Quick Fish Provencal

I bought frozen cod that I was not impressed with. 

Originally I simply broiled it, a little salt and pepper and lemon.
Yuck. 

Since I'm pretty new to the fish game, 
I thought maybe I just don't like cod. 
But then I made this. 

Fish Provencal.

Browned fish fillets stewed in tomato sauce and fresh herbs.

Yum.

So fast, so easy, and pretty darn good!

This is a rustic version- I like to keep the onions and tomato chunks pretty visible.  For a more elegant version for entertaining, I'd suggest finely chopping the onion and pureeing the tomato before cooking.  

This is also a pretty basic version. It can literally be whipped up in a half hour. Add black pitted olives if you desire for a little authenticity (The Boyfriend hates olives, so I skipped it). 

Serve with crusty French bread, of course! (Unless you're gluten free!)

Quick Fish Provencal

4 6oz Cod fillets (or other white flaky fish)

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 thyme sprig, leaves only

1 tbsp fresh basil leaves (about 6 basil leaves, chopped)

1 clove garlic, minced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Flour (for dredging the fish- substitute almond flour if making gluten free)

In a large skillet, heat a few drizzles of olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion.  Saute about 5 minutes, until onion begins to look translucent.  Add the garlic. Cook one minute.  Add the tomatoes and all the herbs. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and let sauce simmer while you prepare the fish. 

Add 2 tbsp oil to a skillet and heat over medium to medium-high heat. Season flour with a bit of salt and pepper.  Lightly dredge the fish fillets in the flour until both sides are coated. Add to the hot skillet, and saute until fish is browned on both sides.  Remove fish, and add to the simmering tomato sauce. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, or until fish is flaky and cooked through.  

Garnish with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan if desired. 

A few other favorite recipes:
Sage Chicken Chili with Lentils and Garden Vegetables

Butternut Squash Gnocchi in Saffron Cream Sauce, Crispy Pancetta & Crumbled Pecans

Herbed Shrimp Risotto with Balsamic Tomato

Is there anything better in this world?

This dinner received another 'restaurant quality' rating from The Boyfriend. 

We both had seconds, and had no leftovers. 

These pictures are a bit fuzzy from the steam, but it was so good we had to eat it immediately.  

So I apologize for picture quality!

This is a warm, comforting risotto with a deep seafood flavor, chunks of shrimp, topped with a bit of dill and chive tomato salad.

Risotto gets all it's flavor from the stock you use.  I highly recommend making your own seafood stock for this dish.  It may sound hard and labor intensive (for those of you that have never made seafood stock) but it's really quite easy.  You just throw a bunch of stuff in a pot and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. That's pretty much it.

If you don't have the time or energy to make your own stock and are purchasing store-bought chicken stock, do yourself two favors:  

1. Buy low sodium (store bought stocks are SO SALTY!)  
2. Simmer the stock in a saucepot with some fresh herbs (thyme rosemary, sage, etc) and some chopped onion, carrot and celery.  It'll make store-bought taste more like homemade. 

Herbed Shrimp Risotto 

with Balsamic Tomato

Shrimp:

1/2 lb uncooked shrimp, deveined, shells and tails removed and reserved for seafood stock

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp fresh finely chopped rosemary

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Risotto:

1 cup arborio rice

2 shallots, minced

1 tsp finely chopped dill

1 tsp finely chopped chives

1 tsp salt

Zest of one lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

About 1 quart shrimp stock, fish stock, or chicken stock

Balsamic Tomatoes:

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp basil chiffonade

1/2 tsp chopped chives

fresh pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)

For Balsamic Tomatoes:
Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar, whisk. Toss together the tomatoes, basil, chives, and pepper. Dress with olive oil mixture. Refrigerate until ready.

For Shrimp:

In a bowl, add the shrimp and all the remaining ingredients for shrimp. Toss well to coat the shrimp in the olive oil/herb mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat with a few drizzles of olive oil. Add the shrimp.  Cook a few minutes until shrimp start to look golden.  Flip, and continue cooking about 2 more minutes until golden on both sides.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Once cool, roughly chop the shrimp into chunks, leaving 6 shrimps whole to place on top of risotto. 

