Lemon Tart
Lemon Tart
I wasn’t sure what to call this dessert. It started out as one thing, but sort of ended up somewhere else. I finally decided to just call it a tart. I’ll explain.
I was leaning towards making a cheesecake. I needed to make dessert for a dinner. Everybody loves cheesecake, right? I already had cookie crumbs, I could use for the crust. Then, I discovered I only had one box of cream cheese. Not enough for a cheesecake.
While searching my fridge for cream cheese, I found a couple of lemons.
I suppose I could have made a lemon pie, but I decided to just make something up with what I had, including the cream cheese. What I ended up with is a sweet/tart lemon dessert. Really nice, actually.
Before I get to the actual recipe, let me talk about the lemons, and including fresh lemon juice in recipe directions.
Recipes will often list the “juice of a lemon” in the ingredients. There is about the same amount of lemon juice in all lemons, so that a little difference, one way or the other, is no big deal. The amount is anywhere from 2-3 tablespoons of juice in a lemon. You might get 4 tablespoons, if the lemon is really big. I have used that phrase in recipes myself.
Sometimes, however, you have to recognize when you have lemons that aren’t “average”.
The two lemons I had on hand were big, really big. When I juiced them, I ended up with 2/3 of a cup of lemon juice. So, in this recipe I used the actual measurement of the juice, rather than saying, “the juice of 2 lemons.” Three or four average sized lemons should give you 2/3 cup of juice.
So here is the recipe for my lemon tart, the happy end result of using what I had, and making it work.
Lemon Tart
Crust:
1½ c. crushed vanilla cookies
4 T. melted butter
Filling:
1 (8oz.) container cream cheese, softened
½ c. sugar
2/3 c. lemon juice
Zest of two lemons
3 eggs
¼ c. cornstarch
Combine crust ingredients in medium bowl. Press crumb mixture into a 9 –inch springform or tart pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking, make the filling. In mixing bowl combine the cream cheese with the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the lemon juice and zest and beat well. Add the eggs and cornstarch and beat until smooth. Pour filling over the baked crust and return to oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden on top. Center will be soft, but firms as the tart cools. Cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve. You can dust with powdered sugar, if you like.
Citrus and Honey Dressing
Citrus and Honey Dressing on Fresh Greens
Even in cold weather, I often crave a fresh green salad. This dressing is perfect for one of my winter salads. Winter is citrus season, so lemons and oranges are abundant. The taste of the citrus in this recipe, really brightens up the greens. The honey adds just the right balance of sweetness.
I have basil under grow lights- so I have the fresh basil, too. If you can’t find fresh basil at the store- dried can be used.
The recipe is useful as more than just a salad dressing. You can use it as a glaze on meats, or even as a dipping sauce. The combination of juices, zest, honey and fresh basil works on fruit salads, too.
I prefer homemade dressings for my salads. They are easy to make, and I get to control what goes in them. This one is great to have on hand in the fridge. Just shake it up and it’s ready to serve.
Citrus Honey Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 T. chopped fresh basil- 2 t. dried basil could be used
1 T. white wine vinegar
In a jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, honey, basil, and vinegar. Seal and shake well. Chill 2 hours in the refrigerator. Strain basil before serving. Use on green salad or with chicken, fruit or seafood salads. Can also be brushed on chicken, meat or seafood as a glaze.
Turnip Cakes
Turnip Cake
I first had turnip cakes at a local Asian restaurant. I loved them, and was intrigued at how to make them. They were little squares, lightly crisped on the outside, smooth and creamy in the middle.
When I first heard turnip cake- I was thinking of the purple and white turnips I grew up having in soup.
It helped a lot when I realized the “turnip” cake was actually made from Daikon radish. Daikon radishes are also called Chinese turnips. They are really big, white radishes. They are available at Asian grocery stores and other grocery stores. Now that I knew the ingredient I needed, I had to find a recipe.
I searched the internet and found a lot of different variations for how to make them.
The first recipe I tried was more like a potato pancake. Shredded radish paired with eggs and bread crumbs. They were good, but not what I had at the restaurant. The turnip cake I had enjoyed was smooth and sort of starchy. Plus, it was a neat square shape.
