Appetizer: Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Baked Jalapeno Poppers are a favorite of mine to make for our Superbowl  Party.   Not only do they add a little spice to the party they are easy to make. In making the poppers, you need to pick jalapeno peppers that are firm, smooth and a solid green color.  The filling consists of a seasoned ricotta pepper jack cheese mixture.  Then you fill, dip and bake.  The panko breadcrumbs add a crunchy texture to the peppers.  The peppers are baked long enough to cook through but they are not mushy.

The heat of the jalapeno pepper is moderately hot.  On a heat scale from 1 to 10, they are a 5.  If by chance, you happen to get a pepper which is really hot,  consume a dairy product like, milk, yogurt, or ice cream.  Dairy products contain casein which will help reduce the burning sensation in your mouth.

When working with jalapenos, or any chili pepper, try to wear disposable gloves.  The capsaicin in the peppers could burn your skin and eyes.


                                        Baked Jalapeno Poppers



Ingredients:

12 fresh jalapeno peppers
1-cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1-teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried Mexican Oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½-1 teaspoon salt (depending upon taste)
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup flour
1-cup panko breadcrumbs


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line baking sheet with foil.  Coat lightly with cooking spray.
3. Remove stems from jalapeno peppers.  Slice jalapenos lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes.  A melon ball scooper works nicely.

4. Mix together the ricotta cheese, onion powder, ground cumin, Mexican Oregano, garlic powder, salt, chili powder, and white pepper in a small bowl.  Add the pepper jack cheese and mix well. Taste and add more salt if  needed.
5. Beat together the eggs and milk in a small bowl.
6. Place the flour in a shallow dish.  In another dish place the panko breadcrumbs.
7. Fill the jalapeno pepper halves with one tablespoon of the cheese filling.

8. Dredge the pepper halves one at a time in the flour.  Next, dip in the egg mixture.  Finally, dredge in the panko crumbs pressing the crumbs in place if necessary.
9. Place the jalapeno peppers on the prepared baking sheet cut side up.

















10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden.
11.  Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Serve.

Makes 24 servings

Broth-Braised Potatoes

These potatoes  are bursting with flavor.  There is no need for butter, sour cream, cheese, gravy, and any other food items you put on your potatoes.  You start with a chicken broth base, add lemon zest, garlic, olive oil,  rosemary or thyme, add your potatoes and cook.   I used fingerling potatoes in this recipe.They absorbed the flavor of the broth nicely.  In addition to the great taste, the smell is absolutely intoxicating as  they are cooking.

This recipe can be found on page 358, Around My French Table.

Granola Bars

Today, I made some granola bars.  These granola bars are great for a quick breakfast, snack, or lunch treat.  They have lots of goodness baked in them -  oatmeal, dried cherries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and wheat germ.  These granola bars have a nice chewy nutty texture to them.

In addition to tasting good, you are getting  antioxidants, folic acid, Vitamin E, and zinc. Just to name a few  good minerals and vitamins for your body.





                                                    


Granola Bars



Ingredients:
1-cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼-teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups quick cooking oats
1 cup puffed brown rice cereal
½ cup toasted wheat germ
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds
1 cup chopped dried cherries
½ cup butter at room temperature
1-cup pack brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1-teaspoon vanilla extract



Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Whisk together the flour, backing powder, salt and ground cinnamon in a medium-mixing bowl.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, puffed brown rice cereal, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and dried cherries.  Stir well .
4. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and the sugars.
5. Add the egg to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
6. Add the honey and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
7. Add the flour mixture to the butter a little at a time mixing well.
8. Stir in the nut and fruit mixture. Stir until combined.
9.  Press the mixture into the prepared pan.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is  lightly brown and set.
11.  Cool and cut into bars.


Yields 24 bars

Ready for Oven

Out Of Oven

BA: Party Mix

I made snack mix from a recipe I found in the December 2011 issue of "Bon Appetit" magazine. I like this recipe because it has a lot of goodies in it - peanuts, pretzels, Terra Stix, pumpkin seeds and Bugles. You will notice the BA recipe calls for roasted green peas. I could not find any so I substituted dry roasted edamame. They are a tasty and healthy substitute.  The Dijon mustard adds some spiciness to the mix, but it was not overpowering. The Terra sticks added great color and taste. This is a great mix for snacking,  parties, and other get togethers. You can make this mix up to 1 weeks ahead. Just store it in an airtight container at room temperature.







