Pesto Chicken Tart

Pesto Chicken Tart

Makes dinner for 2, appetizers for 4

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1 small head of peeled garlic cloves (optional)
3 heaping tablespoons basil pesto, homemade or store bought
1 scant cup cooked, diced chicken breast
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove one sheet of puff pastry from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. If using garlic, place cloves on a baking sheet and cook in the oven until soft and light golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Allow the cloves to cool and then chop finely.

Unfold the puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, pressing and pinching to close any holes in the seams. Using a fork, prick the dough all over—including the edges—to prevent it from puffing during baking.

Brush the pesto in a thin layer over the dough. Scatter the roasted garlic across the pesto. Toss the chicken with a tablespoon of olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Layer the chicken on the tart, followed by the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Season with kosher salt and pepper.

Bake until the the cheese is melted and light golden brown, approximately 15-25 minutes (start checking early). Remove the tart from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Note: You can easily sub pizza or flat bread dough in this recipe, or any other bread base you can think of. Also, I scattered some diced tomatoes on one of my slices for some extra color (see last photo); feel free to do the same if you have some ripe ones lying around.

Ricotta Cheese

How to Make Homemade Ricotta

Makes 2 cups

What You Need

Ingredients
1/2 gallon whole milk, not UHT pasteurized (see Recipe Notes)
1/3 cup lemon juice (from 1 1/2 to 2 lemons), 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar, or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid (available from cheese-making suppliers)
1 teaspoon salt, optional

Equipment
4-quart pot
Instant read thermometer or candy thermometer
Measuring spoons
Cheese cloth
Strainer
Mixing bowl
Slotted spoon

Instructions

1. Warm the milk to 200°F: Pour the milk into a 4-quart pot and set it over medium heat. Let it warm gradually to 200°F, monitoring the temperature with an instant read thermometer. The milk will get foamy and start to steam; remove it from heat if it starts to boil.
2. Add the lemon juice and salt: Remove the milk from heat. Pour in the lemon juice or vinegar (or citric acid) and the salt. Stir gently to combine.
3. Let the milk sit for 10 minutes: Let the pot of milk sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. After this time, the milk should have separated into clumps of milky white curds and thin, watery, yellow-colored whey — dip your slotted spoon into the mix to check. If you still see a lot of un-separated milk, add another tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and wait a few more minutes.
4. Strain the curds: Set a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheese cloth. Scoop the big curds out of the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the strainer. Pour the remaining curds and the whey through the strainer. (Removing the big curds first helps keep them from splashing and making a mess as you pour.)
5. Drain the curds for 10 to 60 minutes: Let the ricotta drain for 10 to 60 minutes, depending on how wet or dry you prefer your ricotta. If the ricotta becomes too dry, you can also stir some of the whey back in before using or storing it.
6. Use or store the ricotta: Fresh ricotta can be used right away or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

• Whole vs. 2% vs. Non-Fat Milk: While whole milk is our favorite for making ricotta, 2% milk can also be used, though the ricotta is slightly less rich and creamy. Avoid using skim and nonfat milks; these don't separate as easily into curds and whey.
• Pasteurized Milk: Pasteurized milk is fine to use for making ricotta, but avoid UHT (Ultra High Temperature) pasteurized milk as this process changes the protein structure of the milk, preventing it from separating.
• Making Fresh Ricotta Salata: If you'd like to make a fresh farmer's cheese (ricotta salata) from this ricotta, wrap it in cheese cloth and press it beneath a weighted plate in the refrigerator overnight.
• Using the Leftover Whey: The leftover whey can be used in place of water in any baking recipe, whizzed into smoothies, or drunk on its own over ice.

Guacamole

Guacamole

3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1 lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 medium onion, diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Perfect Plum Pie

From the tree to the table

Nice and ripe yellow plums off of Grandpa's tree

Who will help me pick my plums?

make the pie pastry 

slice the plums

mix the fruit & make the crumble topping

bake and next is the best part - EAT!

Perfect Plum Pie

4 
cups sliced plums

1/2 c. sugar

¼ c. flour

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 
tablespoon lemon juice

1 
unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie pastry

       Topping

½ c. sugar

½ c. flour  (I put in a few Tblsp of oatmeal)

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

3 Tblsp. cold margarine

Directions

In bowl, combine first 6 ingredients; pour into pastry shell.

For topping, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cut in margarine until coarse.

Sprinkle over plums.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 60 minutes or until golden brown.

(May need to cover crust edges with foil during baking to prevent burning.).

Giant Zucchinni - Corn Fritter

Giant Zucchinni – Corn Fritter

2.5 oz. cooked real bacon pieces

1 ½ c. shredded parmesan cheese

2.8 oz. fried onions

2 c. thinly sliced zucchini

6.5 oz yellow cornbread mix    *see copycat recipe for this below

2 lrg. eggs, beaten

1 c. sour cream

1 c. cream style corn

1 c. thawed yellow corn kernels or fresh kernels

½ tsp. sea salt

3 Tblsp. melted butter

Directions

Step-By-Step

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 10 1/4" cast iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix bacon pieces, parmesan cheese and fried onions in a medium bowl.     

Place half the mixture into the bottom of the prepared skillet.

Layer the thinly sliced zuchinni over the mixture.

In another medium bowl, mix together the cornbread mix, egg, sour cream, cream corn and corn kernels. Sprinkle with the sea salt and fold in melted butter.  

Pour the cornbread mixture over the zuchinni layer.

Top with the remaining bacon-cheese mixture. Tap pan slightly to settle the ingredients before baking.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out nearly clean.

Cool about 8 minutes before serving.

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (Copycat)

from: cooks.com

       Corn Muffin Mix

2/3 c. flour

½ c. cornmeal

3 Tblsp. Sugar

1 Tblsp. Baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 Tblsp. Veg. oil

DIRECTIONS

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl, mix well.

Whisk in vegetable oil and mix until dry mixture is smooth

and lumps are gone.

If another recipe is calling for a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, add the above mixed ingredients to that recipe.