Blue-Ribbon Apple Pie

It's apple pie season! Normally I make them with Granny Smith apples, lots of butter and lemon juice-- the traditional apple pie. This recipe intrigued me because of the cinnamon/sugar crust! It was really good-- and still very tart! ( I still used lemon juice). The apples for this pie came straight from Fishkill Orchards in NY!

Golden bubbly crust...

2/3 C. Sugar
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt
1 Package Refrigerated Pie Dough
6 C. Apple Slices (I used Rome, Red Delicious and Macintosh)
1/2 Lemon
1 Egg, Beaten
1 Tbsp. Water

Preheat oven to 425. In a bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Set aside 1 Tbsp. for crust dusting. Add flour and salt to the bowl of sugar/cinnamon and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, squeeze lemon over the apple slices.

Don't skimp on the sugar, shuga!

In a lightly greased pie pan, press down first pie crust and trim edges. Sprinkle about 2 tbsps. of the flour mixture on the bottom. Add 1/3 of the apples and cover with 1/3 of the flour mixture; repeat twice. Place the other pie crust over the apples, press into the lower crust and flute the edges. Cut slits into the top crust.

Mix the egg and water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with the original sugar/cinnamon that was set aside.

Bake for 30 minutes and golden brown.

This was a really yummy pie and paired perfectly with vanilla ice cream...blue ribbon for sure!
enjoy,
e

Baked Crispy Dijon Chicken

This chicken tastes good but the best part is the endless ways you can use this recipe to make different types of chicken!   So try it this first time, and then look at my different ways to spice it up!

A crispy crust that makes you think it was fried!

4 Chicken Breasts, lightly pounded
4 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 C. Dijon Mustard
1/4 C. Milk (I used 2%)
1/4 C. Panko Breadcrumbs
1/4 C. Parmesan Cheese
Pepper

Preheat oven to 450. In a 9x13 pan, melt butter in oven.
Get two bowls. In bowl one, mix the milk and mustard. In bowl two, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese and some grinds of pepper.
Remove the pan from oven. In a 4-part process, dip chicken in milk mixture thoroughly, then coat with bread crumbs, place in buttered pan and then flip so both sides become buttered. Cook for about 40 minutes. It will be crispy and juicy!

A couple fun ideas:

#1 Italian: Dip in milk (no Dijon) and coat with a batter of panko, Italian seasoning and parmesan. Serve with marinara sauce over pasta (a more crispy Chicken Parmesan).

#2 Southern style: Add honey to the milk/Dijon mixture and coat with panko (and a little cayenne!) only. Serve with biscuits.

#3 Buffalo: Add a couple tablespoons of Franks Buffalo Sauce to the melted butter, and the milk and panko can stand alone. Do this with chicken tenders and serve with ranch.

A simple recipe and easy to make your own! I served the original over sautéed kale with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
enjoy, e

Garlicky Shrimp and Asparagus Orzo

Who wants dinner in 30 minutes? This is definitely a delectable dish that doesn't take a lot of time! Rich and delicious, but light enough to fool you into seconds! A more sophisticated shrimp scampi...and with the added benefit of green!

hmm...just wanna dive in!

1 lb. Raw Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined
4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Shallot, Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
1/2 Bunch Asparagus, Cut into thirds
1/4 C. Sherry
A Couple Sprigs Fresh Thyme, chopped
1/4 Lemon
Sea Salt
Fresh Pepper
1 Cup Orzo, uncooked
Water to boil
Parmesan Cheese, optional

In a medium saucepan, boil salted water and add orzo. Cook 9 minutes, drain and set aside.
In a large pan, melt butter over low heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until softened. Add the asparagus and shrimp. Cook for about 4 minutes, constantly stirring until the shrimp is light pink. Add the sherry and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook for about 5 more minutes. Add the orzo and stir. Squeeze the fresh lemon over all of it and stir.
Serve with a freshly grated parmesan.

This is super easy and can be served over pasta (think linguini), quinoa or rice. Serve with chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc and crusty bread...definitely a dinner party dish!
Enjoy, e

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots and Leeks

This recipe is very similar to my Seriously Perfect Roast Chicken, but deals with chicken pieces, not the whole bird! It's a simple one-pan dish, easy to make and so good!

1 Whole Chicken (already cut into breasts, legs, etc.), rinsed and patted dry
Unsalted Butter (a slice for every piece of chicken)
3 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence ( I buy it, but if you want to know what's in it- here's the recipe)
1/2 Lemon
3 Large Carrots, chopped into large pieces
3 Large Leeks, (washed thoroughly) and sliced thinly
3 Potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters (Russets or Red)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Sea Salt (NOT table salt)
Pepper

Heat oven to 500 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix the carrots, leeks and potatoes with all of the olive oil, 2 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence, a generous sprinkle of sea salt and a few good grinds of fresh pepper. Put veggies along the edges of a baking dish, lined with aluminum foil.  In the center place the chicken, skin side up. Under each piece of skin, place a slice of butter. Sprinkle heavily with salt (so it is visibly showing), a few dashes of pepper and the rest of the Herbs de Provence. Drizzle with the lemon juice (only on chicken). Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes (Check at 30 and may want to fold the foil over the veggies).

