Remoulade

Remoulade

One taste of this Remoulade Sauce and you will be transported back to the Big Easy. That’s right, New Orleans. Full of life and flavor like that fun city! This Remoulade is the perfect accompaniment to Crab Cakes, Po Boys, Fried Shrimp and Oysters. Also super tasty when used as  a sandwich spread! 

Remoulade Sauce
1 Cup Mayonnaise

1 tsp. Parsley, dried

¼ Cup Creole Mustard

2 Tbsp. Green Olives, chopped

2 Tbsp. EVOO

2 Tbsp. Celery, fine diced

1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce

1 tsp. Roasted garlic, granulated

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

½ tsp. Chili Powder

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

½ tsp. Black pepper, ground

2 Green Onions, sliced

1 tsp. Capers, chopped

Mix all Remoulade ingredients together and chill until use.

 

Crispy Crab Cakes

Crispy Crab Cakes

You don’t have to go to your favorite beach side restaurant to enjoy fresh and delicious crab cakes!  Not only are these crab cakes totally yummy, they are really easy to make.

Crispy Crab Cakes

1 pound Dungeness Lump Crab Meat

½ Cup All-purpose Flour

3 Cups Bread Crumbs, divided

¼ Cup Water

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 ½ Cups Natural Butter Olive Oil

1 tsp. Hot Sauce

3 Eggs, divided

1 tsp. Parsley, dried

¼ tsp. Celery Seed, ground

¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes, crushed

¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika

½ tsp. Sea Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper, ground

½ Lemon, juiced

1. In a medium bowl add the crabmeat, 1 cup of the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, 1 egg, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste, and gently combine. Divide the crab mixture into 6 equal patties and arrange on a sheet pan lined with waxed paper.

2. Set up a breading station using 3 baking dishes or pie plates. In the first dish combine the flour with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. In the second dish whisk together the remaining 2 eggs with 1/4 cup of water. In the third dish combine the remaining bread crumbs with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. Dredged the crab cakes in the seasoned flour, then in the egg wash and then coat them thoroughly in the bread crumbs. Arrange on a sheet tray.

3. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the cakes in batches of 6 until brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

4. In a small bowl whisk together all of the remoulade ingredients and set aside until ready to use. See Remoulade Recipe

5. In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, blood orange juice and Dijon mustard. Add the arugula, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to coat.

6. To Serve:  Divide the salad equally between 6 plates. Top with a crab cake, drizzle with remoulade and serve.

Braided Easter Egg Challah Bread

Braided Easter Egg Challah Bread

Hey, it’s Spring! This is the time of year when the cool, damp mornings of Winter give way to the crisp, clear skies of Spring. The hummingbirds are returning and the bulbs you’ve forgotten about are starting to make an appearance! Spring has Sprung and Easter is on its’ way. Why not welcome Spring with this delicious and fun recipe! You can make these breads individually or as a large braided bread to be used for a centerpiece at your Easter Table. These are especially fun to make with the kids in your life. Everyone can make their​ own!  
Braided Egg Challah Bread

1 pkg. Active dry yeast

4 Hard cooked Eggs, colored (optional)

¼ Cup Water, tepid (80° to 90 ° F)

2 ½ Tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Cardamom

½ Stick (2 oz.) Unsalted Butter, room temperature

½ Cup Whole Milk

½ Tbsp. Honey

1 ¼ tsp. Salt

2 Eggs, large

2 Tbsp. Blood Orange Olive Oil

3 ¼ Cups (approximately) All-purpose or Bread Flour

Vanilla Bean Sugar

Rainbow Non-pareils

Egg Wash

Directions: In medium bowl, whisk together yeast, water and a pinch of the sugar (save the rest for a little later) and cardamom. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Cut the butter into small pieces and toss into a small saucepan with the milk; heat until the milk is warm to the touch and the butter has melted. Pour the butter mixture into a large bowl and add the remaining sugar, honey, and salt, stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar and salt. Let cool to no warmer than 70° F.

