AwesomeBites

Category: Fan Favorites

  • Baked Pears with Vanilla Ice Cream

    3 Tablespoons Walnut Oil or butter but remember the Walnut adds a richness that is exceptional.)
    6 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
    2 Pears: halved, cored, peeled
    1/2 C Chardonnay

    Mix ingredients in an oven proof pan or frying pan.
    Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or fork tender.
    Baste several times with sauce.

    Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream

    Heaven, I am in Heaven

    Simple, Elegant, Delicious.

    Denny, I made the pears we did in the cooking class. You should definately try this recipe.
    Serves 4, but very easy to double or triple this recipe. Great for a crowd.

    If you have leftovers, serve over cottage cheese in the morning for breakfast.

  • Chocolate Torte – Flourless Cake

    Use the best chocolate you can afford.

    This cake is extremely rich, and tastes like the most delicious,
    silkiest, most supremely-chocolate ganache you’ve ever had which is also offered and sold by some of the leading online Cake Shops similar to Anges de Sucre cake shop. As
    mentioned, it’s equally good a few days later – in fact maybe better the next day.
    Use ScharffenBerger chocolate for this cake, you’ll appreciate it when you taste
    your first melt-in-your-mouth bite.

    10 ounces (290 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
    7 ounces (200 g) butter, salted or unsalted, cut into pieces
    5 large eggs, at room temperature
    1 cup (200 g) sugar

    And any of the following options:
    1 T instant espresso/coffee or
    1 T vanilla or
    2 T Grande Marnier and 1 T Grated Orange Rind (Optional)

    Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).

    1. Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan* and dust it with cocoa
    powder, tapping out any excess. If you suspect your springform pan
    isn’t 100% water-tight, wrap the outside with aluminum foil, making
    sure it goes all the way up to the outer rim, you can also line the pan
    with parchment.

    2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or microwave),
    stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat.

    3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, then whisk in
    the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.

    4. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and cover the top
    of the pan snugly with a sheet of foil. Put the springform pan into a
    larger baking pan, such as a roasting pan, and add enough hot water to
    the baking pan to come about halfway up to the outside of the cake
    pan.

    Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

    You’ll know the cake is done when it feels just set, like quivering
    chocolate pudding. If you gently touch the center, your finger should
    come away clean.

    5. Lift the cake pan from the water bath and remove the foil. Let cake
    cool completely on a cooling rack.

    Serve thin wedges of this very rich cake at room temperature, with
    creme anglaise, ice cream, or whipped cream.

    Storage: This Chocolate Cake can be wrapped and chilled in the
    refrigerator for 3-5 days.

  • Creamy Chicken Soup with Saffron – Pot Pie

    The Driskill Hotel in Austin is where I first tasted this great pot pie.

    Ingredients

    1 1/2 whole chicken breasts, poached, skinned, boned, cut into julienne
    1/2 c. marsala
    3 egg yolks
    Salt, to taste
    6 c. chicken stock
    1/4 c. pine nuts, coarsely chopped
    1 tsp. saffron threads
    3/4 c. whipping cream

    Top Crust – Puff Pastry

    Preparation

    Combine chicken stock and pine nuts in medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, reduce, simmer 5 minutes. Add marsala and saffron. Simmer 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks and cream into hot soup, whisking constantly.

    Fill individual baking dishes and cover with Puff Pastry.
    Bake for 45 minutes until brown. Serve immediately.

  • Salt Crusted Rye Bread

    Definitely one of my favorite breads. Skip lots of steps by making in a breadmaker and let it do its initial rise in the machine.
    Then shape, let rise and finish up.
    Servings: 2 Loaves

    Salt Crusted Currant Pecan Rye Bread
    1 T Dry yeast
    1 T Sugid
    7 1/2 T Caraway seeds
    1 T Salt
    2 1/2 c Rye flour
    3 c Bread flour plus additional for working dough
    2 c Warm water
    1 c Coarsely chopped pecans
    1 c Dried black currants or raisins
    1/4 c Kosher salt

    In the 5-quart bowl of an electric
    mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons
    of the caraway seeds, the salt and both the rye and bread flours. Mix until
    thoroughly combined. With the mixer running, slowly add the warm water and
    mix until the dough forms a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl. This
    will take about 2 minutes. Add the pecans and currants or raisins and mix
    for 2 minutes more. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Wipe out the
    mixing bowl and spray with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray. Return the
    dough to the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and place in a warm (about
    85 degrees) spot for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
    Punch the dough down to release the trapped gases. Form into 3 loaves
    approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Brush with cold water and
    sprinkle generously with kosher salt and the remaining 6 tablespoons
    caraway seeds. Place the loaves on a lightly greased baking sheet and let
    sit in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to
    350 degrees.

    Bake for 30 minutes, turning the pan every 10 minutes or so to ensure even
    browning. Cool on a wire rack. (Makes 3 loaves, about 15 servings).

    Note: The perfect accompaniment to cheese or smoked salmon. This is one of
    the recipes that made the Inn at Little Washington so famous. They’re
    all contained in Patrick O’Connell’s new book, “The Inn at Little
    Washington Cookbook”

  • Crispy Roasted Potato Cubes or Fries

    Sweet Potato Fries

    Heat oven 450 degrees.

    Potatoes (any kind, red, sweet, idaho) chop into 1 inch cubes or into 1/2 inch fries

    Arrange on sheet pan, single layer only or they will not brown.:

    These potatoes are very versatile. You can use any of the following or combination of the following spices

    Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Tumeric, Chili Powder, Garlic, Tarragon, Basil, Sage – all work well.

    Pour olive oil over cubed potatoes and sprinkle with seasonings.

    Let bake, using a spatula, turn over after about 20 minutes. Usually takes about 45 minutes.

    Broil for 5 minutes to get nice a crispy.

    Make with sweet potatoes and serve with skewers for appetizers.

    Crispy Potato CubesSweet Potato Fries