The chicken will be visibly crispy and the inside-- so moist! The veggies are done perfectly, with the leeks basically melting into them with just flavor to remember them by.

A wonderful autumn dinner.
Enjoy, e

Zesty Asian Meatballs with Cucumber Sesame Salad

Tonight's dinner was going to be plain ole' meatballs and broccoli. Then, I was halfway through mixing the meat and decided to zest it up. Amazing what a little fresh ginger can do! Coupled with soy sauce, sesame seeds and rice vinegar....Boom! So good.

Seriously, the meatballs tasted like dumpling filling.

Meatballs
1 lb. Ground Turkey
3/4 C. Panko Crumbs
1 Egg
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/4 C. Chopped Cilantro
1/4 C. Chopped Onion
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Minced Ginger

Sauce
1/3 C. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Sriracha
1 Lime, Juiced
2 Scallions, Chopped
3 Tbsp. Water
2 Tsp. Olive Oil

Cucumber Salad
1 Cucumber
1/4 C. Rice Vinegar
1 Tsp. Sugar (granulated)
Dash of Salt
2 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds, Roasted (see below)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mix the all the turkey ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Form into medium- sized meatballs and place on baking sheet. Place in oven. Cook until crispy, about 15-18 minutes.

Heat a dry pan to medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and keep shaking the pan to keep the seeds from burning. Cook until lightly browned. Set aside. Peel the cucumber leaving a little bit of the green peel. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice as thinly as possible. In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Pour over the cucumber slices and top with sesame seeds.

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sriracha, lime juice, water and oil. Add the scallions and set aside.

When the meatballs are done, spoon a little of the sauce over them and serve with the cucumber salad. Have the sauce on the side for extra dipping! I also served the sauce over steamed broccoli!

A zesty twist on a basic dinner!
Enjoy,
e

Melt In Your Mouth Pot Roast

So tis the season of fall and nothing better to warm the hearts and home than a delicious pot roast.  I served it in a bowl with a spoon... seriously.

The roast is perfectly pinked after cooking low and slow for 4 hours!

Pot Roast
3-3.5 lb. Roast (Chuck eye, or Round Bottom)
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Onions, thinly sliced
2 Carrots, chopped
2 Celery Hearts, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 C. Beef Broth
1/2 C. Dry Red Wine
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tsp. Thyme
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Gravy
2 C. Beef Broth
1 C. Dry Red Wine
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp. Thyme

Trim excess fat off the meat. Season the meat with 1 Tbsp. salt and place on a wire rack to dry at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter in a dutch oven. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and lightly browned. Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mix. Stir in broth, wine, bay leaf and thyme; bring to a simmer.

Pat beef dry with a paper towel and place on top of the veggies. Season with more salt and a little pepper. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil and lid. Place in the oven.

Cook beef for 4 hours, turning halfway. Transfer the beef to a dish and cover with foil.
Strain the liquid through a mesh strainer. Set aside the broth and let settle for a few minutes until the fat can be skimmed off. Remove the bay leaf, put the veggies in a blender and puree. Add a total of 3 cups of liquid to the blender (using beef broth to supplement). Pour into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the wine, balsamic vinegar, thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the gravy over the beef and serve with mashed potatoes and peas!
This is a big endeavor time wise-- but totally perfect for a Sunday dinner with family and friends.
This serves 4....add more lbs. if you need - but the gravy is plentiful for 6-8!

Enjoy,
e

Chunky Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie... the epitome of comfort food. This old time favorite is especially delicious when cooked in an iron skillet (something I am just getting used to using!). This recipe has a little twist on the typical with a dash of cream and some sherry!


 Crispy, golden and delicious!



Filling
4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/2 C. Chopped Celery
1/2 C. Chopped Onion
1/2 C. Chopped Carrots
3 C. Chopped Cooked Chicken (Ours was smoked the day before--you can use Rotisserie!)
1/4 C. Flour
3 C. Beef Broth (or Chicken)-- I used what I had
1/2 C. Frozen Peas
1/4 C. Half and Half
Splash or two of Sherry
1 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence ( mixture of thyme, rosemary, savory, and marjoram)
Ground Pepper
Salt

Topping
1.5 C. Bisquick
3/4 C. Milk
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 400. In a cast iron skillet, melt butter. Add the celery, carrots and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add the chicken and sprinkle with flour. Stir around and cook for about a minute. Pour on the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the peas and stir. As the mixture thickens, add the cream and sherry. Season with the herbs, salt, and pepper. Turn off heat.



Right before you add the bisquick topping

In a mixing bowl, stir bisquick, eggs and milk. Pour over the mixture in the skillet and place in oven. Cook for 30 minutes.



When you add the topping it's ok be messy! I doubled the bisquick cause I got scared...don't-- you will have plenty!

 

My Guilty Pleasure: Eating a bowl of this pie, watching Homeland and cuddling on the couch with my husband.

enjoy,
e