Gougeres (French cheese puffs)

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Gougères (pronounced goo-zhair) are French cheese puffs made with a simple pate a choux dough. Serve them plain like a roll or cut them open and fill for an appetizer.  Don’t tell anyone how easy they are to make.  “Oh, they are FRENCH you know!”

Ingredients:

  • 1 c water
  • 6 Tab butter cut into pieces
  • ½ tsp  salt
  • ⅛ tsp pepper
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 c all purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 c cheese, grated (Gruyère, Comté or Emmentaler, Swiss, cheddar, etc.)
  • 1 large egg

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or butter it generously.
  3. In a heavy bottom pan, bring water, butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg to a boil.
  4. When butter is melted and water is boiling, remove from heat.
    With a wooden spoon stir in flour.
  5. Cook over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. The dough should leave the side of the pan clean and a slight film on the bottom.
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Some recipes suggest moving the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and adding the eggs with a paddle attachment.  You can also leave it in the pan and beat it with a hand mixer.
  8. Make a well in the center of the dough.
  9. Add one egg.
  10. Beat in egg until incorporated.
  11. Repeat with three more eggs, stirring each one in completely before adding the next.
  12. Stir the cheese into the warm dough.
  13. Place dough in a pastry bag (or plastic bag with a corner cut out) or use a soup spoon to make 1 inch diameter and 1 inch high mounds (optional: for a true Julia Child touch, make a small peak on the top of the mound).  We use a cookie press with a die with a 1/2 inch hole.  Use scissors to cut the dough off the press.
  14. Drop the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the mounds.
  15. SECRET – don’t tell: At this point you can put the cookie sheet in the freezer.  When the little treasures are frozen about one hour, slide them into a bag and, voila!, you have gougeres instantly – day or night.  Keep Champagne in the fridge and you have a party.
  16. In a small bowl combine remaining egg and ½ teaspoon of water. Brush the egg mixture lightly on top of the puffs without letting it drip all the way to the parchment paper. This will prevent the puffs from rising.
  17. Bake the Gougères for 10 minutes at 450°.
  18. Then turn the oven down to 350° and bake for an additional 17-23 minutes, until they are nicely golden brown and feel firm when tapped.
  19. Let the Gougères cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. (The Gougères are best served warm.)
  20. They also freeze (unbaked) incredibly well.

Serves:  25-30 gougeres

Source: thatrecipe.com/blog/gougeres-french-cheese-puffs-a-la-julia-child-ourfamilytable and several others

Julia Child’s Broiled Stuffed Mushrooms

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These lovely stuffed mushrooms come from an episode of Julia Child’s first cooking show: The French Chef. Simple and delicious, they make a great appetizer or side dish, and are lovely served as an hors d’ oeuvre or with anything from steak, to pasta, to risotto.

Ingredients:

  • 8-10 Button Mushrooms (I had 2 boxes of baby bellas)
  • 3-4 shallots or 1 large leek, finely minced
  • 2 Tab butter
  • 1/2 – 1 Tab flour
  • 1/4 – 1/2 c cream
  • Grated Swiss cheese

Directions:

  1. Wash mushrooms.
  2. Trim the stems, and remove them from the mushroom caps.
  3. Chop up the stems very finely.
  4. Squeeze juices out with a tea towel into a bowl.
  5. Saute stems in butter.
  6. Add the minced shallot (or leek).
  7. Saute approximately 4-5 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms separate from each other.
  8. Add a half Tab or so of  flour.
  9. Cook 1-2 minutes.
  10. Add enough cream so that after it has cooked for a minute, it is a fairly thick mass, about 1/4 cup.
  11. Season with salt & pepper and some fresh parsley.
  12. Rub the mushroom caps in butter.
  13. Fill them with the sauce,
  14. Add some grated Swiss cheese on top.
  15. Brown them under broiler for approximately 5 minutes (5-6 inches from broiler).
  16. For a nice effect, serve them in a Chinese soup spoon.  They are a little messy.

Serves:  Good guess – they are really good.

Source:  west-east-south-north.blogspot.com

Bruschetta Recipe From the Movie Julie & Julia

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This dialogue is too fun not to include.

