Recipes Discovered - Recipes

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or premade
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into a graham cracker crust and top with chopped peanuts. Chill for several hours before serving.

Makes 1 pie - serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. I only had 1 cup, and it filled the pie shell nicely.

For my crust, I combined one sleeve of chocolate graham crackers with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and pressed it into a pie dish. Went great with the peanut butter filling. I also drizzled a little chocolate sauce over each piece of pie after I cut it.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

For dough:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 hard-boiled egg yolks
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

For rhubarb:

• 2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-inch piece of vanilla bean, split lengthwise, pulp scraped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Directions:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, egg yolks, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the flour resembles coarse meal. Add 2/3 cup of cream and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it together, incorporating any stray crumbs.

Using a small ice cream scoop or a large spoon (or roll out and cut with a cookie cutter), form the dough into 2-inch balls, then flatten them slightly into thick rounds. Chill for 20 minutes (and up to 2 hours). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the rhubarb in a shallow 2 1/2- quart casserole dish and toss with sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch. Allow to macerate 15 minutes.

Arrange the biscuit rounds on top, leaving about an inch between them. Brush the biscuits with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake the cobbler until the rhubarb is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream or crème fraîche.

If serving individually, divide rhubarb between ten 8 ounce ramekins and top with one biscuit each. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until browned and bubbley.

Serves 10.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The egg yolk does sound like an odd addition, but from what I’ve read, it adds richness to the dough without adding the liquid from the egg. Whatever the reason, it’s quite good.

Recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cheese sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups grated cheese (Gruyere, provolone, ect)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, optional

Arugula mayonnaise:

• 1 bunch baby arugula
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Steak sandwich:

• 2 soft hoagie rolls
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound rib-eye, finely sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly to incorporate - you do not want any color. Gradually pour in the milk as you stir, and whisk out any lumps. As the mixture thickens up continue to stir until it reaches a boil - this ensures the flour is cooked completely. Dump in the cheese and stir for another minute until the cheese is completely melted. Stir in the horseradish and season with salt and pepper, then set aside to keep warm.

Make arugula mayonnaise: Put arugula in a food processor with the lemon juice and salt and pepper. Top with mayonnaise and process until well combined. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning if required.

Prepare the steak: Take the finely sliced steak and shingle it out into 2 portions on a clean cutting board lined with parchment. Put the shingled meat between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound out using either a saute pan or a meat mallet. After first pounding, remove the plastic wrap, fold in the edges, replace plastic and pound the meat some more. Store wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator. Now the meat is ready when you want to cook it.

Heat a large, flat grill-pan over medium heat. Split hoagie rolls in half, drizzle with olive oil and place onto griddle.

Take the meat out of the refrigerator. Peel off 1 side of the plastic wrap and season with salt and pepper. Put this side down in the pan and then quickly peel off the other side of the plastic wrap and season again. Cook slowly in the pan until juicy and tender and just past pink in color. Turn the meat over and cook for one more minute.

While the meat is cooking, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a little oil and then the sliced onion. Saute until onion is very soft and caramelized.

To serve, smear each half of the roll with arugula mayonnaise. Top the bottom with the steak, caramelized onions, and cheese sauce.

Serves 2.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I didn’t line the meat into sheets and pound it out, I just fried it in sliced. I will try this technique next time though because the meat was a little tough.

Recipe courtesy of

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon preserved lemon juice, from Preserved Lemons, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 3 to 4 large tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon preserving brine from Preserved Lemons
• 1/4 cup finely chopped preserved lemon rind from Preserved Lemons
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
• 1 head butter lettuce or Boston lettuce, washed, cored, and quartered

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, preserved lemon juice, and cumin seeds. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until it is all incorporated. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place tomato wedges in a separate bowl. Season the tomatoes with the preserving brine, and additional salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the chopped lemon rind, cilantro, parsley, and red onions, tossing to coat well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Drizzle a small amount of the dressing over the tomato mixture and toss to combine.

Arrange lettuce on 4 salad plates. Top with equal amounts of the tomato mixture and drizzle with additional dressing, if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 4 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Filling and Frosting:

• 1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don’t worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes,unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable — don’t try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny,marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it’s really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don’t worry about smoothing the frosting — it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it’s more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)

SERVING: The cake can be served at room temperature or just cool. It will be moist and a little fluffy. The cake can also be served cold and the texture becomes fudgier after it has been refrigerated. No matter the temperature, the cake is so pretty it should be cut at the table, so bring it out on a platter and cut it into generous wedges using a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

STORING: The frosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or longer if you have the time.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Can also be made in 9-inch cake pans.

Recipe courtesy of Baking: From My Home to Yours

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup asparagus spears, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/2 cup snow peas, trimmed
• 1/2 cup baby sweet corn
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 8 scallions, thickly sliced
• 8 ounces pasta, any shape
• 2/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
• Skim milk, optional
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the asparagus spears in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the snow peas half way through the cooking time. As soon as the vegetables are al dente, drain them and quickly rinse both under cold water to stop the cooking processes. Set aside.

Cook the baby corn, carrots, red pepper, and spring onions in the same way in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender. Drain, rinse and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, according to package directions, until tender or al dente. Drain thoroughly and keep hot.

Put the cottage cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, chives and seasoning into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Thin sauce with a little skim milk, if necessary.

Put the sauce into a large saucepan with the cooked pasta and vegetables and toss carefully to mix. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Primavera works with any spring vegetable. For mine, I used yellow squash, green bell pepper, scallions, and tomatoes. I also substituted basil for the chives. I’m not a big fan of boiling vegetables, so I opted to roasted them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Mediterranean, 500 Best-Ever Recipes.

View my experience with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 9″ graham cracker pie crust
• 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
• 3 egg yolks (whites not used)
• ½ cup Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice

Directions:

Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating. Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream, or meringue, and garnish with lime slices.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I added the zest of one lime to the pie filling and topped the pie with Marshmallow Icing.

Recipe courtesy of Nellie & Joe