Thanks to my good friend Anita over at the Hungry Couple, last Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of attending a private event at my most favorite chocolate shop in NYC – Jacques Torres. The event was also co-hosted by Driscoll’s strawberries and we had the pleasure of not only tasting a delicious strawberry shortcake prepared by Driscoll’s but samples of Jacques Torres’ new ice cream line.
It was a great way to end my workday, I finally got to meet Anita in person – we had been trying to arrange a meeting for over year and Mr. Chocolate himself! Driscoll’s was kind enough to send us home with a little goodie bag at the end of the event, to my pleasant surprise it included a pint of the strawberry ice cream to seen above. Even though I had sampled it earlier in the day it was hard not to resist digging in at home with hubby! After a few spoonfuls though we both stopped and I forbid him from digging in more, for you see I had plans with my ice cream.
Lucky me was getting our first CSA share of the season this past Saturday and our fruit share included strawberries and rhubarb. It was kismet that I had this delicious batch of strawberry ice cream at home, because a milkshake needed to be made from all my fresh ingredients! Now the “pie” part isn’t actual pie crust, I cheated and crumbled some shortbread cookies on top, but I love the added texture it gives to the milkshake.
The best part? Besides an ultra thick milkshake to enjoy on a hot summers eve? Leftover compote to top on some toast, yogurt or pancakes!
Today’s event is being hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. They teamed up with their blogger friends to help raise awareness and support for Cancer and Hospice today in memory of Kim’s dad. We encourage everyone to read the posts and share their own experiences with cancer. We also would like to encourage everyone to donate to the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Cancer Societyand also to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. Hospice was a key element during Kim’s father’s battle with cancer. They made it possible for Kim to care for him at home. So please show your support and donate if you can. You can also contact your local Hospice and donate directly to them if you wish. A little goes a long way!
It’s a special day today, not only am I here joining Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic in memory of her dad but it’s father’s day! So today, I’m going to share a special and funny story between my dad and I and then give you my version of Friendly’s Peanut Butter Cup Sundae which we’d used to get after our “date nights” out.
Kim’s story about her dad really touched me, as my family all went through the emotions with my dad a few years ago. I love my dad like you wouldn’t believe, sure I gave him daughter grief but I wouldn’t have been a good one if I didn’t. So when my mom told me he had prostrate cancer I was freaked out. No way, not my dad, but you see my mom is good. She’s a nurse, so she’s on top of our health and they caught it early and he’s cancer-free now.
Dad and I spent a lot of one on one time growing up. He’d would drive me 45 minutes each way to pre-college music theory class and sit and wait while I had class (did I say wait, I mean sleep in the car!) On weekends when Mom had to work evenings, I didn’t want to leave Dad home alone so we’d go to the movies and for ice cream. We’d always see the ones Mom didn’t want to anyway but to save a few bucks I’d run into the bathroom while Dad bought two senior tickets! They never caught our act and we still laugh about it to this day. My very favorite thing about going out though was our post-movie ice cream sundae’s at Friendly’s. I didn’t need to look at the menu, there was only one sundae I ordered anytime we went, their peanut butter cup.
Since neither of us live near a Friendly’s any more, I’ve made my own version! In the past you could choose any ice cream flavor, but to enhance the experience I’ve made a peanut butter cup ice cream to go along with the peanut butter sauce and hot fudge.
Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Sundae #recipesfromtheheart
I like to use freshly ground peanut butter, because of this my ice cream custard ended up extremely thick and my sauce more “chunky” style than smooth. Feel free to use any type of peanut butter that you like, but I do recommend a version without added sugar.
Ingredients
For the ice cream:
1 cup peanut butter
¾ light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1 cup whole milk
1½ cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1 cup chopped peanut butter cups
For the hot fudge:
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
pinch of salt
For the peanut butter sauce:
½ cup peanut butter
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Additional toppings: whipped cream and peanut butter cups
Instructions
For the ice cream:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together the peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla bean, milk and heavy cream until dissolved and it just begins to simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and slowly drizzle in ¼ cup of the hot liquid to temper the yolks.