The Julia Child Bruschetta recipe that’s so good it brought my guests to tears. Olive Oil fried rustic bread topped with marinated tomatoes and basil.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to cook, you know the satisfaction you get from serving someone food and having them smile at the end of eating it. If they actually mumble out a “Soooo goood” as they’re eating it even better. Betty does that all the time when I feed her, (but she doesn’t count because she makes the same sounds eating a TV dinner or a pistachio she swept up from behind the fridge.)
So the MMMMMMmmmmmm sounds are good, but the Holy Grail of feeding someone is bringing them to tears. Reducing a human being to a quaking, sobbing mess whose greatest fear in life is no longer death … but the thought of never eating this delicious food again.
On August 22nd, 2014 such a miracle occurred in my kitchen. And then it happened again.
I thought it was just a fluke, like when people see Jesus in their Cream of Wheat, but when it happened a second time I knew I’d stumbled upon something pretty spectacular. Definitely more spectacular than a hairy fridge pistachio.
Do you want to know what this miracle food was? Bruschetta. But you knew that already if you read the title of this post
This isn’t just any bruschetta though, it’s bruschetta inspired by the movie Julie & Julia which if you don’t know, it’s a movie based on Julie Powell’s blog in which she chronicled her (successful) attempt to recreate every recipe in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking“. GREAT premise for a blog.
In the movie the bruschetta looked and sounded so goooood. And if you watch the scene from the movie, Julie’s husband does exactly what you want people to do when they eat your cooking. He says, “This is  GOOOOD!”
The Bruschetta Recipe
So you want to learn how to make this bruschetta? Want to learn how to bring someone to tears with your food? Here we go.
First of all a few tips:
1. Use fresh, crusty bread.  Whole slices!  Not a baguette.
2.  FRY in olive oil.  I mean it.  You fry it.
3.  Don’t even attempt this if it isn’t summer and you don’t have fresh tomatoes.
Let’s get started …  You need bread, olive oil, tomatoes, basil and salt.  Dice a few fresh, local tomatoes. Extra points for heirloom and homegrown. Even if the home wasn’t yours.  Tear up a handful of fresh basil and add it.  Add lots if you love basil, little if you don’t. I used this sized bunch for around 5 small-medium tomatoes.
I  know you’re alarmed that there’s no fresh garlic in this recipe but there isn’t. I’m not going to second guess Julia Child. It’s is 100% delicious without the overpowering flavour of garlic. If you want to add garlic you can but I BEG you to try it without first.
Drizzle the tomatoes and basil with a good amount of olive oil and let stand for 30-45 minutes.  After 30 minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper (I actually don’t use pepper but go nuts if you’re a pepper person) let sit for another 10 minutes or so.
Cover the bottom of a pan with olive oil until it’s approximately 3mm deep.  Just glug it in there.  Heat pan over medium/low.  Not too hot or your bread will burn, not too low or it’ll just soak up a bunch of oil and get gross.
To test if your oil is hot enough to fry place the end of a wooden spoon in the oil. If the tip forms bubbles right away, it’s at the right temperature to fry.
While the pan is heating, slice your crusty bread.  I make my own bread using the master recipe from this cookbook, The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day but you don’t have to make your own bread. Just use a fresh, dense, crusty loaf.
Fry bread slices in oil until browned or your tongue falls out of your mouth. Whichever comes first.  Remove bread from the pan and generously spoon the tomato mixture over the top.  But first, maybe, just look at the golden brown, toasty, olive oil drenched goodness.  Smell it. Love it.  O.K., NOW you can top it with your tomatoes and basil.  Just spoon it right on there.  Lots of it.
And now you eat it.
If you’ve watched the movie Julie & Julia you no doubt noticed the bruschetta love scene. I’m not sure anything in a movie has ever looked so delicious.  This is that recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium tomatoes heirloom and a variety of colours if you can get them.
  • 3 large stems basil
  • 1/2 c olive oil good quality
  • salt
  • 4 slices bread hearty, crusty bread is best.

Instructions:

  1. Dice tomatoes.  I seeded them too.
  2. Shred basil leaves.
  3. Mix tomatoes and basil in bowl with 1/4 of olive oil, reserving other 1/4 cup for frying.
  4. Let this mixture sit for 30 minutes.
  5. When the 30 minutes is up, add a generous sprinkling of salt to the mixture and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
  6. Now is when you can heat up 1/4 cup of olive oil (your goal is to have 3mm of oil in the pan) over medium/low heat.
  7. Once hot, fry your slices of bread until golden.
  8. Remove bread from pan and top with tomato mixture.
  9. Serve the bruschetta HOT.  With a box of Kleenex.

Notes:
You can cut the calories in this recipe by using less oil to fry the bread. It won’t be *quite* as good, but the snack will have far less guilt associated it.
To test your oil to make sure it’s hot enough, dip the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If bubbles quickly form around the wood, it’s the right temperature.  If they take a while to bubble, it isn’t hot enough.  If the oil bubbles and spurts crazily, the pan is too hot.

 Servings: 2

Source: theartofdoingstuff.com by Larem

Sweet Peas with Bacon and Onion

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Tired of boring vegetables?  Peas are  fantastic as the star of a side dish. When you combine sweet, delicious peas with bacon, onion and then finish it off a little fresh basil, you have an absolutely amazing side dish. You could even do everything but zapping the peas earlier in the day.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) package frozen peas
  • 3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 c chopped onion (about 1/2 of a medium onion)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 Tab fresh basil, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Place peas in a microwave safe dish.
  2. Add a splash of water.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap.
  4. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  5. Drain liquid from the peas.
  6. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a medium sized skillet until crispy, over medium heat.
  7. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.
  8. Discard all but 2 Tab of the the bacon fat.
  9. Add onion to pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until onion is tender.
  10. Add peas to skillet, stirring to mix with the onion and coat with the bacon fat.
  11. Stir in salt, pepper and the cooked bacon.
  12. Remove from heat and sprinkle the chopped basil over the top.Serves:  6
    Source: lisasdinnertimedish.com

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

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Want to take your brownies from hum drum to WOW? All it takes is a simple caramel sauce and a sprinkle of  Sea Salt added to your favorite boxed brownie mix. The caramel sauce is just three ingredients. There are many caramel sauces but there were no caramels in the house.  Wonder why??

Ingredients: 

  • 1 package fudge brownie mix
  • Eggs
  • Vegetable oil
  • Water or coffee (coffee is better!)

Directions:

  1. Heat oven and prepare brownie mix as instructed on the box.
  2. After placing brownie mix in an 8 x 8 baking pan, set aside, unbaked.
  3. Make caramel sauce as instructed below.
  4. Drizzle half the sauce on top of brownie batter.
  5. Bake brownie batter as instructed on package.
  6. Remove brownies from oven.
  7. Sprinkle with Sea Salt.
  8. Cool brownies before cutting.

Serves:  16 brownies
Source: allrecipes.com

Oh-So-Easy Caramel Sauce

Ingredients: 

  • 1 c packed brown sugar
  • ½ c butter
  • ¼ c milk (I used sour cream – no milk in the house!))
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

  • Bring brown sugar, butter, and milk to a gentle boil.
  • Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Add vanilla extract.

Serves:   8   1 cup

Source:  allrecipes.com – Barb Maxwell

Red Robin Honey Mustard Poppy Seed Dressing

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Here is the original dressing recipe (right from their training book). It is scaled it down and converted it to measurements instead of having to weigh all the ingredients.  Don’t tell anyone but it is just as good without poppy seeds!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 c mayonnaise
  • 4 1/2 Tab white sugar
  • 2 1/2 Tab honey
  • 2 Tab yellow mustard
  • 2 Tab Grey Pompon Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Tab white vinegar
  • 2 Tab vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 Tab poppy seeds

Instructions:

  1. Mix all together with a wire whip.
  2. Put in a container’
  3. Cover and refrigerate.
  4. Shelf life 7 days.

Serves:   12  (2 1/2 cups)

Source:   food.com – recipe by Amy BC

Roasted Red Cabbage

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Just like roasted Brussel sprouts, only prettier!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 head red cabbage
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350 °.
  2. Cut the cabbage in quarters.
  3. Remove core
  4. Slice thin – less than 1/4 inch.
  5. Spread on rimmed baking sheet.
  6. Sprinkle with oil and salt.
  7. Roast for  20 minutes, or until slightly crispy around the edges.

Serves: 6

Source:  Margie’s desire not to boil cabbage or make a slaw.

 

 

 

Oh-So-Easy Caramel Sauce

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This is a rich, sweet caramel sauce that can be made at the last minute.  Wonder what rum extract in it would taste like?

Ingredients: 

  • 1 c packed brown sugar
  • ½ c butter
  • ¼ c milk (I used sour cream)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

  1. Bring brown sugar, butter, and milk to a gentle boil.
  2. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat.
  4. Add vanilla extract.

Serves:   8   1 cup

Source:  allrecipes.com – Barb Maxwell

Note: 

Sugar crystallization can cause a grainy caramel sauce giving your caramel sauce a rough consistency. To prevent this, use a pastry brush moistened with water to brush down the sides of your saucepan if any sugar is present on the sides of the pan. Also, avoid any ingredient substitutions.

To fix a caramel that separates or a grainy caramel sauce, you want to add a little water (1 to 2 Tbsp), bring it to a boil, and re-dissolve the crystalized sugar. Once it’s smooth again, remove it from heat.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

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These easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars are made with just five ingredients! This easy dessert recipe will satisfy all your cravings!  But watch out – they are really rich!  Cut them small.  “These are too good not to have two!”

Ingredients:

  • 1 18 oz roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (or frozen)
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temperature  (If straight from the fridge, drop in a cup of warm water for a few minutes.)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 °.
  2. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or non-stick foil.
  3. Set aside.
  4. Spread a little more than half of the cookie dough onto the bottom of the baking dish.
  5. Press down firmly creating an even layer. (If using frozen, heat in oven for 2 minutes to defrost.)
  6. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
  7. Add in the sugar.
  8. Beat until combined.
  9. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
  10. Pour the cheesecake filling over the top of the cookie dough base.
  11. Crumble the remaining cookie dough over the top.
  12. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
  13. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
  14. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Servings:  16 bars (cut four by four)

Source:  momontimeout

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is sweet (really sweet) and tangy and while it is delicious on almost any salad, it pairs especially well with salads that contain fruit.  Surprisingly, it is good with gorgonzola cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c light olive oil
  • 2 Tab balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 – 2 Tab honey
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small jar.
  2. Close tightly with lid,
  3. Shake well to combine.
  4. Store at room temperature.

Servings: 6  (1/2 cup)
Source: barefeetinthekitchen.com

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