Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage, or sausage links with casing removed
• 4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
• 2 cups pureed roasted pumpkin or squash
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces penne or fusili, cooked to al dente and drained
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• Romano or Parmigiano, for grating as a garnish
• Sage leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the tablespoon of oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add the sage and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Add the pasta to the sauce, and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with diced tomatoes, shaved cheese, and sage leaves.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I made this recipe before with canned pumpkin, and can definitely says it’s worth the effort to use freshly roasted pumpkin or squash. It makes the sauce taste so much better. Excellent pasta dish.

To roasted the pumpkin or squash, peel, seed, and dice the pumpkin or squash and spread on a foil lined baking sheet. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roasted in a 425 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until soft. Puree in a food processor or blender with a little chicken stock.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 3 green onion, chopped
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 2 red bell peppers, julienned
• 16 ounces water chestnuts, drained
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Directions:

Set a wok over high heat and add the oil. Be sure to swirl the wok to get the oil to coat most of the pan. Once the oil smokes, quickly add the garlic, ginger, green onions and chicken to the wok. Saute, stirring continuously until the chicken in lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red peppers and saute for another 1 minute. Add the water chestnuts and broccoli and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the stir-fry and be sure that the stock comes to a boil. Cook at a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the hoisin sauce. Serve over rice.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The sauce could have used a little more spice, but I really liked the combination of vegetables.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 15 ounces canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups sugar plus 2 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put liners in muffin cups.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, and 2 1/2 cups sugar in another bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 2 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Makes 24 muffins.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 small pumpkins or acorn squash, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Granny Smith apple, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Generous pinch kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut 1-inch off the top of each pumpkin or squash and scoop out the seeds. If necessary in order for the squash to sit upright, cut off a small portion of the bottom. Put 1 of the 4 pieces of butter in the cavity of each squash. Set squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, brown the ground turkey until no longer pink. Add the onion, garlic, and apple and saute until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add cooked rice, cinnamon, cumin, and salt and pepper, to taste. Stirring constantly, heat mixture thoroughly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Divide the mixture evenly among the pumpkin or squash, top each with its lid and bake for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Serve immediately.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used sweet dumpling pumpkins, which were excellent.

Adapted from Alton Brown.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/8 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Batter:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1-3 tablespoons milk or cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake papers.

To make the filling, cream the butter and both sugars. Beat in the flour and powdered sugar until blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide into 24 balls and set aside.

To make the batter, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Drop a filling ball into the center of each cupcake.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Combine the melted chocolate with the butter, and beat until well blended. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk or cream to make a spreadable frosting.

When cupcakes are cook, spread a thin layer of frosting over each cupcake.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I spread some of the cupcake batter over the filling balls and they ended up sinking to the bottom - not sure if that’s why or not, but something to think about for next time. The frosting was a little too sweet for me as well. I liked the chocolate though, so maybe a ganache would be better. The cupcakes themselves were good, just need a little tweaking to get a thumbs up.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and Magnolia Bakery.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Place sliced  on a wire rack and allow to dry for at least 8 hours (overnight).

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a shallow dish or pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I made this with both the chocolate brioche and the challah. Both were excellent, especially when served with strawberries and a little extra of the ganache from the chocolate brioche. My favorite way to eat french toast though is with butter, cinnamon, and powdered sugar.

When I cooked the french toast, I used a non-stick griddle that I brushed with butter, so I maybe used 1 tablespoon for all 8 pieces.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons lukewarm water
• 1 1/8 teaspoon yeast
• 1 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
• Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or sugar for the top (optional)

Directions:

Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl or lidded (not airtight) food container. Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon. You can also use a 14-cup capacity food processor or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook. If you’re not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. The dough will be loose but will firm up when chilled. Don’t try to work with it before chilling. You may notice lumps in the dough but they will disappear in the finished product.

Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used immediately, though it’s easier to handle when it’s cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container for a couple hours.

Lightly butter or grease a cookie sheet. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. Divide the ball into thirds. Roll the balls between your hands (or on a board), stretching, to form each into a long thin rope about 12 inches long. Braid the ropes, starting from the center, and working to one end. Turn the load over, rotate it, and braid from the center out to the remaining end. This produces a more even loaf.

Allow the bread to rest and rise on the prepared cookie sheet for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or 40 minutes if the dough wasn’t refrigerated).

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Using a pastry brush, paint the top crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle lightly with seeds or sugar if desired.

Bake near the center of the oven for 25 minutes or until the challah is golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack and cool completely before slice.

Makes 1 loaves.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

This makes amazing french toast.

Recipe courtesy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 small chicken breast (1 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 4 ounces mushrooms
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated

Directions:

Combine honey, mustard, mayo, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Place the chicken in a plastic storage bag and pound out until chicken is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Add half the honey mustard sauce to the bag and marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours (can be left for 24 hours).

When ready to cook, heat two skillets over medium heat. To one, add the oil, pepper, onions, and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 1o to 15 minutes, until very soft. To the other skillet, add the chicken. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes and then flip. After another 5 to 7 minutes, add a little of the reserved honey mustard sauce to the chicken, and then top with the sauteed vegetables and the cheese. Cover for a couple minutes, until the cheese melts, and then serve with remaining honey mustard sauce.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Adapted from various recipes.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 5 ounces pepperoni
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 43 ounces tomato sauce
• 13 ounces rotini pasta
• 8 ounces mozzarella

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine green pepper, onion, pepperoni, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened, and then add the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute before adding the tomato sauce. Cover, and simmer for one hour.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the pasta together with the sauce. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, alternate pasta mixture with cheese. Top with remaining mozzarella.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Brioche dough:

• 3/4  cups lukewarm water
• 3/4 tablespoon yeast
• 3/4 tablespoon salt
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 8 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2/3 cup corn syrup
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Granulated sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Start by making the dough: mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl or lidded (not airtight) food container. Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon. You can also use a 14-cup capacity food processor or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook. If you’re not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. The dough will be loose but will firm up when chilled. Don’t try to work with it before chilling. You may notice lumps in the dough but they will disappear in the finished product.

Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used as soon as it’s chilled after the initial rise. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond 5 days, freeze the dough in 1-pound (450g) portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. When using frozen dough, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using, then allow the usual rise and rest times.

Now, make the ganache: melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave on low, until smooth. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir until incorporated.
Stir the cocoa into the rum, add the corn syrup and mix until smooth. Add to the chocolate and butter mixture.

Lightly butter two 9×4x3-inch nonstick loaf pans. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and divide into two 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) pieces. Dust the pieces with more flour and quickly shape in into two balls by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. Using a rolling pin, roll out the balls into a 1/4 inch thick rectangles, dusting with flour as needed.

Spread 1/2 cup of the ganache evenly over the each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Starting at the short end, roll up the dough, being careful to seal the bare edges. Gently tuck the loose ends underneath, elongate into an oval and drop into the prepared pans. Allow to rest 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Using a pastry brush, paint the top crust with the egg white. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.

Bake the brioche for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sugar caramelizes. Remove from the pan and cool slightly, then drizzle the remaining ganache over the top crust. Cool completely and slice.

Makes 2 loaves.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I made mini loaves, which baked about 30 minutes. The bread was a little dry when eaten plain, but it made outstanding french toast.

Recipe courtesy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day