I found several recipes that included the steaming step. This enabled the cakes to be set up with a starch, cooled and sliced. This was what I wanted!! The most promising recipe included rice flour- but I was out of rice flour, so I improvised with cornstarch and a little wheat flour. It worked really well.
Most recipes included shrimp or Chinese sausage and sometimes green onions. I decided, this time, to make them vegetarian. That worked well, but you certainly could add meat or shrimp to yours.
I shredded mine pretty fine, but you could still discern the radish in the final dish. I liked that a lot. I did not grate them as some recipes suggested.
So here is my version of turnip cakes. They sound like a bit of work, but it really is worth the time. I also like that all the prep can be done a day or two ahead of time, then just slice and fry when you want them.
Turnip Cakes
1 large Daikon radish- about 1¼ lbs., give or take
1 c. water
½ c. minced onion
1 t. salt
½ t. white pepper
½ c. cornstarch
2 T. flour
Oil for frying
Oyster sauce for dipping, optional
Peel and shred radish. I used a fine shredding blade. Squeeze out some of the liquid from the radish. Place shredded radish in bowl with the water and onion and steam in microwave for 4-5 minutes- you can also place radish and onion in saucepan with water and simmer 4-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Combine the radish mixture with the cornstarch, flour salt and pepper. Oil an 8×4-inch loaf pan. Place the radish mixture in the prepared pan and steam for 50 minutes.* I placed plastic wrap over the pan to prevent water from dripping into the pan. Remove pan from steamer and cool down for at least 30 minutes. . At this point you can finish preparing the turnip cakes- or place in fridge until ready to make them. When ready to fry the turnip cakes, remove from the pan and cut into slices- about ¾ -inch thick. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook cakes in oil on both sides until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Serve with oyster sauce- or whatever dipping sauce you prefer. Makes about 10.
* To steam the mixture- I just used a large stock pot with a cooling rack in it. I brought about 2 inches of water to a boil, placed the pan on the rack and covered the pan. You could also steam in the oven with a roasting pan, with an inch of boiling water in it and covered with foil.
Slicing the turnip cakes before frying
Ready to serve
Homemade Vegetable Soup Base
Vegetable Soup Base Ingredients
I have made a lot of stuff from scratch- could I make my own soup base? I could and I did! Not soup stock, but the stuff in jars that you just mix with water for instant broth. I wanted a no-meat soup base for when I was cooking meat-free.
I made a vegetable soup base that is a mixture of vegetables, both fresh and dried, herbs, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, spices and salt. There is pretty good amount of salt, but I wanted to be able to store it in the fridge and be safe.
It worked out that every teaspoonful of the finished base has less than 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Not great, but a lot less than bouillon cubes.
If you want to make yours with less salt or no salt- you’ll have to freeze the mixture in ice cube trays and take it out of the freezer as needed. Sort of like your own bouillon cubes.
The nice part is, I can now make a vegetable soup easily and I know exactly what is in it. It can also be added to chicken or other meat-based stocks, in place of the salt, to add extra flavor.
Homemade Vegetable Soup Base
4 carrots, peeled and cubed
3 celery ribs, washed and cubed
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cubed
3 green onions, washed and cut up
1 c. sun- dried tomatoes, soaked in water 30 minutes, and drained
1 c. dried mushrooms, soaked in water 10 minutes and drained
1 c. chopped cabbage
1 c. parsley, chopped
1/2 c. chopped sweet pepper
1/4 c. nutritional yeast, optional
2 T. turmeric
8 oz. salt- I used sea salt and used a scale to weigh it. It’s around a cup but will differ if you are using a coarse salt
Combine all ingredients, except the salt, in a food processor and blend until smooth. I have a decent size Cuisinart and still had to do this in batches. Combine in a bowl with the salt and stir well to blend. Store in a clean jar in the fridge until ready to use. I ended up with about 5 cups of soup base. To use, add about 1 teaspoonful to a cup of hot water for vegetable broth. Use less or more according to your taste. Use in place of salt in other soups, stews and sauces.