Add yeast mixture to milk mixture, along with eggs, and stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Stir vigorously and add flour ½ Cup at a time. Once the dough clings together and forms a shaggy dough, turn dough onto a floured board and knead, adding flour if necessary. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for an hour or so or place in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove dough from bowl and without kneading, cut the dough into four even pieces. Take each piece and cut it into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-7 inch rope. Braid all 3 ropes together and bend both ends of the braided ropes to connect at the ends, forming a circle. Place on a papered sheet pan. Brush dough with egg wash and place hard cooked egg in the middle of the braid. Repeat with remaining braids.

Set aside until dough doubles in size, Re-egg wash gently and sprinkle with Vanilla Bean Sugar and non-pareils if using. Bake bread in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until golden brown.

Grilled Fresh Pineapple with Strawberry Rum Sorbet

Grilled Fresh Pineapple with Strawberry Rum Sorbet

Hey, it’s Summer! Your barbeque is probably already ablaze with all of your favorite warm weather fare. Why not keep the party going (and your house cool) with this deliciously easy dessert!

 

Grilled Pineapple

Fresh grilled fresh pineapple

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 Ripe Pineapples peeled and sliced into ½ inch rounds
  • EVOO for brushing the grill
  • ¼ Cup Pineapple White Balsamic Vinegar *Or Traditional Balsamic
  • 2 Tbsp. Turbinado Sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat grill and brush grates with EVOGrill each slice for about 2 minutes per side. Remove from grill and brush with Pineapple White Balsamic Vinegar. Sprinkle with Turbinado Sugar before topping with Strawberry Rum Sorbet.

Recipe Notes

*You can pan-fry the pineapple instead of grilling if you wish.

Strawberry Rum Sorbet

Quick and easy tasty sorbet.

Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • ½ Lemon seeded and roughly chopped
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 2 pounds Strawberries hulled
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • ¼ Cup Rum
  • 2 Tbsp. Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar *Substitute with Traditional Balsamic or omit

Instructions

  1. Place the chopped lemon and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Purée the strawberries in a food processor, and add to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of 1 lemon. Taste and add more juice as desired. The lemon flavor should be intense but should not overpower the strawberries. Pulse in rum and Strawberry Balsamic. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.

Recipe Notes

Top each grilled pineapple slice with a scoop of sorbet.

Black and White Chocolate Fondue

Black and White Chocolate Fondue

Who says you have to choose between white and dark chocolate?  You can have the best of both worlds with this delicious, silky chocolate fondue recipe!  Talk about a little something for everyone. This recipe is just that! Use your favorite high quality chocolate and let the sky be the limit when it comes to planning things to dip in your fondue.  I love the Fancy Butter cookies recipe for dipping!

P.S. the Fancy Butter cookies are delicious for dipping (check out the recipe).

Black and White Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients

Black Chocolate

  • 8 oz. Milk or Bittersweet Chocolate chopped
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • pinch Sea Salt
  • 1 pinch Espresso Sugar

White Chocolate

  • 12 oz White Chocolate chopped
  • ¾ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ tsp Saigon Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Place chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Heat heavy cream to boiling and pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Stir in sea salt and espresso sugar.

  2. Heat white chocolate and heavy cream together over low heat, stirring to prevent burning. Once melted, stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon.
  3. In small ramekins, swirl both fondues together and serve with any or all of the following: marshmallows, pretzels, pound cake, strawberries, dried fruit, cheesecake, rice krispy treats, brownies. Pretty much anything you can think of.

Grilled Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri

Grilled Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri

This steak recipe is a slam dunk in the flavor department! Loaded with herbs and spices, the chimichurri marinade works to create intense flavor and tenderize your steak. Grilled to medium rare and sliced thin, you will be hard pressed to find a more tender piece of meat. On the off chance you have any left over, this steak works great for steak salad or steak quesadillas!

 

Grilled Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Garlic Olive Oil
  • 2/3 cup 18 yr. Traditional Balsamic
  • 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
  • ½ cup Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley
  • ½ cup Fresh Spinach
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. Shallots finely chopped
  • ¾ tsp. Black Peppercorns ground
  • 2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • ¼ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 ½ - 2 lbs. Skirt Steak
  • 8 oz. Polenta prepared

Instructions

  1. In food processor or blender, combine the garlic olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, spinach, garlic, and shallots. Pulse until blended but, do not puree.
  2. Add ¼ tsp. of crushed red peppers and half of the salt and pepper. Remove half of the sauce, cover and set aside.
  3. Season the steak with remaining salt and pepper and place in Ziploc bag with remaining chimichurri sauce. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
  4. Remove steak from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat grill to medium heat. Pat meat to remove marinade. Make sure you throw away the bag with marinade. Grill meat 6 minutes per side until medium rare/ medium.
  5. Let meat rest 10 minutes before slicing and serve with reserved chimichurri.
  6. Pan fry or grill sliced polenta. Top with sliced Gaucho steak and chimichurri sauce.

