sauce. The French Cookbook poaches them in water and then serves them with vanilla custard and caramel sauce. Martha Stewart poaches them in milk and serves them with raspberry sauce.

There where lots more interesting recipe, those are just the ones that I plan on making soon, the mustard pork chops for John especially.

And in other news (and other country) I went with a friend to the Greek Festival in Savannah today. It was pretty small, with only a few vendors, though TONS of people. The food was amazingly good. We got pastitsio, spanakopita, gyros with tzatziki, loukoumades, Koulourakia, and of course Baklava.

Quiche

I have to say I love quiche. But it has to be good quiche, and I'm picky. Its usually to dry, or too bland, or they seasoned it wrong. And since it's so easy to make, I just do it myself.

But I still hadn't gotten it quite perfect. That is until I saw Frenchy over at lechateaudesfleurs recipe (sorry, I can't find her post or I would link it). And she puts sour cream in hers.
Moist and perfect. I now have a quiche that tastes great fresh or re-heated, and everyone loves that is so simple to make.

The other thing is to make sure you dont put too much cheese in it. I like to use mozzarella or cheddar though other cheese works, and you can use more than one variety at a time.

I hope you enjoy.

2 Tbsp. Butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. heavy cream
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
dash freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. yellow mustard
2 oz. cheese, finely grated
1 can ham, crumbled very fine (optional)

1 pie crust

Heat onion and butter together until starting to turn golden. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, heavy cream, and mustard. Add eggs. Stir in salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Next fold in the mozzarella cheese and ham. Add the cooked onions trying not to get the butter you cooked them in, into the egg mixture. Pour into the uncooked pie crust and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until the egg mixture is set. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I love to serve this with fruit and then either a green vegetable, usually green beans, or a green salad.