Finished Soup Base
Vegetable broth made from the base
Almond Biscotti
Almond Biscotti
I love these biscotti. They are just the thing to dunk in a cup of hot coffee or tea on a chilly morning. Besides chopped almonds, they are flavored with Amaretto, lemon zest and lemon juice. The almonds and lemon work really well together.
The hard texture of biscotti comes from twice baking them. First the dough is formed into a log and partially baked. Then the “log” of dough is sliced- and the slices are baked a second time. For the second baking, most recipes tell you to turn the biscotti halfway through the baking process. This is so they dry and crisp up on both sides evenly.
I have a much easier way to handle the second bake. Just place a cooling rack on your baking sheet. Then arrange the slices on top of the cooling rack. Now, when you bake the slices- the heat dries them out and crisps them up on both sides. No need for turning them over mid-bake.
Biscotti are so easy to make, I wonder why more people don’t make their own. The ones from the store are never as good.
So here is the recipe. I hope you try to make your own biscotti, if you haven’t before.
Almond Biscotti
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 T. Amaretto liqueur
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. grated lemon peel
2 c. coarsely chopped almonds, about 9 oz.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Beat sugar and eggs together until light and lemon colored, about 3 minutes. Mix in liqueur, juice and peel. Beat in dry ingredients and stir in almonds. Mixture will be very sticky. Spray large baking sheet with non-stick coating. By spoonfuls transfer dough to baking sheet forming 2 14-inch long strips. Using floured hands shape each strip into 2 1/2 inch wide log. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Logs should be light golden and firm to touch. Transfer to cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices. Place a cooling rack on your baking sheet and arrange slices on top of the cooling rack, cut side down. Bake 11-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Can be stored in airtight container for a week. Makes about 40.
Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup
Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup
I was asked recently for my recipe for chicken noodle soup. I teach several different classes on making soup but it wasn’t in there. That seemed odd. I mean with all the recipes I share, you would think I would have posted it somewhere by now.
I think the truth is that there really isn’t a recipe. Well, not a recipe I can share in the normal sense. I can guesstimate the amounts of this and that but every batch is a little different. That is part of the fun. The basic ingredients are the same, good stock, cubed chicken, carrots, celery and of course, noodles.
My Mom made wonderful chicken noodle soup, so I think of her every time I make it. I pretty much make mine the same way she did. I think she taught me well.
There is one pretty important thing about chicken noodle soup you should know- don’t cook the noodles in the soup. I know that sounds wrong. Trust me, if you cook your noodles in your soup you’ll end up with a goopy mess. Cook your noodles separately and add them when serving the soup. This does two good things. It keeps the noodles from getting overcooked and it lets each person add just the amount of noodles they like. Let’s face it some people just like a few noodles and others prefer a lot. This way each person gets their soup the way they like it.
So for directions here is what I do. I start with homemade chicken stock. Since I made the stock I’ll have the chicken I used to make it. I cube up some of the meat and add it to the stock. I also add some sliced carrots and sliced celery and let them simmer in the soup until tender. I sometimes add other veggies. Green beans or maybe a zucchini. I don’t get too crazy with the veggies here or it will become vegetable soup. I almost always remember to add some parsley. I love fresh ground pepper, too. Don’t put too much stuff in – you will be adding noodles after all. I cook my noodles and when the soup is ready to serve I warm them up a little- often just in a bowl in the microwave. That way they won’t cool down your soup. For little kids leave the noodles cold- they normally like their soup a little cooler. I ladle the soup into bowls and put the noodles on the table so everybody can add their own. Seems to work out pretty well.
My Mother was so funny when eating this soup. She had to have it come out “even”. She’d be nearly finished and realized she was out of noodles- so she would add a few. But then she needed more broth so she would add more of that. This went on several times. At the end she always insisted she only had one bowl.
“Fond” of This Cauliflower
Fond Cauliflower
Did you know that those little brown bits in the bottom of your roasting pan have a name? Well, a name other than drippings or little brown bits.
They are sometimes called fond, or the fond. It is from the French word for base- also referring to the base of a sauce. I used the fond from a roasted turkey breast when making my cauliflower.