For Risotto:
In a large skillet, heat about 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat.  Add the shallot, and saute a few minutes until starting to soften. Add the arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is fully coated with olive oil (1-2 minutes). Add 1/2 cup fish stock and cook, stirring often,  until the liquid is almost completely absorbed (4-5 minutes). Add another 1/4 cup shrimp stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed (~8-10 minutes).  This step is important- to cook arborio rice correctly, you must add the chicken stock in small increments.  Once absorbed, add another 1/4 cup, waiting for that to be absorbed, and continue adding 1/4 cups of stock until rice is creamy looking but still al dente, about 30-40 minutes. You may have leftover stock.  If you run out of stock, use water. 

Add the dill, chives, salt, lemon zest, and chopped shrimp to the risotto. Stir, and cook just a few minutes longer, adding a bit more stock if risotto is looking dry. 

To assemble:
Mound risotto of plate.  Top with a spoonful of balsamic tomato salad and whole shrimp.  Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired. 

Spaghetti Carbonara

This is not an every day dinner.

I made it for my birthday.  

(In case you're worried, don't be- The Boyfriend took me out for a proper birthday dinner as well!)

This is a really rich pasta dish made with an egg yolk sauce and some form of pork (traditionally it's made with guanciale- cured pork jowl, but that can be kind of hard to find!)  In this recipe I use cubed pancetta with excellent results.  You can also use thick sliced bacon.

I tried to make this as traditional as possible (even made my own spaghetti!)  Apparently it's some form of sin to add cream and/or peas to this dish, so you won't see them in this recipe. 

For such a rich, special dinner, it is absurdly easy to make.  

There's only one way to ruin it- when adding the eggs.  Pay close attention, stir constantly, and don't look away.  :)  The last thing you want is scramble egg carbonara, am I right?! 

Serve with a big green salad, and some crusty bread if desired.

Pasta Carbonara 

Serves 3

1 lb spaghetti (boxed or homemade)

1/2 lb pre-cubed pancetta (about 8 oz) or thick sliced quality bacon

6 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup freshly grated parmigiana, plus extra for serving

extra virgin olive oil

fresh pepper

parsley (for garnish) 

In a bowl, add the eggs, egg yolks, parmigiana, and about 1 tsp black pepper.  Whisk together until completely combined. Set aside.

Cook the spaghetti al dente and set aside.  In a saute pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium  heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crispy.  Once crispy, add the al dente spaghetti and stir to distribute the pancetta thouroughly (and to coat the spaghetti with pancetta fat).  Turn off the heat.  With pan still on hot stovetop, add the egg mixture and quickly begin vigorously mixing.  This is your crucial step.  Continue mixing, not allowing the egg to sit on the bottom of the pan untouched for too long.  Cook about 2 minutes, the eggs will thicken a bit and it will look like a cream sauce.  

Serve immediately, with a bit of parsley sprinkled on top and extra parmegiana cheese. 

Mexican Flavored Chili

Holy smokes do I have a chili recipe for you!

Back from a day of skiing, me and The Boyfriend were craving some warm comfort food.  I thought I'd make something quick and easy.  

I mean, you just throw everything in a pot when making chili. How much simpler can it get? 

But no.  

Here I go, roasting peppers first, making purees, all sorts of ridiculousness that took me an hour and a half before everything got simply tossed in a pot.  

But I was thinking of you, invisible internet people.  I wanted to share with you a different way of making chili, not using canned tomatoes and tomato paste.  So I made my own puree of roasted red peppers, poblano peppers, and tomatoes. 

You may be scared by all the peppers if you don't like spicy.  I will say this chili has some kick for sure, but it's not one of those try-to-rip-your-tongue-out-of-your-mouth spicy.  Eliminate the sriacha/hot sauce and cayenne if your nervous.  Those who want more spicy can always add hot sauce. 

In the end, this was a most delicious chili, and worth the time and effort.  I made a huge batch (what's the point of making chili if it only feeds you for 2 days?!).  I'd say this recipe would feed about 14 people.  We had leftovers for 3 days, and I have 2 tupperwares in the freezer for some quick winter meals.

Of course this is a perfect party sized chili for all you football fans out there. You could even make it a day or two ahead and have it in a crockpot for when you've had too many beers to actually cook anything at your football party. :)

Mexican Flavored Chili

The meat:
16 oz ground chorizo
16 oz mild italian sausage
3 lb ground beef


The veggies

7 stalks celery, chopped in 1/4 inch slices
1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, minced 
2 green peppers, stem and seeds removed, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 red pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then cut in thirds lengthwise and diced
2 onions, coarsely diced

The stuff you throw in chili:
26 oz can red kidney beans, drained
30 oz can pinto beans, drained
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp marjoram
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp Sriacha or hot sauce of choice

1 bottle dark beer


Base Puree
2 poblano peppers(sometimes called pasilla peppers)
3 red peppers 
5 tomatoes
3 cloves minced garlic

1. Make the base puree.  Broil or grill the poblano, red peppers, and tomatoes until the skin turns black in spots (or for tomato, until the skin begins to crack and peel back on it's own).  Let cool until easy to handle, and remove stem, seeds, and peel skin.  Coarsely chop peppers and tomato and place them and the 3 cloves of garlic in blender or food processor and process until a paste.  Set aside.  

2. While peppers are roasting, brown meats. Add half of each meat to 2 large stockpots and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside (you can set the meat aside from both stockpots in the same bowl).

3. In same two stockpots over medium high heat, add half the veggie mixture to each pot.  Saute until veggies begin to soften a bit, but are still pretty crisp. This step helps veggies release some of their sugars and will make them more flavorful.  

4. Add half the meat back to each pot, and half the 'stuff you throw in chili' to each pot.  Bring the pots to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about an hour and a half. 

5. When finished, marry the two pots.  Once cooked down, I could add one pot to the other and it fit perfectly.  Stir well and don't forget the sour cream!

Little Party Bites

Oh look at these cute little bites!  

I made these to ease the Boyfriend's growling stomach while I prepared some 3-4 hour dinner.  If I had any friends here in CO I would prepare them as an appetizer, they'd be perfect to have out for parties.  

The herbed cream cheese gives these bites a savory note, the prosciutto adds a nice flavor from the fat and salt, and the cherry jam gives it a touch of sweetness to round it out.  

And they were so easy to prepare, the most time going into assembling them in a pretty fashion.  

I'll be honest, most of them I just smushed together.  Hey it was just me and the Boyfriend, you know?! What do you want from me?  

Little Party Bites

1 8 oz block cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tbsp minced fresh rosemary

1 tbsp minced fresh mint

1 tsp lemon juice

4 oz thin-sliced prosciutto, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch ribbons

Cherry preserves 

1 box wheat thins (or Gluten Free crackers)

Use a mixer to whip the cream cheese with the rosemary, mint, and lemon juice (or alternatively, mix well by hand)

To assemble, spread a bit of cherry preserves on the wheat thin.  Twirl the prosciutto ribbon loosely and place in a half circle on the cracker.  Place a dollop of herbed cream cheese in remaining empty space behind prosciutto.  Garnish with more rosemary, mint, or a spring of parsley. 

Spinach, Feta, and Fresh Mint Pastries

Filo dough it one of the greatest things, if you ask me.

So flaky, so shapeable to savory or sweet recipes.

I was looking for a most delicious appetizer to serve for a holiday meal, and this was a winner.  

This is pretty much a recipe for Spanakopita, a classic Greek pastry.  I do love Greek food, and these little flaky triangles can be made 3 (yes 3!) days in advance.  (Cover, refrigerate, and bake as directed when ready)

If you've never worked with filo dough before, I must say it requires a bit of patience, understanding, and finesse.  These thinner-than-paper sheets can get the best of you if you're in a rush, so set aside some time and read through the instructions carefully first.

I don't want to scare you off, I actually find filo dough very easy to work with, but some unfamiliar with it and pressed for time... well.. they wind up of that TV show Snapped. 

