Honey Maple Roasted Carrots

These are like candy. This recipe definitely transforms carrots into something spectacular. They look so pretty on the plate.

2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced on a long angle into pieces approximately 3 inches long

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 tablespoon honey

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives

½ cup pomegranate arils or seeds

Preheat oven to 450˚. Lightly oil a sheet pan.

Place carrots on prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup and honey. Sprinkle with coriander, sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat (I like to use my hands for this to get them well coated, but a spatula will work too). Spread carrots out on pan in a single layer.

Roast for 10 minutes, then stir to redistribute. Return to oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Carrots are finished when they are tender and some of the edges are caramelized.

Sprinkle sesame seeds and herbs over carrots and stir. Taste and season with a bit more sea salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter with the pomegranate arils. 

Serve hot.

Lemon Meringue Pie ~ Excellent

Using marshmallow creme instead of sugar in the meringue makes a denser meringue that maintains it's shape. As with all meringues, don't make it on a humid or rainy day, and cool it after baking in a draft free area.
Also, be sure to sufficiently cook the filling.


Pastry: 

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup Crisco vegetable shortening, plain or butter-flavored

1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt 

3 tablespoons ice water 

Filling: 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch 

1 1/2 cups water 

3 large egg yolks, beaten 

3 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

Meringue: 

3 large egg whites, room temperature 

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

1  jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

For Pastry:Mix flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles the texture of tiny split peas. Add the ice water and combine with a fork. 

Using a floured rolling pin, roll out dough disk on a lightly floured surface from the center out in each direction, forming a 12-inch circle. 

Place dough in an ungreased 9-inch regular or deep-dish pie plate. Gently press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Trim excess pastry, if needed and flute the edge. Prick crust thoroughly on the bottom and sides with the tines of a fork. 

Bake crust at 425º for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool completely before filling. 

For Filling:
Mix sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in water gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Cook and stir 1 minute. 

Remove from heat and stir half of the hot mixture quickly into beaten egg yolks, then blend into remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Reheat to boiling; add lemon juice cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, mixing well. Pour into baked piecrust. 

For Meringue:
With electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar into soft peaks.. Beat in marshmallow creme, beating until stiff and glossy. Add vanilla. Do not under beat. 

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling; spread over filling, spreading meringue to edge of crust and adhering to prevent shrinking. 

Bake at 400º for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until a delicate golden brown. Cool away from drafts. 



NOTES:Original recipe called for 1-1/2 cups sugar, but it was just a bit too sweet. It also calls for adding the lemon juice AFTER you finish cooking the filling, but the second time I made this the filling was runny. So I amended the recipe to add the juice and then continue cooking for one minute.

Also, you have to beat the meringue quite awhile after adding the marshmallow creme, or else it will shrink. Lesson learned the hard way.

Crunchy Apple and Grape Waldorf Salad

This is one great Waldorf salad.

    

FOR THE DRESSING:

    1 cup Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt

    ⅓cups Granulated Sugar

    ⅓cups Brown Sugar

    ½ cups Mayonnaise

    Juice From 1/2 A Lemon

    ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

   

 FRUITS:

    4 Apples (your Choice), Cored And Diced

    1 Pear, Cored And Diced

    1 Stalk Of Celery, Diced

    ½ cups Silvered Almonds

    ½ cups Walnuts, Chopped

    2 cups Seedless Grapes, Halved

Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Stick this in the fridge while you make the salad.

Once you have all the fruit and nuts chopped up, pour the dressing over and stir gently to coat.

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Perfect Dinner Rolls

1/2 cup lukewarm water

2 cups warm milk (100-110º)

3 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp sugar, divided

1 Tbsp salt

2 1/2 Tbsp yeast, dry active (or one packet)

6 cups of unbleached all purpose flour

Melted butter for garnish

Add yeast into warm water along with 1 tsp of the sugar. Stir to combine and allow to sit for 6-8 minutes or until foamy.

Mix together milk, butter, remaining sugar, salt and yeast mixture.