The picture of this cauliflower does not do it justice. It was so tasty. It was one of those dishes that happened by accident. Now, it is one of my favorite ways to make cauliflower.
Here is how the whole thing happened. I was roasting a turkey breast for dinner. I also was serving cauliflower, but had not yet decided just what to do with the cauliflower. I had cooked the cauliflower until tender, and then mashed it. But I wasn’t using dairy with dinner- so no added butter or milk to my mashed cauliflower.
I had just taken the turkey breast out to rest when I looked at the bottom of the roasting pan. I hadn’t planned on making gravy, but did not want to waste all the flavor in that roasting pan. It suddenly occurred to me to just use the cauliflower to get out that flavor.
The turkey breast was lean, so there wasn’t too much fat in the bottom of the roasting pan. I would have removed some, if there was a lot of fat. I had also seasoned the turkey, so some of the herbs were also in the fond. I just dumped the hot, mashed cauliflower into the pan, I tossed it around, to get as much of the flavors from the fond as possible. Since the pan was on top of the stove, I turned the heat on under it for a few minutes, as I tossed the cauliflower around. Then I removed the cauliflower and plated it for dinner. It didn’t need any other seasoning. It had a rich, roasted flavor.
I wish I could say there was an exact recipe for this dish. There isn’t. Just be sure to have a cup or two of cauliflower for each serving. It will cook down a lot. I cooked the cauliflower ahead of time and just tossed it into the pan. You could cook the cauliflower right in the roasting pan, if you prefer. I would chop it up pretty fine, if you are going to do that. It will shorten the cook time considerably.
It was just one of those moments when, afterwards, I wondered why I had never thought to do this before. The cauliflower tasted like it had roasted for a long time. Better still, none of the lovely flavors of the fond were lost.
I can certainly see doing this with other veggies like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots or mushrooms.
Fish Chowder
Fish Chowder
When I think of seafood chowder, I usually think about a creamy mix of some sort of shellfish, like clams or shrimp, with assorted veggies.
This chowder is a little different. It is a mix of fish and veggies, but there is no dairy or shellfish. Almost like a Manhattan style clam chowder, minus the clams!!
It is a nice alternative to those who can’t eat shellfish, but still want to enjoy a bowl of chowder. The chowder is both hearty and light at the same time, if that makes sense.
You can use any mild fish you happen to like. I have used salmon, catfish, cod and flounder in the past, and liked the way all of them tasted in the chowder. The recipe calls for Roma tomatoes, but any tomatoes would work. I used a pint of my home canned tomatoes, since I don’t have fresh this time of year.
Fresh Fish Chowder
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large leek, white part only, cleaned and chopped
5 c. chicken, vegetable or fish stock
2 c. plum tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lb. firm white fish cut into 1/2 inch cubes – I used flounder
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. paprika
2 T. oil
In broth cook the carrot, celery and leeks 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and potatoes and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes longer. Season to taste. Meanwhile mix the flour and paprika together and dredge the fish in it. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook the fish until lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Before serving add fish pieces to the soup and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6.
New Year’s Pork Roast
Herb and Spice Crusted Pork Roast
I know a lot of folks who serve pork for New Year’s Day. If you want to dress up your pork roast, try using a simple herb and spice rub. It adds so much flavor.
I made this rub recipe for a pork roast and really loved the way it came out. I added some cinnamon, because I was serving the roast with home made applesauce. I thought it would all work well together.
I was not disappointed. The flavors worked very well together.
You can also use this rub on pork chops, if you aren’t making a whole roast.
If you aren’t serving pork, this rub also works well on poultry or lamb. Used it on a turkey breast and it was very tasty.
Herb and Spice Crusted Pork Roast
The Rub:
2 T. coarse sea salt
1 T. paprika
1 T. dried parsley
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2 t. fresh grated ginger
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. fresh ground pepper
Combine all the rub ingredients.
1 pork roast- I used a 3 1/2 pound pork sirloin roast- bone-in.
Spread the rub over the roast, pressing in to help it stick. You can do this a day ahead, then just wrap the roast and keep in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. Place pork roast in a roasting pan and bake in a 350 degree until pork reaches an internal temp of 145 degrees. Depending on the size of the roast you are making this will take about 20-25 minutes per pound, but a long, narrow loin will take less time than a rounder roast.
