Baked Sweet Potatoe Fries

SERVES: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil for parchment
• 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds) skins on, scrubbed and cut into 4-inch sticks, each 1/2 inch thick
• 3 large egg whites (a scant 1/2 cup)
• Mediterranean Spice

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 450 degrees with racks in the upper and middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and rub with oil.

2. Step 2

   Put sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe container, cover, and microwave 2 minutes. Stir gently, cover, and microwave 1 to 2 minutes more until pieces are pliable. Let rest 5 minutes covered; pour onto a platter.

3. Step 3

   In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy, add spice mix, and whisk to blend. Working in batches, toss the sweet-potato pieces in the seasoned egg whites, letting the excess liquid drip back into the bowl. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes, then flip pieces over with a spatula. Rotate baking sheets from front to back and from one rack to the other. Bake until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Homemade Applesauce

I like to use Granny Smith Apples, as they have a tart flavor.

Cut 6 big apples, peels on, into small pieces. Put into saucepan. Add 1 cups water, 3/4 cup sugar, dash of salt, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. cloves. Cook until very soft, then mash them with potatoes masher. Taste it and fix it until it is good. Maybe add more sugar. Remove from the fire and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

BBQ Chicken

Mix in sauce pan:

 

2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp cayenne

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1 bay leaf

4 1/2 tsp Worchester sauce

3 cloves minced garlic

3/4 c cider vinegar

3 tbsp. butter

1-1/2 c tomato juice

 

 

Simmer uncovered 10 minutes then refrigerate about 1-1/2 hours or more before using. Preheat oven to 425. Quarter or cut into pieces 2-2-1/2 to 3 lb fryers. Salt and pepper chicken. Place skin down in open roasting pan. Cover with three medium onions cut into thin slices. Pour on barbecue sauce, bake and baste 1/2 hr. Turn over-bake and baste 45 minutes. Serve garnished with onion rings.

 

 

Note: Use less fluid or cook sauce down otherwise chicken becomes overdone before it is dry enough for finger eating.

Magically Delicious No-Bake Ice Box Pie

Serves: 12     Active Time: 30 minutes   

Ingredients

• 4 cups Lucky Charms Cereal
• 8 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2½ cups Lucky Charms marshmallows, divided
• 1½ cups marshmallow fluff
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Add 4 cups cereal to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until your mixture is crumbs. Slowly pour butter in through the feed tube. Pulse until combined and crumbs are moistened.
2. Pour crumbs into a 9” pie plate and press mixture on the bottom and around the sides to form pie crust. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
3. In a tall bowl whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until you can start to see a defined trail through the cream. Slowly add powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. (In other words when you turn off the blender and lift the beaters out of the cream, the cream stand up on the end of the beater). Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
4. To prepare the filling: Combine cream cheese and marshmallow fluff in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Fold in ½ of the whipped cream and ½ cup Lucky Charms marshmallows until completely incorporated. Pour into chilled pie crust. Smooth with a spatula. Pour remaining whipped cream over top. Sprinkle remaining marshmallows around the edge of the pie. Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately. Enjoy!

Cook's Note

You can pipe the whipped cream on the pie to make a lovely design. Then, I crushed marshmallows over the center to give it that rainbow dust appearance.

Easiest Spaghetti and Meatballs

• prep: 30 mins
  total time: 30 mins
• servings: 4

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
• 3/4 pound spaghetti

Directions

1. Step 1

   Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a bowl, combine Parmesan, parsley, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add beef and breadcrumbs; mix gently. Form into 16 balls.

Serendipity!

It's famous, it's infamous, it's notorious. It has destroyed diets and led to love affairs. Marriages have been proposed over it. I'm talking about FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE that was made famous by Serendipity. Here is that delicious recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates
2 teaspoons storebought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate Shavings

PREPARATION:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy with a spoon or a straw. . . .or both!

