French Pastry Class

Last night I took a French Pastry Class at a local cooking school. It was a very informative class and I learned how to make several items that were on my list of things to try. During the course we learned how to make, croissants, pain chocolate and almond croissants, cheese puffs, apricot almond tart, and chocolate moelleux. The cheese puffs are definitely going to be on my holiday menu. I also plan on trying my hand at a batch of croissants soon, although it will need to be a day I don't mind flouring the entire kitchen. These were very messy to make! We learned a traditional French method taught at the Cordon Bleu that included using French butter. I also love the quiche with the puff pastry crust. I've made many quiches but never thought of using puff pastry for the crust. Not only is it delicious, but it looks pretty too. We also learned an interesting French method to making the quiche. They sprinkle the dry ingredients, ham, cheese, etc. into the quiche individually and then pour the egg mix over. This ensures each quiche has the same amount of meat, etc. I thought that was a really good tip.

Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

I'll admit the title of this recipe does not sound like anything exciting, but this was one really good meal! It reminds me a lot of my other favorite easy and delicious meal. This not unexpectedly is another winner from the Everyday Food collection. This is a perfect fall meal with the inclusion of one of my favorites, acorn squash. You could add any other vegetables or mix and match depending on what you liked. I'm thinking new potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, butternut squash. This recipe only takes 10 minutes to prep and makes a beautiful presentation with all of the pretty fall vegetables! I would say this one is a keeper.

Roast Chicken with Vegetables
Source: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 pound cremini mushooms, trimmed and halved
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper
4 bone-in chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon dried rosemary crumbled (I substituted herbs de provence)

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the squash, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and oil in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast until the squash is beginning to soften and all the vegetables are heated through, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, lift up the skin from the chicken breasts; rub the flesh with the rosemary and some salt and pepper. Replace the skin and season the chicken all over with more salt.

3. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and place the chicken, skin sides up on top of the vegetables. Return to the oven; continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. (my chicken took about 45-55 minutes to be cooked through)

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping

Yesterday I got a craving for banana bread. I think my mind has decided fall is here, since temperatures have dropped into the 80s! I wanted a banana bread that was more cake like and had lots of flavor. This one featured in the September issue of Bon Appetit is a recipe from the Bake Sale Betty Bakery in Oakland, California. This banana bread really hit the spot. This cake was moist and delicious. The description that accompanies the recipe is perfect, a cross between a banana bread and a coffee cake. The honey and cinnamon flavor were quite prominent. I don't even know where to begin with the cinnamon crumble topping, it was truly the icing on the cake! Everyone in our family, toddler included, loved this banana bread. Its the perfect compliment to a cup of apple cider tea (my new favorite) and a breezy fall afternoon! If your family likes it as much as mine, you should probably make two loaves, because it will go fast! Sorry, the picture doesn't do it justice, but we were hungry!

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping
Source: Bon Appetit, September 2008

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal baking pan. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients; stir to blend. Transfer batter to pan. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle over batter.
• Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool bread in pan 30 minutes. Turn pan on its side; slide out bread, being careful not to dislodge topping. Turn bread right side up and cool completely.

Barefoot Bloggers-Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese

Another day, another Barefoot Blogger recipe! This is one I am a little late in posting. This dish was chosen by Heather at Randomosity and the Girl. I thought this dish was good. The bacon added a nice flavor. Really though, doesn't bacon make anything taste better? I was surprised the cheeses didn't add as much flavor as I thought they would, given that they are all really pungent cheeses. My husband said it was delicious, and he ate two servings. I like my macaroni and cheese really creamy and this one wasn't as creamy as I hoped. I cooked the macaroni in my creme brulee dishes in place of the gratin dishes and I'm wondering if using a dish that was a bit more shallow than a gratin caused it to dry out more. I liked the whole concept though. If I made it again, I would probably double the sauce and add a bit more of the cheeses and fresh herbs.

Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese
Source: Ina Garten/Food Network

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (I used bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves (I used dried basil)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Barefoot Bloggers-Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

This week's Barefoot Blogger's pick is one of those recipes I wouldn't necessarily have picked on my own. I like mushrooms in certain dishes but am not a huge fan of mushroom soup by itself. My husband, however, really likes mushrooms so this soup was perfect for him. I thought it was good for a mushroom soup. As always Ina's techniques and recipes turn out beautifully. This soup tasted like something you would get in a restaurant. This recipe, however, was a lot of work and considering I'm not that big of a mushroom soup fan, I probably wouldn't make it again. If you do like mushroom soup, you should definitely indulge in this recipe, you won't be disappointed. Of note, this soup is very rich and filling so it can serve as a meal all in itself. Thanks to Chelle over at the Brown Eyed Baker for picking this recipe.

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

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Barefoot Bloggers-Apple Turnovers

I was really excited about this month's Barefoot Blogger's bonus recipe. These apple turnovers looked good but I have to say they exceeded my expectations. I love the combination of the apples, dried cherries, and oranges. It reminds me of the wonderful pairing of flavors in Ina's Apple and Pear Crisp. I can't even describe how ridiculously easy these were to make. I'm imagining serving them warm out of the oven for a dinner party with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Thanks to Anne Strawberry for choosing such a wonderful recipe. The recipe makes more apple pie filling than will fit in the turnovers. I tossed mine into a small casserole dish and baked the filling alongside the turnovers. My toddler absolutely loved it! I've been a bit behind of my Barefoot Blogger recipes this month but am almost caught up. Check back tomorrow for Ina's Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese and Thursday for Wild Mushroom Soup. Quite a cooking marathon in one week!

Apple Turnovers
Source: Ina Garten/Foodnetwork.com

1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/4 pounds tart apples, such as Empire or Granny Smith (3 apples)
3 tablespoons dried cherries
3 tablespoons sugar, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch kosher salt
1 package (17.3 ounces, 2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the orange zest and orange juice in a bowl. Peel, quarter, and core the apples and then cut them in 3/4-inch dice. Immediately toss the apples with the zest and juice to prevent them from turning brown. Add the cherries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Flour a board and lightly roll each sheet of puff pastry to a 12 by 12-inch square. Cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares and keep chilled until ready to use.

Brush the edges of each square with the egg wash and neatly place about 1/3 cup of the apple mixture on half of the square. Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture and seal by pressing the edges with a fork. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, make 2 small slits, and bake for 20 minutes, until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.