Chicken with Cranberry Sauce

I'm a huge fan of Thanksgiving dinner. Its one of my top ten favorite meals. This recipe is a good short cut for when you want the flavors of a Thanksgiving dinner without all the work. This meal requires only a few ingredients and very little prep so its especially good for a weeknight meal. Sauteing the onions in the chicken sauce adds a nice depth of flavor to the cranberry sauce and prevents it from being overly sweet. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and my chicken was a bit dry. Next time, I would use the bone-in chicken breasts called for in the recipe. I served this meal with roasted sweet potatoes and stuffing. Another bonus, cranberries are high in antioxidants thus adding an extra health benefit to this meal!

Chicken with Cranberry Sauce
Source: Everday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 bone-in chicken breasts (8 ounces each)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub evenly under chicken skin. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; roast skin side up until skin is golden brown and meat is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt remaining tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add sage and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme; cook 1 minute. Add broth; simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain mixture; return to saucepan.
3. Add cranberries and sugar; boil until berries burst, 5 to 8 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture; return to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat (sauce will thicken as it stands). Season with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon sauce over chicken.

Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake

I saw this recipe in Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours and thought it sounded like a perfect way to end my fall dinner. As usual, Dorie's recipe turned out perfectly and was a big hit at the party. The apples hidden in the cheesecake are a wonderful surprise. The gingersnap crust was not overpowering as I've had with other gingersnap crusts in the past. It had just the right balance to the spiciness of the cheesecake filling. Definitely a show stopper dessert. The only change I would make to this recipe is to add a caramel drizzle to the top.

Brown Sugar-Apple Cheesecake
Source: Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

For the Crust
30 gingersnaps
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

For the Apples
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
3 large Golden Delicious or Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
2 tbsp (packed) light brown sugar

For the Filling
1 1/2 pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
6 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp apple cider
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy cream

Caramel Sauce for Drizzling

To Make the Crust: Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and whir until you have crumbs; you should have a scant 2 cups. (If you are using graham cracker crumbs, just put them in the food processor.) Pulse in the sugar and cinnamon, if you’re using it, then pour over the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are moistened. Turn the crumbs into the springform pan and, using your fingertips, firmly press them evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan as far as they’ll go. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven. (The crust can be covered and frozen for up to 2 months.)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the pan from the freezer and wrap the bottom tightly in aluminum foil, going up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is set and lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool while you make the apples and the filling. Leave the oven at 350 degrees F.

To Make the Apples: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, toss in half of the apple slices and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the apples with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and cook them, turning, just until coated, another minute or so. Scrape the apples onto a plate, wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining apples. Let the apples cool while you make the filling.

Getting Ready to Bake: Have a roasting pan large enough to hold the springform pan at hand. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

To Make the Filling: Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed, scraping down the bowl often, for about 4 minutes, or until it is velvety smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes. Beat in the cider, vanilla, and cinnamon. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Finally, beat in the sour cream and heavy cream, beating just until the batter is smooth.

Pour about one third of the batter into the baked crust. Drain the apples by lifting them off the plate with a slotted spoon or spatula, and spoon them into the pan. Cover with the remaining batter and, if needed, jiggle the pan to even the top. Place the springform pan in the roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 to 45 minutes, covering the cake loosely with a foil tent at the 45-minute mark. The cake will rise evenly and crack around the edges, and it should be fully set except, possibly, in the very center–if the center shimmies, that’s just fine. Gently transfer the cake, still in the pan, to a cooling rack and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours; overnight would be better.

Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the crust, open the pan’s latch and release and remove the sides.

Cheesy Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Creme Fraiche

Photo from Bon Appetit

I was instantly drawn to this recipe when I saw the beautiful picture in this month's Bon Appetit. I'll admit I was a little nervous about how the cauliflower, tomato and green onion would blend together in the dish. Turns out I shouldn't have given it a second thought. This dish was superb. It is very filling and works beautifully as a main course that needs no other accompaniment. The sauce was very flavorful and creamy and the addition of the cauliflower melded perfectly with the other components of the dish. This dish is a bit time consuming to make, requiring multiple steps and using lots of pots and pans. The result, however, is well worth the effort.

Cheesy Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Creme Fraiche
Source: Bon Appetit, October 2008

• 1 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-pound head of cauliflower, cored, cut into 1-inch florets
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• Coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 cups coarsely grated Comté cheese (or half Gruyère and half Fontina; about 9 ounces), divided
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 10 oz penne (3 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from crustless French bread ground in processor)

Preparation

• Cook cauliflower in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using large sieve, transfer cauliflower to bowl. Add tomatoes to pot; cook 1 minute. Remove from water; peel and dice tomatoes. Reserve pot of water.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower; sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and green onions. Cook 1 minute to blend flavors. Remove from heat. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream. Cook until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups Comté cheese; whisk until melted and sauce is smooth. Whisk in 1/2 cup Parmesan, then crème fraîche* and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Return reserved pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to same pot. Stir in cauliflower mixture and sauce.
• Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon in half of pasta mixture; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Comté cheese. Top with remaining pasta mixture and 1/2 cup Comté cheese. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in small skillet. Add breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Remove from heat; mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Sprinkle crumbs over pasta. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake pasta uncovered until heated through and bubbling, about 35 minutes.

Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad with Fig Vinaigrette

Photo from Bon Appetit

I found this recipe in the October issue of Bon Appetit. I have been using figs in salad for several years and have made many different variations of this type of salad. I was drawn to this recipe because of all the wonderful layers of flavors it combined and the homemade fig vinaigrette. I also liked using the prosciutto in the salad since the main course was meatless. Unfortunately, I could not find fresh figs at any of our local stores. Not wanting to give up on the salad, I used dried figs in the salad in place of the fresh and used a fig vinaigrette recipe I found in a Whole Food's flier that I have been using for many years. The salad was not only beautiful in presentation but the flavor combination was outstanding. I can't wait for figs to reappear next fall so I can try it with fresh figs. At least with using dried figs I know we can enjoy this salad many more times throughout the fall and winter.

Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad with Fig Vinaigrette
Source: Bon Appetit, October 2008

Ingredients

VINAIGRETTE

• 5 oz fresh figs (about 6 large), stemmed, quartered
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• Generous pinch of sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

SALAD

• 8 1/2-inch-thick rounds soft fresh goat cheese (from 11-ounce log)
• 1 egg, beaten to blend
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 cups (packed) arugula
• 3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
• 8 fresh figs, stemmed, halved (I substituted dried figs)
• Honey

• Combine figs and 1/2 cup water in medium saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer over medium-low heat, mashing with potato masher until mixture softens and coarse puree forms. Transfer fig mixture to strainer set over bowl. Press on solids to extract as much mixture as possible. Whisk lemon juice, both vinegars, basil, and sugar into fig puree. Whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

I used this recipe for the fig vinaigrette instead: Dressing: Whisk together a tablespoon or so of Fig Preserves,lemon juice, olive oil, a salt and fresh cracked pepper. I don't have exact measurements I just eyeball it and taste.

• Dip goat cheese rounds in beaten egg; coat both sides with panko. Place goat cheese on plate; chill 10 minutes. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add goat cheese to skillet; cook just until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to paper towels.
• Arrange arugula on platter. Drape prosciutto slices over. Scatter fig halves over. Surround with goat cheese slices. Drizzle with honey; spoon vinaigrette over.

Apple Thyme Martinis

Photo from foodnetwork.com

To start off the evening I made a pitcher of Apple Thyme Martinis. These were easy to make and a really fun way to start the evening. I would consider adjusting the proportions to add more apple juice or even apple cider to give it a little more of an apple kick. The addition of the thyme syrup adds an interesting hint to the drink.


Apple Thyme Martinis
Source: Giada's Kitchen, New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentis

Ice
10 ounces vodka
6 ounces apple juice
1/4 cup thyme syrup, recipe follows
1 large apple, peeled
4 fresh thyme sprigs

Special equipment: melon baller

Chill the martini glasses.

Fill the shaker with ice. Combine the vodka, apple juice, and thyme syrup in a martini shaker. Shake for about 10 seconds. Divide between the 4 chilled martini glasses.

Use the melon baller to scoop out small balls of apple. Place 3 balls of apple and 1 sprig of thyme in each glass for garnish. Serve immediately.

Thyme Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
5 large sprigs fresh thyme

In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and thyme over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Fall Dinner Party

I recently decided to host a dinner party to get together with some friends we had not seen in a while. I went back and forth on the menu and finally decided I wanted it to be fall inspired. We had a lovely evening dining with and catching up with friends. Even better, the menu turned out wonderfully and I have some new favorite dishes! Below is the menu I prepared:

Apple Thyme Martinis

Mushroom Duxelles in Puff Pastry (store bought)

Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad with Fig Vinaigrette

Cheesy Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Creme Fraiche

Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake

Baked Gnocchi

I fell in love with Gnocchi when I previously made this dish so I was excited to try this recipe from Everyday Pasta by Giada de Laurentis. I have made so many wonderful dishes from that cookbook and this recipe was also delicious. This was very quick and easy to make. I'm not sure my sauce got quite as thick as it should have since I used half and half instead of heavy cream. This might be one of those dishes were the real deal is the best thing. The sauce did thicken some with the half and half so I think the substitution works but isn't perfect in this particular recipe. The white sauce was really flavorful. The tanginess of the goat cheese combined with the hint of nutmeg melded really nicely in this dish. I used whole wheat gnocchi for this dish. I would say the whole wheat gnocchi were a little denser than the regular gnocchi but still good. I'm posting the original recipe, but I did halve it when I made it.

Baked Gnocchi
Source: Everyday Pasta by Giada de Laurentis

• 2 (17 ounce) packages potato gnocchi
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 12 ounces baby spinach
• 3 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the gnocchi in a lightly greased 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cream, chicken broth, and flour over medium heat. Continue whisking until the sauce is simmering and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir to combine. Add the spinach and toss to coat in the cream. Pour the cream and spinach mixture evenly over the gnocchi and gently spread the spinach out to cover.
4. Crumble the goat cheese over the spinach. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden in places, about 30 minutes.