The secret is lots of butter and keeping the filo dough moist.  When not using the pile of filo dough, you must place a damp rag on top to keep the moisture in.  If you don't the sheets crack and are flaky and IMPOSSIBLE to handle. 

Follow those steps and it'll be a breeze.  

Spinach, Feta, and Fresh Mint Pastries

Makes 30 triangles

1 1/2 lbs spinach, tough stems removed
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 lb filo dough (20 sheets), thawed if frozen
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

In a large stockpot, heat a few drizzles of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the spinach, and saute until wilted.  Pour into a colander and let cool.  Squeeze out as much liquid as you can and place on cutting board.  Chop spinach and place in a large bowl.  Add all cheese, eggs, mint, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well. 

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly butter a baking sheet.  Have the melted and cooled butter in a bowl or pot, and the spinach mixture in a bowl nearby. Cut the filo dough lengthwise into thirds, so you have 3 long strips.  Get a rag moist and cover the filo until ready to use.  Place a large piece of parchment paper on your countertop.  Using a pastry brush, coat the parchment paper with a layer of butter.  Remove one of the 3 stacks of filo dough from underneath the rag.  Place one piece of the paper thin filo dough on your buttered parchment paper.  Use the pastry brush to cover that piece with butter, paying special attention to the edges and corners. Place another sheet of filo directly on top, and coat with butter. In the top corner of the filo sheet, place a teaspoon of the spinach mixture.  Fold one corner over the the filling on the diagonal to form a triangle.  Fold down again, keeping the triangle shape.  Continue folding until you've reached the bottom and you have a triangle shaped pastry.  Place on baking sheet and repeat.  Don't worry if a sheet rips, the butter will reattach it.  

Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.  Can be served hot, warm, or at room temp.

Scalloped Potatoes

Winter Comfort Food

These scalloped potatoes are so quick and easy to prepare.  Perfect accompaniment to hearty meat entrees like pot roast, ham, turkey, and roast chicken.

The perfect accompaniment to a cold winters night, if you ask me.

If you feel daring, add some diced prosciutto, pancetta, or bacon and throw in some chives.

Scalloped Potato Gratin 

Adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided in half
1/4 cup freshly grated swiss cheese
salt and pepper
butter

In a saucepan combine the cream, thyme, and garlic.  Heat until just warm, but do not boil.  Remove thyme stems.

In a bowl, combine half of Parmesan cheese with all of swiss cheese.

Preheat oven to 375.

Butter a casserole dish and layer one third of the potato slices in 4 rows so slices are overlapping.  Pour a couple spoonfuls of the warmed cream over top and sprinkle with one third of the cheese mixture.  Arrange another layer of potato slices on top, pour a bit more cream over top, and sprinkle another third of the cheese mixture over top.  Repeat with final layer, using the rest of the cream and cheese mixture. 

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Pour the rest of the Parmesan over top of the potatoes, and bake another 10 minutes, until top is golden brown.  Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Tuscan Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp

These little shrimps have a big flavor.

Marinated in lemon, garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage, these are herb-a-licious.

The Boyfriend says the shrimps would be equally good without the prosciutto due to the super herb-y flavor from the marinade.

'I'd pay money for these,' he says. 

One shrimp I ate tasted like the pine-y rosemary, while the next had that sweet, almost citrusy thyme flavor.

Wrap them up in prosciutto and see how fast they get gobbled up.  

 Fast, easy, and prepared ahead, this is a great party appetizer, or an appetizer for an intimate dinner.  Shrimp are an aphrodisiac ;)

If it was warmer out, I would have slapped these on soaked bamboo skewers and threw them on the grill.

Tuscan Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp

Serves 2

1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

5 or 6 slices thin sliced prosciutto (about 5 ounces)

4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and stem discarded

6 or 7 rosemary leaves (NOT whole sprigs!) minced

1 large sage leaf, minced

1 tsp lemon juice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for cooking

In a Tupperware or ziploc bag, combine the shrimp, olive oil, and herbs.  Let marinate for 2 hours.  

Add the lemon juice, and let marinate another 20 minutes.

Slice the prosciutto in half width-wise, and then into about 3/4 inch slices.  Wrap each shrimp with a slice or prosciutto.  

When all shrimp are wrapped heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the shrimp and let cook until shrimp is opaque and prosciutto is crispy, about 3 minutes per side. 

Serve immediately. 

Sauteed Radish with Carrot, Scallions, and Shallots

I'm kind of new to the radish game.

In fact, this is the first time I've ever cooked radishes, and I was pleasantly surprised.

They taste almost potato-like, pretty mild in flavor.  The scallions and shallots seasoned them nicely, and the carrots added a bit of color.  

All-in-all, a pretty, unexpected side dish perfect served with Braised Beef in Cranberry Reduction or Bourbon Maple Glazed Ham.

Sauteed Radish with 

Carrot, Scallions, and Shallots

2 bunches radishes, stems removed, washed and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 shallot, minced
2 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

In a large saute pan, heat a few drizzles of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the radishes and saute about 8 minutes.  Add the shallot and season generously with salt and pepper. Saute a few minutes longer, and add the carrot, scallions, and butter if desired.  Saute a couple more minutes, until radishes are tender.

Red Wine Braised Beef with Cranberry Reduction

I had leftover cranberry sauce.

(is it still considered leftover if you forget to serve it?!)

Why not turn that frown upside down, and make a beautifully impressive dinner?

This beef is seared in a cast iron skillet (or any hot skillet you may have), braised in red wine, and  finished in the oven for hours until ever-so-tender. 

Leftover cranberry sauce is added to the pan juices and reduced, making a sweet and savory sauce.  

Serve with mashed potatoes, Tomato Braised Kale, and Sage Popovers, and you've got a special meal.  

Red Wine Braised Beef with Cranberry Reduction

3 bone-in short ribs (~2 1/2 lbs)

2 carrots, peeled and chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

3 onions, chopped and cut in 1/2 inch pieces

2 stalks celery, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups red wine (chianti works well, I had barbera on hand)

2 cups water, preferably boiling (or room temp will work)

3 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup cranberry sauce

salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Optional step if time: generously coat the short ribs in salt and pepper and refrigerate for 4 hours and up to 1 day.  This step makes a moister meat, but can be skipped. 

1. Remove short ribs from fridge a half hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat.  Get the pan pretty hot (a drop of water should sizzle when hot enough).  Add the short ribs, in batches if necessary, and sear all sides until a nice brown crust forms.  Remove to a plate.

3. In same hot pan add the onion, carrot, and celery.  Cook for a few minutes without stirring.  Stir once, and cook another 5 minutes or so without disturbing, until vegetables will begin sticking to pan a bit.  Stir and cook another 5 minutes, until vegetables stick to bottom again.  

4.  Carefully pour in the red wine and stir, scraping up the brown buts from the beef and veggies.  Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the water, thyme, rosemary, a couple shakes of salt and pepper, and bay leaf. If the meat is not covered with liquid, add more water until it is.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and transfer to the hot oven.  Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  

5. Remove from oven, and carefully remove the short ribs to a plate, draping the aluminum foil over them.  Place a colander in a large bowl, and drain the contents of the skillet into the bowl.  Reserve the beef stock and discard the carrot/onion/celery mirepoix.  Pour a spoonful of the beef stock over each short rib to keep it moist while you make the Cranberry Reduction.

6. Return the skillet to the stovetop, add 2 cups of the beef stock and the cranberry sauce, and heat over medium- medium high heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Once at a simmer, stir often, and cook about 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to reduce.  Taste and if too sweet add more broth.  Continue cooking until sauce reduces by half and slightly thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Portion short ribs on serving plates and spoon the cranberry reduction over top. Enjoy!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ohhh cranberry sauce, how I've dishonored you.  

I made you with love, then froze you, it's true!

And even worse, then I forgot about you!

But it's not too late to be made anew.  

Yes, Thanksgiving was a holiday you missed.

But take it easy, don't be pissed!  

You made these muffins so delish!

And also this braised beef you kissed.

Apparently I've lost my wits,
writing a poem to a condiment, 
but I do what I must and what I must do is cook,
thanks for stopping by and taking a look. 
At what I cook.  

:)

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Adapted from Food Network

12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1 strip orange peel 

2 tbsp orange juice

1. In a saucepan over low heat, add the half of the cranberries, the water, sugar, and orange peel.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and cranberries are soft. Increase heat to medium and cook until cranberries burst (about 12 minutes).

2. Reduce heat back to low and add the rest of the cranberries.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until new cranberries slightly soften.  Remove from heat and cool before serving. 

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Sage

 I asked The Boyfriend to describe this dish for me, and he said it was good.  I pressed him for more details, and he said 'I dunno.. it was cheesy?'

In his defense I'm asking him while he's half asleep on the couch.

I pressed him a bit further... he said it didn't feel like he 'rubbed it all over his face.' 

Yes, that's a direct quote.  

'It wasn't greasy and overly heavy, it was lighter and healthier than traditional lasagna. Therefore I did not feel like I rubbed it all over my face.' 

I get what he's saying.  It wasn't so loaded with cheese that I felt like I gained 110 lbs just by eating it.  The butternut squash and sage combination gave it a really delicate flavor, and sausage pairs beautifully with the squash, complementing it's sweetness.  

The white sauce made with mascarpone, parmigiana, mozzarella, and ricotta was not heavy or overbearing.  It really lets the flavors shine through. 

This recipe is a winner, and a really nice option for a make-ahead meal.  I made this for an upcoming ski weekend and froze it.  

Then I just took it out of the freezer, let it thaw all day while skiing, and popped it in the oven at night.  

Also a nice vegetarian option- simply skip the sausage and replace chicken stock with vegetable stock.  Don't skip the stock though, it thins out the cheese a bit so you don't feel like you 'rubbed it on your face.'

Wensleydale Apple Cranberry Tartlets with Thyme Shortbread Crust and Bourbon Glaze

Be the star of a holiday party- bring these delectable little tartlets.  

They're like little mini-apple pies, made with Wensleydale cheese with cranberries. 

Wensleydale is an English crumbly cheese that is supple and moist with a flavor of wild honey.

Wild Honey!

This Wensleydale has cranberries mixed in- adding just a bit of... tartness... to these tarts! 

An unexpected, but incredible herb-y thyme shortbread crust that balances out the sweetness of the apples. 

I found this Wensleydale with Cranberries at Whole Foods.  

It would be AMAZING on a leftover turkey sandwich after Thanksgiving.  

So as I'm baking these, The Boyfriend keeps asking me when he can have one.

Finally I give him one.  I turn around, turn back around, and it's gone.  GONE.  

He looks at me wide-eyed, like he doesn't know what happened. 

And takes another.   

Wensleydale Apple Cranberry Tartlets with Thyme Shortbread Crust and Bourbon Glaze

The Crust:

1 1/4 cup bread flour

3 tbsp sugar

1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup thyme, leaves only, chopped

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp ice water

The Tart:

4 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced

2 McIntosh Apples, peeled and sliced

1/4 lb Wensleydale Cheese with Cranberries

3 cups sugar

1 cup plus 1 tbsp water

1 stick cinnamon

2 whole cloves

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp bourbon

*You'll also need some kind of little tart baking pans. I found mine at either Kitchen Kapers or ACMoore, I can't recall..

Make the Crust:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, vanilla, and thyme. Cut in the old butter using a pastry blender or a knife until dough is crumbly.

2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp cold water over dough.  Quickly form into a ball, adding a few more drops of water if you need more moisture to hold it together. Do as quickly as possible, you don't want to handle the dough to long or the warmth from your hands will melt the butter, resulting in a less flaky crust.

3. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour, or a day or two.

4. Remove from fridge and roll out to about 1/4' thickness.

5. Cut out approximate shape of your tart pan, and lay dough over top.  Press into pan gently.  Use a rolling pin to roll over the TOP of the tart pan, giving you a nice even crust.

6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Make the Tart:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring contents to just a boil.

2. Reduce heat immediately and add all apples.  Cook until tender but not falling apart.  If it looks like the liquid is evaporating to quickly, add a bit of water to keep it moist.

3. Remove the apples, and lay out on parchment paper in one layer to cool off.  Reserve the poaching liquid.

4. Slice the Wensleydale cheese thinly.  Don't worry if it crumbles. 

Assemble:

1. Remove the crust from fridge.  Add a few of the apple slices that did not keep their perfect shape (the unsightly ones).  Top with a few slices (or crumbles) or cheese.  Pour 1 tsp of heavy cream over, letting it sink down (this is how much I used for tarts that were 3 inches across.  If you are making larger tarts, you may need to add a tbsp or two of heavy cream.  The cream shouldn't reach the top of the tart, rather just cover the bottom layers of apples and beginning to seep into the cheese layer).

2. Add the pretty, intact sliced apples on top, fanning them out decoratively.  At the base of the 'fan' add a crumble of cheese with cranberry for contrast in color.

3. Repeat with remaining tarts.

4. Bake in the preheated oven about 10 minutes, until edges of apples begin to darken and shortbread crust begins to turn golden.

5. Cool on a wire rack.

Glaze:

1. When tarts are cool, remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the reserved poaching liquid. Add the bourbon.  Head the liquid medium high heat, reducing by half.  Liquid will get a bit sticky.

2. Brush the glaze over the tarts immediately. Let dry, and brush another layer over. 

Sweet Potato Bisque

I'm feeling a little under the weather.

Of course I still made dinner!  

The Boyfriend offered to pick up something, but oh no, you can't keep me out of the kitchen!

What's a better solution for the sniffles than a nice hot bowl of homemade soup and some crusty bread anyway?!

This soup was a culmination of ingredients on hand. 

It's a creamy medley of sweet potato and carrot, with some added rich sweetness from the caramelized onions. 

Ever the critic (which I greatly appreciate, do not get me wrong), 

The Boyfriend says to me..'It's good, but I don't taste any butternut squash..'

To which I replied 'That's cause it's Sweet Potato!!  =)

In his defense, I have been in a bit of a butternut squash rage lately.  

In fact, I garnished this soup with toasted butternut squash seeds for a nice salty crunch. 

Butternut Squash Quinoa 'Alfredo' with Toasted Pine Nuts

Here's a perfect fall side dish.  

And it's quick and easy.  Can you believe it?

Protein-packed quinoa is the star of this dish, combined with plentiful butternut squash, an prepared Alfredo-style.  

How could you go wrong?!

Butternut Squash Quinoa 'Alfredo' with Toasted Pine Nuts

1 cup butternut squash, roasted, peeled, and diced (roast in oven at 400 degrees for 45 min)
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (toast in toaster oven at 325 for 3- 5min, or in a dry skillet)
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves only
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat water over med high heat.  When just boiling, add quinoa and stir.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover,  and simmer for 10 minutes.
2, Remove lid and add a few drizzles of the heavy cream.  Let in soak in a minute, and add a few shakes of the Parmesan.  Continue until all cream and Parmesan is added.  Add the butternut squash, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix gently, allowing butternut squash to fall apart a bit but mostly retaining it's shape.  
3. Stir in pine nuts and serve!

Drunk Filet Mignon with Bourbon Cream Sauce

I am no photographer! 

I love to cook and I love to eat, but patience with taking photos of food is not my strong point. 

I want to eat it, not look at it!

So I must apologize for these clearly lazy, last second pictures of this truly amazing Filet Mignon.

This is one of those meals that just steals the spotlight away from EVERYTHING else on the plate.    One of those sauces that makes you want to lick the plate.  

It's deeply flavorful, just a bit sweet, and everything I've ever dreamed of to accompany a beautiful  cut of Filet Mignon.  

Unfortunately I did not have a beautiful cut of Filet Mignon, but the one I had did just fine, and the Bourbon Cream Sauce made everything wrong with it.. just seem so right. 

Pair this sauce with any red meat- Rack of Lamb, a standing Rib Roast- for a super-impressive main dish.  

I served it with Butternut Squash Quinoa Alfredo, caramelized brussel sprouts and a couple glasses of red wine.