Monday, July 25, 2011

Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwhich


Ingredients:

8 slices sourdough or white bread
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère
1/2 cup grated aged goat cheese (such as Midnight Moon from Cypress Grove Chevre)
3/4 cup Bread-and-Butter Pickles
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

Directions:

Smear both sides of bread slices with mayonnaise. Combine cheeses in a bowl. Sprinkle 4 slices bread with half of cheese mixture, dividing equally. Top each with 3-4 pickles. Divide prosciutto among sandwiches; top with remaining cheese. Cover with remaining bread.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large heavy skillets over medium-low heat. Add 2 sandwiches to each skillet and cook until bread is golden, 9-10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each skillet, flip sandwiches, and cook until bread is golden and cheese is melted, 9-10 minutes longer.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Avocado Steak Tacos


Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 pound skirt steak, halved crosswise
Salt and pepper
2 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped
Grated peel and juice of 2 limes
1 head butter lettuce, shredded
2 avocados—halved, pitted and cut into small cubes
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
12 taco shells

Directions:

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chili powder, then rub all over the steak; season with salt and pepper. Add to the grill pan and cook, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the jalapeños, lime peel, lime juice and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce, avocados and onion and toss; season with salt and pepper.

Divide half of the avocado salad among the taco shells, then top with the meat and the remaining avocado salad.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Oreo Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies


Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar (for a richer version, substitute more brown sugar)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned)
Mini Oreos

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Beat together butter and sugars until creamy and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well mixed.
Gradually add combined flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
Stir in oats by hand until combined.
Chill dough so that it can be more easily handled (about 30 mins should do it). Cover a single mini Oreo in chilled dough and roll into a ball.
Repeat with remaining dough and Oreos. Place each ball on an ungreased cookie sheet and press down lightly.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned. Allow to cool slightly on cookie sheet before transferring to a clean countertop or wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Homemade Dulce de Leche


Ingredients:

1 can condensed milk, label removed

Directions:

Lift the tab on the condensed milk very carefully and slowly, just until the seal breaks. You don't want to open the can, just give the pressure that will build the tiniest out. If your can doesn't have a pull tab, breach the seal with a can opener.

Place the can in a pot and pour water about 3/4 the way up the can.

Bring water to a simmer and cook for ~3 hours, replenishing the water level every 30 minutes. The milk will bubble out of the can, but you'll only lose a tablespoon or two.

Let cool, open the can, and use. Keep any leftovers refrigerated.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread


Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp butter
2 lbs pizza dough
6 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes (you'll need ~48 pieces)
48 slices of pepperoni (from 1 package)
2-3 cups marinara sauce, warmed, for serving

Directions:

Heat garlic and butter over medium heat just until the garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and let sit.

Lightly brush the inside of a bundt pan (or other oven-safe dish) with garlic butter.

Pull off large marble-sized balls of dough and flatten (a kitchen scale makes this very easy). Top with a slice of pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

Wrap the dough around the pepperoni and cheese, pinching well to seal.

Very lightly brush the pizza ball with garlic butter and place into the bundt pan (I dabbed the pizza balls on a butter-dipped silicon brush to keep butter use low and my hands butter free - buttery hands make it hard to get the pizza balls to seal).

Repeat until all of the dough is used.

Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, while preheating the oven to 400.

Bake for ~35 minutes, until the top is very brown.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Turn out onto a platter and serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Tortellini Salad


Ingredients:

1 (19-oz.) package frozen cheese tortellini
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped sweet onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt to taste
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Directions:

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain and place in large bowl. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients.

Whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and Italian seasoning. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Pour over tortellini mixture, tossing to coat. Stir in salt to taste. Cover and chill at least 25 minutes. Garnish, if desired.