Sunday, January 15, 2012

Cranberry Oat Honey Bread

This was an easy way to use up some cranberries I had in the freezer.  I followed the recipe from Eat Yourself Skinny as written, except I added 1/2 c. of toasted, chopped pecans. 

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Prosciutto and Parmesan Palmiers - An Appetizer You Won't Forget

Palmiers (elephant ears) are relatively easy to make, taste delicious, and make an impressive display.  The recipe below uses prosciutto and parmesan, but there are many other variations you can try - basil and sun-dried tomatoes, turkey with swiss and baby spinach.  Anything that goes well together in a sandwich would work here. 

Ingredients:
1 sheet thawed puff pastry
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 slices of prosciutto
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
Flour, for dusting
  1. Lightly flour your work surface.  Unfold the puff pastry.
  2. Roll the puff pastry out into an approximate 12" square.  To help keep it even, roll from the middle towards the edges.  If the pastry feels like it's starting to stick, gently lift it, place more flour on the work surface and the rolling pin, and turn the pastry. 
  3. Dollop the mustard is several places on the pastry.  Using a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon, spreadh the mustard evenly over the pastry. 
  4. Lay the prosciutto over the mustard, tearing it into pieces if necessary to create an even layer.
  5. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the prosciutto. 
  6. Staring with the edge closest to you, being rolling away from you, towards the middle, into a tight log.  If you need help getting it started, use a bench/dough scraper (as mentioned in the post My Favorite Cooking Tools) to lift the dough.  Repeat the rolling with the far edge, rolling towards you. When you're done rolling, you can wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for one to two days, or continue to the next step.
  7. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  8. Using a sharp knife (serrated would be best), cut the log into 1/2 inch slices.  Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the palmiers are golden brown. 

Friday, January 6, 2012

Leafy, Green, Crunchy...Chips?

The supermarket had giant bags of pre-washed, chopped kale for $1.00 so I got a bag.  I was looking online for a way to use some of it up and found some recipes for kale chips.  I was skeptical, but after making them, I'm hooked.  For those people who have made resolutions to eat better, kale chips are a great alternative to potato chips.  They have the right amount of crunch, a deep earthy flavor, and loads of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting.

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped, chopped kale
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Thoroughly dry the kale, then spread on a parchment lined baking sheet.  It's important that the kale is dry, or it won't crisp and you'll end up steaming it instead.  
  3. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  
  4. Optional - Sprinkle with other spices/toppings.  Here are some suggestions:  chili powder, chinese five spice powder, bbq seasoning blend, garam masala (indian spice blend), finely grated Parmesan cheese.
  5. Mix well and bake for 10-15 or until crispy.