Ruffled Milk Pie

Original on http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/ruffled-milk-pie

Modified by Denny--I couldn't get this to work for me, so I mixed it up myself with the following and it came out YUMMY. The original recipe called for 14 inch pie pan and I don't own one that BIG! I use 1/2 box of the organic phyllo dough. It comes frozen at Whole Foods and I cut in 1/2 while frozen and return the rest to the freezer. Then I let it thaw out. I use this phyllo as my topping for my chicken pot pie too.

Ingredients
Makes one 9-inch pie
6 tablespoons melted unsalted Butter
8 to 9 sheets store-bought phyllo
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
1/4 generous cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (about 2tablespoons)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan or pie pan with some of the melted butter; set aside.

2.Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on work surface with one long side parallel to edge of work surface. Using your hands, loosely ruffle phyllo by pushing short sides towards one another to create a long cylindrical shape. Place upright in center of prepared cake pan creating a spiral. Repeat process with remaining sheets, continuing spiral outwards until bottom of pan is covered.
3.Using a pastry brush, brush remaining clarified butter all over phyllo in pan; sprinkle with cinnamon. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

4.Meanwhile, heat milk in a medium saucepan until it just barely begins to boil; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Gradually add heated milk, a little bit at a time, whisking constantly; whisk in vanilla.

5.Spoon milk mixture over baked phyllo, evenly covering surface. Return pan to oven and bake until filling has set, 20-25 minutes more. Dust with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon; serve immediately.

From The Martha Stewart Show, November 2009

Beef Stroganoff

Cooks Note-- this is the first Beef Stroganoff my hubby has eaten and liked in 10 years of marriage--it's a keeper! This meat just went on sale and I bought it to freeze for later!

Beef Stroganoff ---Serves 4. Published March 1, 2010. From Cook's Illustrated

I modified this recipe, because I do not use a microwave.

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds sirloin steak tips , trimmed of excess fat and cut lengthwise (with grain) into 4 equal pieces (see note below)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 pound white mushrooms , wiped clean and quartered
2 teaspoons hot water
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
Table salt
2 teaspoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine or dry vermouth
1 1/2 cups beef broth (low-sodium)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves or dill

Instructions
1. Using fork, poke each piece of steak 10 to 12 times. Place in baking dish; rub both sides evenly with soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Here is were I modified---this is Cook Illustrated way--While meat marinates, place mushrooms in medium microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power until mushrooms have decreased in volume by half, 4 to 5 minutes (there should be as much as ¼ cup liquid in bowl). Drain mushrooms and set aside; discard liquid.
This is my modified way--In a 12 inch pan saute the mushrooms for up to 20mins--they should degrees in volume by half. From here you would begin with step 5 in this pan.

3. Combine water, dry mustard, sugar, and ½ teaspoon pepper in small bowl until smooth paste forms; set aside

4. Pat steak pieces dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steak pieces in skillet and cook until browned on all sides and internal temperature registers 125 to 130 degrees, 6 to 9 minutes, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Transfer meat to large plate and set aside while cooking sauce.

5. Add mushrooms, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook until vegetables begin to brown and dark bits form on bottom of pan, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until onions and mushrooms are coated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup wine, beef broth, and mustard paste and bring to simmer, scraping ¬bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce has reduced slightly and begun to thicken, 4 to 6 minutes.

6. While sauce is reducing, cut steak pieces across grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Stir meat and any accumulated juices into thickened sauce and cook until beef has warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let any bubbles subside. Stir in sour cream and remaining tablespoon wine; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley or dill and serve.


Keys to Tender, Juicy Meat
1. CHOOSE BEEFY CUT
Steak tips (we buy whole steak) have far beefier flavor than tenderloin. (And they're cheaper.)
2. POKE HOLES
Poking holes in meat allows marinades to penetrate more deeply and contributes to more tender texture.
3. MARINATE
Marinating meat in soy sauce before searing boosts meaty flavor and enhances juiciness.
4. SEAR BIG PIECES
Searing large pieces allows meat to stay in pan long enough to create flavorful fond for sauce.
5. SLICE COOKED MEAT
Slicing rested cooked meat across grain into 1/4-inch -thick slices before adding it to sauce preserves juiciness.

Gluten Free Mealoaf

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup rice cracker crumbs
1 yellow onion, 1/2 chopped, 1/2 thinly sliced, divided
1 cup grated carrots
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, divided
2 to 3 teaspoons gluten-free yellow or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In a pan saute the chopped onions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, cracker crumbs, sauted chopped onion, carrots, egg, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining tomato sauce with sugar. Pour sauce over the meatloaf and scatter sliced onions over the top.
Arrange pan on a small baking sheet and bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cooks note: This recipe was great for being gluten free.