Champagne Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Black Truffle Oil

Champagne Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Black Truffle Oil

Champagne and black truffle oil  come together to bring you this luxurious risotto recipe. The addition of your favorite seasonal Spring vegetables make this a dish you will want to share time and time again.

Champagne Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Black Truffle Oil

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Chicken Broth
  • ½ lb. Fresh asparagus cut in 1 inch pieces
  • ½ cup Fresh shelled green peas
  • ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Shallot finely chopped
  • ¾ cup Arborio rice
  • 1 tsp. Parsley dried
  • ¾ cup Champagne
  • ½ tsp. Sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. White pepper ground
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/8 cup Black Truffle Oil

Instructions

  1. In medium saucepan, heat chicken broth. Blanch asparagus and peas in simmering chicken broth until tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. In another saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil and sauté shallots until translucent. Add rice and coat with olive oil. Continue cooking rice for 2-3 minutes. Stir in champagne and parsley and continue to cook until most of the champagne is evaporated.
  3. Add broth ½ cup at a time while stirring and cook until absorbed. Keep adding ½ Cup at a time until all of the broth is added. The rice should be firm and creamy. Stir in parmesan and season with salt and white pepper. Garnish rice with asparagus and peas. Drizzle black truffle oil over entire dish and serve.

Fancy Butter Cookies

Fancy Butter Cookies

These little butter cookies remind me of when I was growing up and the bakeries would sell these by the pound in little pink boxes! ! They were always filled and decorated to reflect the closest holiday. Red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July, Spring colors for Easter…….You get the idea!

You can whip these up in no time to enjoy or freeze them for later if you’d like!

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Here’s what you’ll need:

Place butter, margarine (if using), and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.

Cream until light and fluffy. Then add egg and flavorings.

Add flour and mix until combined.

If Dough is too thick to pipe through a pastry bag, add a little water and mix. Up to ¼ cup of water.
Set aside 1/3 of the dough to scoop for almond crescents and pipe remaining dough into bars and rosettes.
Place a cherry halve in the center of each rosette.

Using a scoop or a spoon, scoop about a tsp. full of dough and roll it into a log and then bend into a crescent shape. Press into almond slices before placing on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges at 350 degrees F. Let cool.
Finish by dipping bars into melted chocolate and then into sprinkles. Sprinkle almond crescents with powdered sugar and drizzle cherry rosettes with melted chocolate.

 

 

I love to keep these on hand for those unexpected guests that drop by! Yum!

 

Fancy Butter Cookies

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter, unsalted, optional ½ cup Butter and ½ cup Margarine
  • 1 cup Sugar granulated
  • 1 Egg, beaten
  • 4 cup Flour All-purpose
  • *Water
  • Sliced almonds
  • Sprinkles
  • Maraschino cherries, cut in half
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Melted Chocolate
  • 1 tsp Flavoring Agent: Vanilla extract, Almond extract, Orange extract or zest, Lemon extract or zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. 

  2. Place butter, margarine (if using), and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
  3. Cream until light and fluffy. Then add egg and flavorings.
    Add flour and mix until combined. If dough is too thick to pipe through a pastry bag, add a little water and mix. Up to ¼ cup of water.

  4. Set aside 1/3 of the dough to scoop for almond crescents.

  5. Pipe remaining dough into bars and rosettes. Place a cherry halve in the center of each rosette.

  6. Using a scoop or a spoon, scoop about a tsp. full of dough and roll it into a log and then bend into a crescent shape. Press into almond slices before placing on a parchment lined sheet pan.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges at 350 degrees F. Let cool.
  8. Finish by dipping bars into melted chocolate and then into sprinkles. Sprinkle almond crescents with powdered sugar and drizzle cherry rosettes with melted chocolate. Yum!