This rub is also nice on poultry. Maybe I’ll try it on duck the next time.
Mini Cream Puffs
Mini Cream Puffs
If you want to surprise someone with a very special sweet treat, you could make cream puffs. These are a bit of work, but the end result is so wonderful. I think they are worth the effort, especially for special occasions. These would be a big hit at any New Year’s party.
You start by make a pate a chou, or cream puff pastry. This is the same dough used to make eclairs. It is a combination of water, butter, milk and flour- cooked on top of the stove, then enriched with the addition of eggs. The dough is piped onto baking sheets and baked until puffed, golden and crisp. Once cooled, they are filled with sweetened whipped cream or, more traditionally, a custard filling. You can serve them as is, or top with chocolate or dust with powdered sugar.
The size you make your cream puffs is really a matter of personal choice. I decided to make mini puffs- about an inch in size. I find them a fun size to serve at a party.
You can also split your puffs and fill them with a savory filling, instead. A crab salad would be a tasty choice.
Homemade Cream Puffs
1 recipe Cream Puff Pastry (Pate a Chou)- recipe follows
Egg custard- for filling, or sweetened whipped cream- recipe follows
Chocolate Ganache- for topping- recipe follows, or just use melted chocolate.
Start by making the dough. This recipe will make 3-4 dozen mini cream puffs.
Cream Puff Pastry
¾ c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ t. salt
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1¼ c. flour – unbleached or bread flour preferred
4 large eggs
Extra milk for brushing
In saucepan, heat together water, milk butter and salt into a full boil. Butter has to be melted. While stirring, dump flour into saucepan, stirring constantly. Mixture will form into a ball. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking dough, while stirring, for another minute or two. Place dough in an electric mixer and allow it to cool down a little before adding the eggs. Mixture has to be at 140 degrees F, or below, before you start adding the eggs. I use the paddle attachment and beat the dough before adding the eggs. This cools the dough down faster. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until each is fully incorporated. Beat until dough is shiny. A spoon, lifted out of the batter, should leave a peak that does not fall down.
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. I used a silicone liner and was happy with the result. Don’t grease the pan. Using a piping bag, squeeze the dough into 1-inch balls on the baking sheet- leaving a little room in between. Using a little milk on your finger, smooth down any peaks on the puffs. I missed a few and did get a couple that had cracks on the top. The smoother the balls look, the nicer your puffs will look. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 375. Bake puffs 5- 10 more minutes, or until golden brown. Tap the shells. They should sound hollow. Turn off the heat and leave oven door open a crack, allowing them to dry completely. Cool before filling. Makes 3-4 dozen.
Custard Filling
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1⁄3 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Using a whisk, combine milk, sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat on stove top. Allow milk to scald (heat to the point when tiny bubbles form around edges of pan). Whisk occasionally to prevent cornstarch from clumping on bottom edges of pan. Remove milk mixture from heat, preferably to a burner that’s turned off.
Mix about 2 tablespoons of scalded milk mixture into eggs using whisk, then introduce eggs into milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking milk mixture constantly. Immediately return pan to heat and whisk gently until custard thickens, another two or three minutes. Do not allow to boil. (If you find that you have egg white strands in custard, feel free to pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a different bowl now.) Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool before using. Makes 3 cups.
To fill the puffs, using a small piping tip with a pastry bag, filled with the custard. Squeeze filling in on the bottom, squeezing until it feels full.
Once cream puffs are filled, top with melted chocolate or chocolate ganache. I just dipped the tops of the cream puffs in melted chocolate. The chocolate hardened into a thin, crisp shell of chocolate on the puffs, adding a fun crunch.Filled puffs should be stored in fridge until ready to serve. They can be frozen.
Chocolate Ganache
4- 6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped- or 1 cup chocolate chips
2 oz. heavy whipping cream
In saucepan, heat chocolate and cream together until just heated through. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. You can also do this in a microwave safe bowl, in the microwave for about a minute. Remove and stir until smooth. Makes 1 cup.