Easy Chicken Sausage with Tortellini

2 package of chicken sausage-heat and serve, Hans, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 TBSP olive oil
1 pacakge LaPasta tricolor Tortellini- FRESH pasta (local company in Maryland)
365 organic tomato sause
romano grated cheese - to taste
1/4 cup water


Heat nonstick pan, add oil, brown one side of the chicken sausage (5-7mins). Stir the sausage for get the other side brown. Add water to the pan and scrape up the brown bits "fawn."

Add tortellini (do not boil) and sause and allow it to simmer for 5 mins.

Top with grated cheese

NOTE: add water ever you want to...mushrooms, onions, pepper... I would saute these first, remove them from the pan...then brown chicken sausage...and add it all back with the sause.

Fried Rice with Peas and Bean Sprouts

I am going to try this and pair it with my chicken...I will let you know how it turns out.

1/30/2010- This came out GREAT and I won't change a thing! YUMMY

Fried Rice with Peas and Bean Sprouts
Makes about 8 cups
Serving 4 to 6. Published March 1, 2001.

1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
2 large eggs , beaten lightly
1 cup frozen peas (preferably baby peas), thawed
2 medium cloves garlic , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
6 cups cooked white rice (cold), large clumps broken up with fingers
1 cup bean sprouts (about 2 1/2 ounces)
5 medium scallions , sliced thin (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions
1.1. Combine oyster sauce and soy sauce in small bowl; set aside.

2.2. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes; add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add eggs and cook without stirring until they just begin to set, about 20 seconds, then scramble and break into small pieces with wooden spoon; continue to cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are cooked through but not browned, about 1 minute longer. Transfer eggs to small bowl and set aside.

3.3. Return skillet to burner, increase heat to high, and heat skillet until hot, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add peas and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds; stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and oyster sauce mixture; cook, stirring constantly and breaking up rice clumps, until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, bean sprouts, and scallions; cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients
4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless, sliced into strips

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup browsugar
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup sesame oil
2 cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Mix all ingredients, except constrach and extra 2TB of oil and pour into a ziplock bag. Marinade for 4-10 hours.

Remove chicken from bag. In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp. cornstarch and 1 tsp water, 2 TBSP of sesame oil. Coat the chicken with the mixture.

Cook chicken in batches in a 12 inch pan. YUMMY!

Pork Chops or Chicken with Apples and Onions

For those of you that don't know....my hubby is allergic to pork, so I don't cook it (except bacon). This weekend at Whole Foods I needed to demo Pork Chops, so I found April in prepared foods and picked her brain and the recipe below is the result. After cooking this recipe four times and hearing many customers wondering if it would be just as good with chicken, I decided to give it a try. The chicken was just a YUMMY! I would serve this over brown rice for a complete meal at home.

Pork Chops or Chicken with Apples and Onions
2 bone in or out Pork Chops, seasoned with Bosari
1 apple, cored, sliced Organic Fuji
½ yellow onion, sliced
¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
¾ cup 365 Organic Apple Juice
2 TBSP oil

Heat pan, add oil, brown one side of the chop (5-7mins). Flip chop, add sliced onions and
apples sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add vinegar and apple juice to pan and cover (5-7mins--longer if the chop is thick). Check temp of pork, once it is 120 degrees F remove lid and reduce liquid until it looks like a glaze. The final temp of your chop should be 140degress F

Recipe by April in Prepared Foods

SMORES indoor

melt butter 4 TBSP butter and a 16 oz bag of small marshmellows in a double broiler.

Once the marshmellow melts to smooth, but thick consistancy use a spoon to place on top the 1/2 of gram cracker and two chucks of chocolate (dark or milk) and place the 1/2 of gram cracker on top, yummy! repeat until you full of gooey yum yum

Skirt Steak Sandwiches with Neals Yard Colston Bassett Stilt

Comment: I rubbed the skirt with the rub and I did use the brown sugar. If you aren' a cumin fan...reduce it, because the flavor really comes through. I sauted the onion for 5-7 mins in a pan and then added frozen pepper (365 Spotlight brand), because it is easier than fresh. Personally, I love this cut of beef. We actually ate it tonight for dinner. I patted the meat dry with paper towels, then added Borsari (http://www.borsarifoods.com/) and allowed the meat to sit out at room temp for 10 minutes while my grill heated up. I grilled the steak and sauted the onion and then the frozen peppers. I put this altogether with the Mexican Rice, guamole, and sour cream for a yummy dinner.