While whisking, drizzle the tempered yolks into the custard. Continue to whisk, scraping the bottom until the custard has thickened. You can check by dipping a wooden spoon and running your finger across the back. If the line stays you are good to go.
Strain the custard into a large bowl and chill completely before churning in your ice cream maker. Once the ice cream is done churning, mix in the chopped peanut butter cups and transfer to an airtight container to freeze fully.
For the sauces:
In a small saucepan, mix together the chocolate, cocoa powder, butter, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir until completely melted and thickened over medium-low heat.
In a small saucepan, mix together the peanut butter, heavy cream, sugar and corn syrup. Mix well and stir until completed melted over medium-low heat.
In a sundae bowl, drizzle some of the peanut butter sauce and hot fudge, place a few scoops of ice cream and top with more of the sauces. Finish with whipped cream and a peanut butter cup.
3.1.09
I’m also thrilled to say in honor of #recipesfromtheheart today, we have a KitchenAid giveaway to one lucky winner and we are also hosting a pinchatlive with another giveaway on June 22nd!
Enter for your chance to Win an Artisan® Series KitchenAid® Stand Mixer in the color of your choice (there are 26 to choose from) as well as an Ice Cream Maker Attachment. A sweet choice for all, this creative attachment features the largest ice cream bowl capacity in the industry. Prepare 2 quarts of ice cream, sorbet, gelato or other frozen desserts. We’re pleased to announce the giveaway is open to Canadian residents, as well as U.S. Residents. Winner will be chosen and announced during the pinchatlive event, described below. Winner will also be notified via email and has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond another winner will be chosen. 1 Stand Mixer and 1 Ice Cream Attachment are being given away as a group, not 1 per blog just to be clear for our readers. There are bonus prizes for the pinchatlive event. We are giving away 1 Vanilla Infused Gift Box Set, 1 Lemon Infused Gift Box Set and a $30 Amazon Gift Card. In order to participate in this event follow the Pinterest Board #recipesfromtheheart. Hop on the Pinterest board on June 22 at 2 pm Est to follow along. We’ll ask questions and those who comment are entered to win the bonus prizes. There will be a G+ Hangout on Air during the event as well. Winners of the pinchatlive event must be Canadian or U.S. residents.
Visit Facebook.com/KitchenAidCanada and click on the “More than a Mixer” tab to explore all 12 attachments available for the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer.
We are hosting a pinchatlive event on Saturday June 22 EST at 2 pm. The event will be live on G+ and also on Pinterest. You can join us by following along on G+ Hangouts on Air, and also by following the PInterest Board #recipesfromtheheart. The winner of the KitchenAid Stand Mixer and Ice Cream Attachment will be announced live. There are bonus prizes up for grabs during the pinchatlive for those who participate in it. We’re giving away 1 Vanilla Infused Box Set, 1 Lemon Infused Box Set and a $30 Amazon Gift Card. So make sure you join us for this event!
When I say mayonnaise what comes to mind? For me, first and foremost, it is always Hellmann’s. It’s the brand I grew up with and the only time I ever saw something different in my house was during Passover and we had to buy the kosher for Passover mayo.
Hellmann’s is celebrating their 100th birthday and have teamed up with one of my favorite chefs in the world to celebrate, Mario Batali! I’m thrilled to be joining in with them today, and to share my version of Mario’s recipe that he created just for Hellmann’s to showcase decades of delicious meals. Choosing through the 6 options were difficult but ultimately I really wanted to recreate his Chicken Wings with White BBQ Sauce. White BBQ sauce was one of those things that I’d seen around on menus but never tried and I felt like the rub on the wings would transfer really well to pulled chicken.
Besides being a staunch supporter of their brand, I could say the same for Mario Batali. Just like Julia Child and Sara Moulton, I learned to cook from watching Mario on the Food Network. I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you he wasn’t in my top 5 chef ranking list. I even met him briefly once – it was opening weekend of Eataly and I was so excited about the store opening that I braved the crowds. So here I am sitting and enjoying my sandwich when you guessed it, the bright orange crocs passed by in my peripheral vision. Quickly chomping down on what I was eating, I stalked Mario throughout the store, finally an opportunity arrived where I could say hello and say how much I admired him. The conversation lasted all of 30 seconds, but I met him!
Smoked Pulled Chicken with White BBQ Sauce is the perfect summer meal, cook it up for your dad this weekend for Father’s Day or any time this summer. Don’t have a smoker? Don’t worry, between the smoked paprika, ancho chili powder and cumin powder, you have plenty of smokey favors.
Want to join in on the Hellmann’s fun? Visit Hellmann’s Facebook page to check out Mario’s twist on some of Hellmann’s classic recipes and enter to win a seat at the Blue Ribbon table in NYC for Hellmann’s 100 birthday celebration in September!
Smoked Pulled Chicken with White BBQ Sauce #Hellmanns100
1 cup Hellmann’s® Mayonnaise Dressing with Olive Oil
½ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Rub for the chicken:
1lb bone-in chicken breasts
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Potato, brioche or challah rolls
optional: Dill pickle chips and coleslaw for topping
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, horseradish, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
In a small bowl, mix together the ancho chili powder, chili powder, sweet and smoked paprika, salt, cayenne, cumin and black pepper.
Rub throughly over the chicken breast.
Prepare your smoker – or if you don’t have one your grill.
Smoke for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Let the chicken sit for 15 minutes and then with two forks, pull into small pieces.
To plate: Place the pulled chicken on top of a toasted bun and generously top with the chilled BBQ sauce. If using, top with slaw and pickles.
If you’ve read this blog long enough, you should know by now that I absolutely love a good recipe challenge! From the Marx Foods challenges, to the Brooklyn Takedowns to BakerBettie’s Cookie Wars (also yeah we find out who wins this week!) So when I saw this 3-part mustard Chopped-like recipe challenge sponsored by Saucy Mama on Facebook, I was in!
The challenge is simple, we were sent a selection of her mustards and we must create an appetizer, an entree and a dessert with the mustard and a secret ingredient that will be revealed in each successive round. Only the top recipes will move on to each new category.
It was like a gift from above when they announced bacon would be our secret ingredient. Besides it being bacon and just the most wonderful thing on this planet, I immediately knew a simple brushing of mustard and getting baked in the oven would be the first start to my recipe. The next part? A great party appetizer that can be served hot or room temperature and so easy to balance with a drink in hand. Stuffed mushrooms!
These mustard glazed bacon and kale stuffed mushrooms will go like hot cakes, I promise you that. With a simple filling of mushroom stems, shallots, panko, kale, bacon and the bite of the mustard it is perfection.
Mustard Glazed Bacon and Kale Stuffed Mushrooms + A Saucy Mama Mustard #Giveaway!
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place your bacon strips on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the tablespoon of mustard. Bake until crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Flipping once halfway through. Let cool slightly and chop the bacon into small pieces. Reserve bacon fat from the pan.
Clean your mushroom caps with a damp paper towel, and carefully remove the stems.
Finely chop the mushroom stems, and in a saute pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of vegetable oil saute until soft. About 5 minutes.
Add the shallots to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Toss in the kale, cook until wilted and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
Stir in the tablespoon of mustard to the mushroom kale mixture and then add the panko breadcrumbs to toast. If the breadcrumbs seem dry, stir in the reserved bacon fat. Lastly, stir in the chopped bacon. Cook for at least 1-2 minutes.
Place the cleaned mushroom caps on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Stuff each mushroom cap with the filling and drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the top of each mushroom.
Bake for the mushrooms for 25 minutes and top with a chiffonade of fresh basil before serving.
#version#
I’m not done yet! Saucy Mama is generously offering a mustard prize pack giveaway to you!
Giveaway details: One (1) pack of mustard from Saucy Mama (pictured above). It is open to U.S. Residents Only and will run from Monday, June 10, 2013 to Friday, July 12, 2013 at 11:59 EST. I will announce one (1) random winner on Monday, July 14th. Please be sure to include a way for me to contact you via email when entering. The winner has 48 hours to respond, otherwise their prize is forfeited and a new winner will be picked.
How to Enter:
Required Entry: Pin a photo from this post to Pinterest and leave a comment here.
Additional Entries(not required, but will give you more chances to win) please leave a comment after completing each task.
Like The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen on Facebook and like or share any Saucy Mama related posts from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Tweet this post or any future related Saucy Mama posts from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen on Twitter.
Good luck to everyone who enters!
FTC Disclosure: Saucy Mama sent me a samples to review, all opinions in this post are of my own. No monetary value was exchanged.
We have a such a great theme today for #SundaySupper (I know, I know I say that EVERY week), but seriously this week you will be hard pressed to find a recipe that doesn’t meet your dietary needs. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, and even meat-free recipes are represented! While I know recipes are always adaptable, sometimes it’s just nice to have it right there in front of you!
I have to admit, I am blessed with a system that has no food allergies – only my own weird food quirks. You know, stuff I never developed a taste for, or foods with weird textures. Tell me I’m not the only one who has that issue?
I decided on these chocolate pavlovas mostly because I knew it would be easy to keep dairy free AND no way to mess up the gluten thing. Pavlovas are so simple to put together and look absolutely elegant on the table. They are perfect for summer too, as I like to top mine with plenty of fresh berries. Did I mention they are technically fat-free as well? Yes, despite the added sugar, it’s a fat-free recipe! No guilt! A crunchy exterior with a soft marshmallow like interior, it’s hard to resist.
Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer and let sit for 15-20 minutes until they come to room temperature.
With the whisk attachment, start the mixer on a low speed and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the eggs begin to get frothy.
Increase the speed slightly and continue to whisk for another 2 minutes. The eggs should be gaining volume and start to turn white. Add the vinegar at this point.
Whisk for another minute or so and then increase the speed to high. With the motor running, add the cornstarch and salt and then slowly pour in the sugar. Finally beat in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
Continue to beat until the egg whites are glossy and have reached a stiff peak. To check you have a stiff peak, lift up the whisk attachment from your mixer and if the peaks stay, you are good to go.
Spoon your egg whites onto the prepared baking sheet into 6 circles, creating a well in the center of each.
Bake for one hour or until the outside is no longer sticky and the edges just begin to brown.
Prop your oven open and let the pavlovas cool completely inside before removing them.
Serve with fresh berries on top.
Store any additional pavlovas in an airtight container.
Be sure to join our Twitter #SundaySupper chat party starting at 7:00 pm EST today, June 9th, 2013. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag throughout the day to see the amazing recipes. We look forward to see you to join all you need to do is follow[ the #SundaySupper hashtag and please do not forget to include the hashtag in your tweets as well. Be sure to check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.
Look what we’re sponsoring! Come join us in sunny Orlando, this July!
I have officially decided via a very unofficial and extremely tiny poll on Facebook (okay it was two people) that everyone loves peanut butter, pretzels, caramel and chocolate together. More specifically they really like it when it is in a brownie.
My little crowd sourcing began mostly because I was looking for some sort of motivation to get writing and it ended up as a conversation between myself and Anita from the Hungry Couple about how brownies just sell themselves. Oh that second person, that’d be my trainer reminding me to bake another batch and bring her some to my next class .
So yes, delicious chocolatey, fudgy, double dose of peanut buttery and caramel swirly brownies. Sold? I thought so. That double dose of peanut butter? That comes from peanut butter filled pretzels, plus peanut butter in the batter.
I’d go on, but yours truly is still trying to recover from my awesome weekend at Eat, Write, Retreat. I’ll bring you a recap next week, but going into the jam packed weekend recovering from a cold has left me exhausted this week. I think I’m going to sleep all weekend!
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper.
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, butter and peanut butter until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder into the melted chocolate and then the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.
Add the flour and salt and mix until there are no white streaks remaining, be careful not to over mix the batter.
Stir in the peanut butter pretzels and then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Dollop the caramel sauce around the top of the batter and with a skewer or a knife, swirl the caramel around.
Bake for 25 minutes, testing with a toothpick in the center to make sure it is completely done. If not, bake for an additional minute or two until it is clean.
Let cool completely before removing the brownies from the pan and cutting into squares.
3.1.09
I’m also back again with another month of the Leftovers Club! If you want more info, just click on the link and sign up if you’d like to join us next month!
It’s the most wonderful time of year! No, I’m not talking about Christmas, silly gooses! I’m talking about berry season! I can’t think of one type of fruit that I love more than berries. I eat so many strawberries, blueberries and raspberries during the next three months I might as well become Violet Beauregarde!
From eating them straight up, in my yogurt, covered in chocolate, in salads, crumbles, cakes, scones, the options are endless! Nicole from Daily Dish Recipes is hosting our #SundaySupper berry recipe party this week and she is correct when she describes them as fabulous. They just simply are.
Having picked up the first batch of strawberries at the farmer’s market last week, I knew I wanted to do something that really showcased freshly picked flavor. A simple cookie crust, with strawberries piled high was exactly the answer I was looking for. The strawberries become sweet and jammy as they cook away in the oven. Plus I couldn’t resist adding a little crumb topping to the mix.
Recipes + Tips to Create A Summer Berry Cocktail Bar by An Appealing Plan
Check back on Sunday for all of wonderful Summer Berries recipes! We’d love if you joined our #SundaySupper chat on Twitter too: we’ll tweet throughout the day and share all of our recipes. Then at 7:00pm EST we’ll start our weekly chat. Please jump in anytime and join us! To join in, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.
Look what we’re sponsoring! Come join us in sunny Orlando, this July!
Today marks a very special day at The Little Red Kitchen! Two years ago I decided to sit down and start writing about what I was cooking in my kitchen. Was it very good? Not really, but I finally found something that I truly enjoyed. If I knew cooking was my passion perhaps I would have stopped with all that music nonsense in college (kidding, Mom, KID-DING).
After two years of this blog-a-nating business (that’s what hubs calls it), I can finally come to you and talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The good: For starters, the food yo. I’m going to be brutally honest here, and toot my own horn for just a minute. I make some tasty food. I’ve spoiled my husband to the point that he’s as picky about where his food comes from now as I am. From tackling macarons many times, to adult themed desserts (more than once!), the return of poutine and a simple baked egg brunch. These were just a few of my favorite recipes this year.
Then there is you, my readers and my blogging friends. I love you all and if it wasn’t for you I’d be speaking to dead space. Thank you for coming back again and again. I can’t tell you how much your comments, pins, tweets, and likes mean to me.
The bad: Well the bad, for starters more honesty, it’s really hard maintaining your weight was a food blogger and it became more of a struggle this year than last. I guess age + excess food and drink is catching up with me. Thank goodness for an exercise routine I like. The other side of the bad, the lack of time. Between a day job, home life, and blog life there just ins’t enough time and it can be a struggle figuring it all out sometimes.
The ugly: Two words: Dirty Dishes. I have a lot of them. I don’t have a dishwasher (does my husband count?) When I go on my weekend cooking sprees I totally get dishpan hands. That is the only ugly part. Will someone come and do my dishes? I’ll cook for you!
That’s the story kids, after today I begin another year, another journey here. I think it’s completely appropriate that my two year blog anniversary also happens to fall out on the same weekend that I’m attending Eat, Write, Retreat. I hope to take away plenty of new information during my time and bring it back to you.
Finally, I asked this question last year, and I’m going to ask it again this year. What would you like to see from me in the next year? Leave your suggestions below in the comments!
Oh, right chicken and waffle sandwiches! You’ve been so patient reading on and on, how could I forget! I’ve had chicken and waffles on my mind for a few weeks after hubs tried to convince me to go out to dinner with him after a workout because the place had chicken n waffles. Well, long story short, we never had dinner that night. Wanting to recreate it at home, but a little healthier for you, here’s my version. The chicken is my fool-proof oven-fried chicken method and the waffles are the OTHER type of Belgian waffle. I showed you liege waffles at the beginning of the month, and these are Brussels style. Still made with yeast, but much lighter and less sugar.
Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches + Celebrating 2nd Blog Anniversary!
Brussels waffles are a yeast based waffle but are very light and airy. You can cut them in half to make a sandwich or eat whole with the chicken piled on top. The maple dijon sauce is a great bridge between sweet and savory.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
1lb boneless chicken breast (skin on or off), cut in half
In a large zip top bag, place the chicken, buttermilk, cayenne pepper and salt. Seal tightly, making sure to let all the air out and shake to evenly distribute the salt and pepper. Place in a shallow dish to avoid any dripping and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top of it.
In a shallow dish, mix the flour, cornmeal and panko. Season with salt and pepper.
Dredge the chicken in the breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess and place on the prepared rack.
Drizzle the melted butter evenly on top of the chicken and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and crisp and brown.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the waffles.
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let sit for a few minutes.
In a larger bowl, mix together the flour, salt, yeast mixture, milk, melted butter, egg yolks and vanilla extract.
Using your stand or hand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the egg whites in the batter until no streaks are left. Let the batter sit for 20-25 minutes.
Heat your waffle iron according to its directions and cook accordingly. Please note that the batter bubbles up a bit when you pour it into the waffle iron. Makes, approximately 8 waffles depending on the size of your iron.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, maple syrup, vegetable oil and salt.
To plate: Cut a waffle in half with a serrated knife and place a piece of chicken in the center, drizzle some of the sauce over the chicken.
Notes
Waffle recipe adapted from Food and Wine.com by Thomas Degeest
If you ever asked me what my favorite seasons are to cook, I’d tell you without blinking spring and summer. All my favorite fruits and veggies are at their prime during this time, tomatoes, berries, stone fruit, summer squash, and of course asparagus. There are many more things too, but I don’t want to keep you here all day.
The best part about summer and spring produce is the ease of preparation. Picking something up during its peak season means you don’t need to do much to make it taste awesome.
Since it’s high asparagus season I’ve been enjoying more than my fair share. It’s not only great simply roasted with some olive oil, salt and pepper but as a simple vegetarian weeknight main.
This tart had been on my ‘to-do’ list for awhile, and I knew it’d make a perfect recipe for #WeekdaySupper. A ten minute prep time and 35 minutes in the oven you have a delicious meal on the table.
Little did I know, this tart had other things in mind for me. Originally there should have been 4 eggs sitting pretty on top of there, but my eggs decided to commit suicide in the oven. Slippery little suckers. Wobbling this way and that, there was no way to fix it and I’m the kind of person that likes to show you that we food bloggers have mishaps in the kitchen too!
What did I learn from my mistakes? For starters next time I make this, my eggs are getting fried separately and carefully placed on top of the cooked tart (it’s also how I’m going to instruct you below!) Secondly, cooked eggs on your oven wall and floor does not smell good, nor is it fun to clean.
Since the ricotta and asparagus are the stars of this show, I really recommend getting the freshest possible. If you have access to it, buy fresh ricotta or make your own!
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry
12 ounces fresh ricotta
1 small bunch asparagus, woodsy ends removed
¼ cup parmigiana cheese
5 large eggs
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to a 12X12 inch square.
Transfer the puff pastry to the prepared baking sheet.
Carefully spread the ricotta out on the puff pastry, leaving a 1 inch border on all sides.
In a small bowl, whisk one egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the sides of the puff pastry and fold them over to create a raised edge. With the tines of a fork, press down to seal and go over again with the remaining egg wash.
If your asparagus is thick, cut it in half, otherwise place each piece next to each in a row, gently pressing down into the ricotta.
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the parmigiana cheese across the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the puff pastry is a golden brown color.
Once the tart has finished cooking, in a non-stick frying pan, fry the remaining eggs and carefully transfer to the top of the tart.
Alternatively, you can remove the tart 10 minutes before it is finished baking and place the raw egg on top to bake.
3.1.09
We have a great lineup for #WeekdaySupper this week. Checkout what else is on the menu!
Memorial Day weekend has always been the unofficial start to summer. The beaches open up, the first waves of people trek down to Coney Island and the parks fill up with the scent of picnics and barbecues.
Mother nature apparently had other plans for us this weekend, as this is probably one of the coldest Memorial Day weekends I can remember in quite some time. The temperature dropped so low, our building put the heat back on Friday evening, brrrrr!!!
In my opinion, this is totally unacceptable for the end of May. I should be outside enjoying the beautiful weather (albeit in the shade, this girl doesn’t like the sun). I should be able to go enjoy my first picnic of the season with my husband and pug instead of being cooped up in my apartment all weekend long!
To make up for the crazy weather all over the country, #SundaySupper is going to enjoy a virtual picnic this week. We have every type of recipe you can think of to last you through the summer.
I’m bring my favorite type of potato salad to party this week, German Potato Salad! Unlike the goopy, mayonnaise laden types, German potato salad has a nice sweet and sour punch from a vinegar heavy dressing and is studded with loads of bacon. Who can say no to that? Plus, you don’t have to worry about it spoiling if it sits to long in the warm weather. I say you have a win-win situation.
To get into the patriotic spirit, I used red, blue and white potatoes. Go ahead and use a variety for this salad, or just your favorite waxy potato.
Ingredients
1½ lbs assorted potatoes or red or yukon gold
4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
In a medium pot, insert the steaming rack and fill it with water until it just reaches the steamer.
Cut your potatoes into ¼ inch slices. If the potatoes are large, cut the slices in half.
Place into the steamer, cover the potato and steam on medium heat until fork tender. About 15-20 minutes.
In a small skillet, cook the bacon on medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.
Reserve the bacon grease and add the shallots to the pan. Cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the dijon mustard and brown sugar and then carefully pour in the apple cider vinegar and water to the skillet. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half.
In a large boil, add the steamed potatoes, bacon, scallions and drizzle the warm dressing over. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
3.1.09
Make sure you check out the rest of our great picnic recipe lineup this week!
Don’t forget, you can join the picnic discussion on Twitter throughout the day, where we’ll be tweeting and sharing the recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. To join in, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.
Do you know about the Food & Wine Conference sponsored by Sunday Supper? It is Being held July 19th – 21st in beautiful, sunny Orlando, FL. It’s a must for food bloggers. Find out more here: Food & Wine Conference
Thanks to my good friend Anita over at the Hungry Couple, last Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of attending a private event at my most favorite chocolate shop in NYC – Jacques Torres. The event was also co-hosted by Driscoll’s strawberries and we had the pleasure of not only tasting a delicious strawberry shortcake prepared by Driscoll’s but samples of Jacques Torres’ new ice cream line. 
The best part? Besides an ultra thick milkshake to enjoy on a hot summers eve? Leftover compote to top on some toast, yogurt or pancakes!
So when my mom told me he had prostrate cancer I was freaked out. No way, not my dad, but you see my mom is good. She’s a nurse, so she’s on top of our health and they caught it early and he’s cancer-free now. 