Spagetti Bolognese

Serves 4

 



For Bolognese:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 ounces cubed pancetta
• 1 medium onion
• 2 fat cloves garlic
• 1 carrot
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 large, flat mushrooms (Portobello is good), about 4 ounces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound ground beef or lamb
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or passate
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 3/4 cups stock
• 1 nutmeg
• 3/4 cups half and half or cream

For Serving:

• Spaghetti or tagliatelle for 4
• Grated Parmesan

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pot--then stir in the pancetta and let cook for five minutes or so, without coloring much. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop onion & garlic and stir them into pancetta. Peel & finely chop the carrot and celery and stir them in, too. Lastly, finely chop the mushrooms and add to the pan, then tuck in the bay leaves and leave to cook for ten minutes over a moderate heat, stirring frequently.
2. Turn up the heat and tip in the meat, breaking it up well with a fork.
3. Now leave to cook without stirring for a good three for four minutes, then, as the meat on the bottom is starting to brown, stir again, breaking up the meat where necessary and leave to color.
4. Mix in the tomatoes, red wine, stock, a grating of nutmeg and some salt and clack pepper, letting it come to a boil. Turn the heat down so that everything barely bubbles. There should be movement but one that is gentle, not quite a simmer. Partially cover the pan with a lid and leave the putter away for an hour to and hour and a half. Stir from time to time to check liquid levels. You don't want it to be dry.
5. Pour in the half and half or cream a bit at a time, stir and continue cooking for twenty minutes. Check the seasoning, then serve with pasta & grated Parmesan.

Italian Cheesecake Recipe

Italian Cheesecake (8 Servings; Prep Time: 15 Minutes; Bake Time: 2 hours)

1. 3 pounds Ricotta Cheese
2. 9 Large eggs
3. 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4. Grated peel and juice from 1 Orange
5. 1/4 cup heavy cream
6. 2 Tablespoons pure Vanilla Extract
7. Confectioners' Sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet.
2. Using an electric mixer, combine the ricotta, eggs, granulated sugar, orange peel and juice, cream and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and let the cake rest inside for 30 minutes. Let cool, then sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Valentine's Day Mousse.

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you're doing something romantic or something fun with those you love. Here is a ridiculously easy recipe for what I call "Valentine's Day Mousse."

8 ounces chocolate (we used 70% bittersweet - choose a high quality chocolate you love)

3/4 cup (6 ounces) water

ice cubes

freshly whipped cream for topping (optional)

1. Simply pour water into a saucepan. Then, over medium heat, whisk in the chocolate. The result is a homogenous sauce.

2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl set over an ice bath, then whisk the chocolate sauce, either manually with a whisk or with an electric mixer (if using an electric mixer, watch closely -- it will thicken faster). It will thicken and strands of chocolate will form inside the loops of the whisk. Pour or spoon immediately into ramekins, small bowls or jars and let set.

3. Note: Three things can go wrong. Here's how to fix them. If your chocolate doesn't contain enough fat, melt the mixture again, add some chocolate, and then whisk it again. If the mousse is not light enough, melt the mixture again, add some water, and whisk it once more. If you whisk it too much, so that it becomes grainy, this means that the foam has turned into an emulsion. In that case simply melt the mixture and whisk it again, adding nothing.
4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Clinton Street Baking Biscuits

Ingredients

• 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for baking sheet
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 3 cups buttermilk

Directions

1. Step 1

   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together shortening and butter. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture and mix together until crumbly. Add buttermilk and stir until just incorporated.

2. Step 2

   Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet lightly with flour. Turn biscuit dough out onto a 13-by-9 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet and gently press dough to cover. Using a rolling pin, roll surface of dough until evenly distributed. Cover dough with plastic wrap and transfer to a refrigerator to chill for at least 20 minutes, or until ready to bake, up to 1 day.

3. Step 3

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Step 4

   Cut biscuit dough using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter and transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet, rerolling scraps one time, if necessary. Bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Serve immediately.