Skirt Steak Sandwiches with Neals Yard Colston Bassett Stilt (chesse) recipe modified from WholeFoods.com

Flavorful skirt steak is a great way to enjoy naturally-raised beef, especially when paired with creamy and piquant blue gouda cheese. Succulent grilled red and yellow peppers combine with tangy whole grain mustard and sweet red onions to make this sandwich an impressive meal. Great served with a simple crisp romaine salad topped vinaigrette.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound beef skirt steak
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 red or yellow bell peppers, halved, cored and seeded
Whole grain mustard 4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted or salad greens
1/2 pound Neals Yard Colston Bassett Stilt, crumbled
4 slices red or yellow onion

Method
Put cumin, coriander, pepper, onion powder, garlic, brown sugar, salt and cayenne onto a large plate and stir with a fork to combine. Roll skirt steak in dry rub mixture, turning to coat it all over and pressing the dry rub into the meat. Cover steak tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Prepare grill or broiler, coating with the canola oil to prevent sticking. Broil or grill peppers and skirt steak until peppers are softened and steak is medium rare, about 5 to 8 minutes per side or until internal temperature of steak reaches 130 to 135°F. Remove and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spread mustard on hamburger buns. Slice skirt steak across the grain into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Maybe assemble sandwiches or salad with equal amounts skirt steak topped with cheese, roasted peppers and onions. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Per Serving (10 oz-wt.): 630 calories (290 from fat), 32g total fat, 17g saturated fat, 5g dietary fiber, 50g protein, 35g carbohydrate, 140mg cholesterol, 1000mg sodium
Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.

Mexican Rice

Comment: Wow this was too spicy and I reduced the jalapeño to only 1 1/2. I also substitued the ripe tomatoes for 1 can of rotel and 10 cherry tomotoes, because it is what I had on hand. Overall I would make this again, but I would use only 1/2 or 1 jalapeño chiles and add in some regular green pepers for color.

Mexican Rice
Serves 6-8 as a side dish. Published September 1, 2004 by Cooks Illustrated
Because the spiciness of jalapeños varies from chile to chile, we try to control the heat by removing the ribs and seeds (the source of most of the heat) from those chiles that are cooked in the rice. Use an ovensafe pot about 12 inches in diameter so that the rice cooks evenly and in the time indicated. The pot's depth is less important than its diameter; we've successfully used both a straight-sided sauté pan and a Dutch oven. Whichever type of pot you use, it should have a tight-fitting, ovensafe lid. Vegetable broth can be substituted for chicken broth.

2 ripe tomatoes (about 12 ounces), cored and quartered
1 medium onion , preferably white, peeled, trimmed of root end,and quartered
3 medium jalapeño chiles
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2teaspoons table salt
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime , cut into wedges for serving

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process tomatoes and onion in food processor until smooth and thoroughly pureed, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary. Transfer mixture to liquid measuring cup; you should have 2 cups (if necessary, spoon off excess so that volume equals 2 cups). Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard; mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeño, including ribs and seeds; set aside.
2. Place rice in large fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear, about 1 1/2 minutes. Shake rice vigorously in strainer to remove all excess water.
3. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed ovensafe 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Drop 3 or 4 grains rice in oil; if grains sizzle, oil is ready. Add rice and fry, stirring frequently, until rice is light golden and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and seeded minced jalapeños; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Cover pan and transfer to oven; bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes.
4. Stir in cilantro and reserved minced jalapeño with seeds to taste. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.

The Ulimate Flourless Chocolate Cake

Comment: Yummy!, yes there is sugar in the chocolate, but NO WHITE FLOUR. It tasted like a really moist brownie. This recipe takes overnight to set up, so keep that in mind.

The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake
Serves 12 to 16. Published March 1, 1998.
Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com

8 large eggs , cold
1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup strong coffee or liqueur (optional)
confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.

prepared spring pan

2. Beat eggs with hand-held mixer at high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes. Alternately, beat in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) to achieve same result, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee or liqueur, if using) in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate and butter together at 50 percent power until smooth and warm, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.) Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.

folding in the whipped egg

Chocolate chopped, butter, and coffee

4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of Confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.

Simple Fruit Salad for Kids to Make

Today Devon used her new cookbook "Betty Cocker Junior" to make a fruit salad. Caroline washed all the veggies and then I prepared them for Devon to cut into bite size pieces with a paring knife. Both girls enjoyed eatting their work. Recipie: 1 bag of frozen peaches, thawed 2 apples 1 pint blueberries 1 pinnapple Top...ping: mix 8oz yogurt, 2TB honey, 2TB orange juice