BA Party Mix
Bon Appetit  December 2011

 4 cups Bugles(original flavor)
 3 cups whole wheat sesame pretzel rounds or other small pretzels
 2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
 1cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
 1 cup store-bought roasted green peas (not wasabi flavor)
 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 large garlic cloves, crushed
 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
 1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder
 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika plus more for sprinkling
 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups Terra Stick

 Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

 Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and gently cook to infuse butter, about 5 minutes. Strain into a small bowl,  pressing to extract garlic juices. Discard garlic. Stir in Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, mustard powder, salt, paprika, and pepper. Pour over mixture in bowl and toss gently to coat.

 Divide mixture between 2 baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until dry and toasted, about 1 hour. Sprinkle mixture with a few pinches of paprika. Toss and let cool completely on baking sheets (party mix will become crispy as it cools).

Transfer party mix to a large bowl. Add Terr Stix and toss to mix well.

Do Ahead: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Quatre-quarts

Quatre-quarts

It's Friday which means it is French Friday's With Dorie.  Today, we made  a Quatre-quarts cake.  This cakes is made with four equal parts  eggs, flour, sugar, and butter.   Quatre-quarts cake is the French cousin of the American pound cake.  It is slightly drier than a pound cake, but just as delicious.  This cake  has a delicate  flavor  that goes great with just about anything.

I cut the cake in wedges and served it with fresh fruit.




This recipe can be found on pages 434-435 in "Around My French Table."

Ready For The Oven

Out of Oven

Cooling

Soup of The Day: Lentil and Pasta Soup

January is National Soup month.  Soup is my winter comfort food.  Today's recipe is a Lentil and Pasta Soup.  This is a rich hearty soup that could be a one-dish meal.  It is loaded with veggies, sausage,  lentils, and pasta, in a beef broth. The soup has a subtle spicy flavor from the Kielbasa sausage.
Not only does the soup taste great, lentils have been listed as one the  5 healthiest foods.  They are high in protein, dietary fiber, folate, Vitamin B and minerals.

I usually serve this soup with a crusty piece of bread.


                                       Lentil and Pasta Soup


Ingredients:

1 cup dried lentils
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced Kielbasa Sausage
1 cup diced potatoes
¾ cup sliced carrots
½ cup finely diced onion
½ cup diced celery
1 cup canned plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
5 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup Ditalini pasta
Salt to taste
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese



Directions:

1. Discard any foreign matter from the lentils.  Rinse lentils under cold water.  Drain and set aside.
2. In a Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Once a haze forms on the olive oil add the butter.
3. Add the diced Kielbasa sausage to the oil and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
4.Add the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery to the oil.  Stirring occasionally cook for 5 minutes.
5.  Add tomatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes.
6. Add the lentils, beef broth, ground black pepper, and bay leaf to the vegetable mixture.  Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until lentils are tender stirring frequently.
7. Cook pasta to al dente while the soup is simmering. .  Drain and set aside.
8. Add pasta to the soup and stir.  Remove the Bay leaf.
9. Taste and add salt if needed.
10. Ladle soup in bowls and serve with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Makes 8 servings

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

I have been wanting to make these Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls for a long long time.  My husband was at a Scouting event where they were served.  He said they were really really good.  I got in contact with the person who made them and was told the  recipe came from "Our Best Bites" blog.

I finally got around to making the rolls this past weekend.  They were relatively easy to make.  You make them  like you would cinnamon rolls.  You roll  the dough into a rectangle, spread/sprinkle the filling, roll up like a jellyroll, cut, rise, and bake.  The fillings for these rolls are a garlic  buttery spread (recipe included in the link) and mozzarella cheese.

Your first rise is 1 hour and the second rise is however long it takes you to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  You have to keep your eye on them during the last 10 minutes of baking to be sure they don't get too brown.  If they do, just lay a piece of foil on top of them.

My husband was right, these rolls are delicious.  I served them with soup, but you could also serve them with pasta.  

The link for the recipe is: Our Best Bites

Garlic Seasoning

Dough Spread with Garlic Butter

Topped With Mozzarella Cheese

Rolled Jellyroll Style

Ready for Second Rise

Cheesy Garlic Swirls