Add in 5 cups of flour and mix until dough forms with the paddle attachment on a stand mixer or by hand. Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough becomes smooth and a ball forms. Dough will be slightly tacky. *

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow rising until double in size (30 minutes or so depending on room temperature)

Press dough down and roll into a 8 x 12 rectangle. Cut the dough into 4 strips the long way and then each strip into 6 pieces for a total of 24 pieces.

Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a greased baking sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 20-25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Brush the baked rolls with melted butter if desired. 

Makes 24 small rolls.

*I chose to do knead this by hand for a few minutes, after mixing the dough.

Greek Salad

This Greek salad is a healthy vegetable packed salad, drizzled with a homemade red wine vinegar dressing.

1/2 cup red onion, 1/8 inch thick slices

7 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided

8 cups romaine lettuce, 3/4 inch thick pieces

3/4 cup green bell pepper, 3/4 inch dice

1 cup English cucumber, 1/4 inch dice

1 cup tomatoes, 1/2 inch thick wedges

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, 

4 ounces feta cheese, 1/4-inch cubes

1 tablespoon lemon juice, 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 

1 teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons minced garlic, 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 

Add sliced red onions and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar to a small bowl. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad.

In a large bowl add lettuce. Evenly arrange green bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, drained red onions, Kalamata olives and feta cheese on top of the salad.

In a medium-sized bowl combine 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil into the dressing mixture, vigorously whisking until a thickened dressing is achieved. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Carrabba's Italian Grill Chicken Marsala

Serve with your favorite pasta and fresh green beans, sautéed in garlic butter.

As for cooking up your chicken, make sure your barbecue grill is good and hot. The restaurant chain grills the chicken breasts over a very hot real wood fire, so crank that grill up high enough to get the flames nipping at your chicken. If your grill has a lid, keep it open. Servings: 4 

CHICKEN SPICE

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

4 breasts

Olive oil

MARSALA SAUCE

1/3 cup butter

1 slice (1/2 ounce) prosciutto ham (small dice)

2 teaspoons shallots, minced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms (sliced)

1/4 cup Marsala (Lombardo dry wine)

1 cup chicken stock

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

Step 1: Set grill to high and preheat. (Again, grilling the chicken is what makes this so special.)

Step 2: Combine ingredients for the chicken spice in a small bowl. Use your fingers to crush the spices in the bowl, to make a finer blend. Set aside.

Step 3: Brush chicken breasts generously with olive oil. Sprinkle spice blend over both sides of chicken breast, and gently rub into meat. Set aside.

Step 4: Turn heat to medium and melt butter in a medium-size saucepan. Turn heat up to medium-high and sauté prosciutto for 2-3 minutes, making sure not to burn the butter.

Step 5: Add shallots and mushrooms, and sauté for about until vegetables are tender.

Step 6: Add the garlic, and sauté another 30 seconds.

Step 7: Add the Marsala wine, and simmer about 30 seconds, then add freshly ground pepper. Simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Step 8: In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock. Add stock to the saucepan, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add parsley and cream to the sauce, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat, and cover until needed.

Step 9: Grill the chicken pieces for 6-8 minutes per side, or until done. Turn chicken one quarter turn on each side while cooking, to make the crisscross grill marks on each side of the chicken.

Step 10: Arrange each chicken breast on a plate.

Step 11: Spoon 1/4 of the Marsala wine sauce over each serving of chicken, and serve.

Caramelized Pear-Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

I used Asian pears because they are firmer and hold up better when sautéing. Also, the origional recipe did not call for sugar in the dressing, but I felt it was way too tart so I kept adding sugar, teaspoon by teaspoon, until I got the right taste. My guests were very complimentary. 

DRESSING

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

7 tsp sugar

SALAD

4 pears, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

8 cups packed baby spinach

1 cup grated aged goat cheese or crumbled soft goat cheese

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1. Place all dressing ingredients in small jar; shake to blend.

2. Place pears in large bowl; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons lime juice. Drain excess juice. Toss with 1/4 cup sugar.

3. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until caramelized on both sides.

4. Toss spinach with enough of the dressing to lightly coat. Top each serving with 4 pear slices, 2 tablespoons goat cheese and 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds.