Sunday, May 30, 2010

Pavlova with Fresh Whipped Cream and Berries, i.e. Heaven

I am finally the owner of an electric mixer (long overdue, I know), so of course I wanted to make something that I never could have pre-mixer. I've seen quite a few pavlova recipes lately and decided to give it a shot. Before tonight I have never had pavlova, but I'm going to guess that this won't be the last time I make it. Not by a long shot. It was unique, light, not very difficult to make and totally amazing. It takes a little bit of time, but it's totally worth it. Berries are in season and there are plenty of other great toppings, just use your imagination.
So, what exactly is pavlova? It's a version of meringue that was developed in Australia or New Zealand (depending on who you ask), which was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The meringue is baked for an extended time at a low temperature, after which it comes out crispy and crunchy on the outside and like a mix between marshmallows and angel food cake on the inside. You probably already have the basic ingredients on hand, and if not you can acquire them for a few dollars.


Pavlova with Fresh Whipped Cream and Berries

Ingredients:

For the pavlova:

4 large egg whites
1 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Parchment paper

For the whipped cream:

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Use a round cake pan to trace a circle onto the parchment paper with a pencil. Flip the parchment so that it's pencil side down - you'll still be able to see the outline.
2. Allow eggs to sit at room temperature for about ten minutes then separate whites. With your electric mixer (I used my whisk attachment), beat egg whites on high speed for one minute. Continue beating on high and add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. After sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla extract. Continue beating until egg mixtures is glossy and stiff peaks form when lifted.
3. Fold in cornstarch and vinegar (don't leave these out - baking is a science and these are important!). Spread the mixture onto the prepared parchment paper into a circle.
4. Put pavlova in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 250 degrees. Bake for one hour, then turn off the oven and leave the pavlova in the oven for an additional hour without opening the door.
5. Just before serving the cooled pavlova, pour the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract into a chilled metal bowl (this helps with the whipping process). I also chilled my whisk attachment. Turn electric mixer to medium high setting and beat the cream until it is to the correct consistency.
6. Spread whipped cream over pavlova, top with berries and cut into pieces just as you would a cake.

Crispy on the outside, marshmalloy on the inside and all around perfect.


Enjoy!

Caprese Salad

This is an elegant, easy, delicious and light first course that's perfect for summer. Tomatoes are in season now, so take advantage and savor the flavor of a perfect, ripe tomato. The mozzarella, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil don't hurt either.


Caprese Salad

Serves four

Ingredients:

1 large tomato, sliced moderately thin
1 8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste.


Method:

Slice tomato and mozzarella and layer with about two slices of mozzarella and three tomatoes per person. Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or put it into a plastic condiment bottle and shake, which I did). Roll basil leaves up and cut to create ribbons. Sprinkle basil over the mozzarella and tomato and drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over before serving.

Pesto Pizza with Grilled Chicken, Mushrooms and Tomatos


I almost wish I hadn't discovered Publix's pizza dough. It's so amazing, and using leftover chicken makes this a super fast meal. The pesto adds amazing flavor to the already amazing dough.



Pesto Pizza with Grilled Chicken, Mushrooms and Tomato

Ingredients:

1 lb. pizza dough (I use Publix's)
1/4 cup prepared pesto (I use Classico)
1 small grilled chicken breast, sliced
1 pkg. sliced mushrooms, sauteed
3 Campari tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Method:

Shape pizza dough and brush with pesto. Layer with cheese, chicken, mushrooms and top with tomatoes. Brush crust with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees or until crust is golden. If desired, brush the crust with additional olive oil while still hot.

Lasagna Rolls

I made lasagna once, probably about four years ago. I'm not sure what went wrong, but it was probably one of the worst things I have ever made. So, I haven't made it since then. However, I have been taking baby steps and these lasagna rolls are always easy and delicious. I'm sure I'll try to make edible lasagna again someday, but until then these will do. I have received the male stamp of approval several times on this, even though it's meatless. I have added sauteed mushrooms or onions and I'm sure some ground beef would be great, but honestly these are delicious as is. I adapted this from a recipe from Katie Lee Joel.



Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
9 lasagna noodles
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed (with excess water squeezed out)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
4 cups tomato sauce

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add one teaspoon of the olive oil. Add noodles and cook for seven to eight minutes until al dente. While noodles are cooking you may want to move them around a bit to prevent sticking. Tongs are probably the best way to remove them from the water.
2. Mix ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, spices, the egg and the remaining oil in a bowl.
3. Spread one cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
4. Spread each noodle with some of the spinach ricotta mixture and roll. Place seam side down into the baking dish. Once finished, top the lasagna rolls with enough of the remaining sauce to cover. Top with parmesan cheese (or Mozzarella, which I used to cut down on the amount of cheese I had to buy).
5. Bake for 20 minutes and serve with a crisp salad and crusty bread.





Italian Stuffed Zucchini

This stuffed zucchini is a great side and can be a meal in itself. I just used some garlic, tomatoes, bread crumbs and mozzarella, but you could ass or substitute mushrooms, onions, sausage and plenty of other things. I just made one zucchini's worth for a quick side dish. These were quick, easy and definitely tasty.



Italian Stuff Zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a large zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Brush each half with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic, salt and pepper. Put two tablespoons of chopped tomato and about one tablespoon of italian flavored bread crumbs on top. Bake for about twenty minutes then sprinkle each half with mozzarella cheese and more bread crumbs. Bake for an additional ten minutes or broil until top is crispy (I broiled mine).

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Barbeque Chicken Pizza with Onions


When I grill I try to make the most economical use of my charcoal, so I usually throw some extra stuff to use later in the week. Chicken cooked over some mesquite charcoal is amazing on this pizza. You can certainly bake the chicken if that's easier, but if you're grilling throw an extra chicken breast on and put it in the fridge for later use. Having the chicken ready to go also makes this super quick to throw together. Even though these ingredients have become pretty standard together, there's something about the homemade version that is so much more satisfying. The smokey chicken and barbeque sauce really compliment each other. Pair this with a nice salad and some white wine and you'll feel like you're eating something much more decadent than pizza. I picked up some pre-made pizza dough from Publix, which really put this over the top. Many grocery and specialty stores have dough ready to go, and if all else fails you can make your own or buy the pillsbury brand.


The Publix pizza dough is really good (and cheap) - try it if you can!


Barbeque Chicken PIzza with Red Onions

Ingredients:

1 portion prepared pizza dough
1/2 cup barbeque sauce (for a healthier option opt for low sugar or sugar free)
8 oz. shredded colby-jack cheese
1/2 small red onion, sauteed
1 tsp. sugar
1 small or 1/2 large grilled chicken, sliced
2 tbsps. olive oil
Salt, to taste
Fresh pepper, to taste


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (adjust depending on what the directions on your dough say). Saute the onions with a drizzle of olive oil and the sugar of medium heat until juices are released and onions are caramelized.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it's the right size for your pizza pan. Shape the edges by rolling and pinching the dough for a bigger crust. Use a bit of flour on your hands and the pin to keep the dough from sticking. Brush the dough with enough olive oil to cover it all and sprinkle salt and pepper over it. Allow oil to soak in for a minute or so.
3. Brush the dough with the barbeque sauce. Add onions, chicken and cheese. Put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.


Strawberry Spinach Salad

I have always found the whole fruit-in-salad thing really strange. But I am trying to broaden my horizons and thank goodness, because this is amazing. I even made myself another strawberry salad for lunch the next day. You could certainly do this with arugula and I'm sure there are other greens that would go well, but I thought the spinach went really well with all of the other flavors. If you like the ingredients in this, I highly recommend giving it a try - hopefully you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was. If you're feeding a crowd you'll probably want to double the recipe (at least).



Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

4.5 ounces (1/2 bag) spinach
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup feta (goat cheese would also work)
1/4 cup pecan halves
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt, to taste
fresh pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Toss the spinach, strawberries, feta and pecans.
2. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper until combined. If you want some extra-lemony dressing add some lemon zest.
3. Pour the dressing over immediately before serving.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mexican Baked Eggs

It's highly possible that I made these after a few beers in my post-finals celebration. But even so, they turned out really well, though perhaps a little heavier than what I would typically choose for breakfast. But that's ok, I ate these around 11 p.m. and would highly recommend the experience. My teeny tiny frying pan came in handy for these, but if you don't have once you can certainly make your hashbrowns in a larger pan and break them up. Alternatively, omit the hashbrowns and bake the eggs, salsa and cheese for a lighter breakfast. Top with sour cream and enjoy!

A hashbrown and some salsa make a nice base for the eggs in this dish.

Mexican Baked Eggs (for two)

Ingredients:

1 medium potato, grated
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons salsa
4 eggs
2 tbsps. heavy cream
1/4 cup colby jack cheese
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a frying pan and add grated, raw potato. Compress the potato with a spatula to make a dense patty. Add salt and pepper. Flip the hashbrown when it is golden and crispy. Repeat as necessary.
2. Add hashbrown to a greased, oven safe baking dish (I got mine at World Market). Spoon salsa over the hashbrowns. Crack eggs over the salsa and hasbrowns and put salt, pepper and heavy cream over the eggs.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for eight minutes. Cover eggs with cheese and bake for about four more minutes, until cheese is bubbly and egg whites are set.