Peach Pie

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Ingredients:

1 prepared 9 inch pie crust
7-8 ripe medium peaches (pealed and sliced)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Crumble:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
5 T unsalted butter, melted 

Preparation:
Peel peaches and slice.  You’ll need 7 cups.  In a large bowl stir the peaches, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon together until thoroughly combined.  Set the filling aside. 

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spoon peach filling into the crust, leaving any liquid in the bowl.

Mix all crumble ingredients together.  Sprinkle over peaches.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.  Turn temperature down to 375 degrees and bake another 30-35 minutes until peach juices are bubbling on the sides and the top is lightly browned.  Place crust protector on crust edges if browning too fast.

Cool pie for 3 hours then serve.

Sauteed Chicken and Sausage with Savory Pan Sauce

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 Ingredients:
1 skinless boneless chicken breast
1 link Italian sausage
1 garlic clove , minced
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch on the diagonal
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup rich chicken broth
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Trim chicken breasts, remove and discard all fat and gristle. Cut chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Pound chicken breasts to about 1/3-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in flour. Set aside.

Place skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until done. Remove from heat and thin slice. Set aside.

Place skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and, when hot, add zucchini. Sauté zucchini 3 minutes, or until nicely browned, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper; remove with slotted spoon, and reserve.

Add butter and crushed red pepper to skillet. When fat is hot, add chicken slices and sauté them over high heat 2 to 3 minutes, until browned. Remove and set aside.  Add wine to skillet, bring to a boil, stir, and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add garlic and broth cook down until slightly thickened.  Add Beurre manié if necessary to thicken.  Add chicken, sausage slices and zucchini. Toss and simmer over low heat 2 or 3 minutes more. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with saffron rice.

Gingersnaps with Ginger Nibs

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Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ginger nibs (6 oz.)
Turbinado sugar to roll cookies in.

Preparation:
Heat oven to convection 350 degree.  Cream together butter and sugars.  Add egg and molasses.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to batter and mix.  Then fold in ginger nibs.  Chill for an hour.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in turbinado sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

History:
Recipe comes from the Spice House in Milwaukee.

Cheese Ravioli

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Ingredients:

  Dough

1 extra large egg, beaten

2 oz. semolina flour

2 oz. A.P. flour

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon water, if needed

  Cheese Filling

1 cup ricotta or goat cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella

1/4 cup grated parmesan

Thyme

Salt

Preparation:

Whisk eggs well with a fork.  Gradually add the semolina, flour, and salt until a thick dough forms which can no longer be stirred with a fork.  If dough looks dry, add up to 1teaspoon of water.  Flour your hands and work surface and continue to knead until dough is well mixed.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Mix the cheese filling ingredients together.  Set aside.

Set up pasta attachment on KitchenAid mixer.  After dough rests, split into two parts and run each half of dough through setting 1 on pasta attachment 25 times, folding it in thirds each time.  Next, run pasta one time each on settings 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Place one strip of dough on ravioli maker.  Fill each section with 1 teaspoon cheese filling.  Dampen edge with water and place second strip on top.  Run heavy rolling pin over top of ravioli until sections separate.  Continue until all pasta is used.  Ravioli can be frozen at this point. 

Cook ravioli in boiling and salted water until al dente.  Serve with a Milanese or marinara sauce.

Turkey Pot Pie

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Ingredients:
6 Bouchées à la Reine (or pastry for top)
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup water
2 oz. butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 Tbs. fresh thyme
1/3 cup all purpose flour (2 oz.)
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
12 ounces boneless, skinless turkey
   breast or thigh cut into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup chopped parsley

Preparation:
In a large 14" deep skillet combine carrots and water.  Boil over high heat, lower heat to medium, and cook until slightly softened and no water remains.  Add butter, onion, celery and thyme to skillet.  Cook until onion and celery are translucent.  Stir in flour until well coated with butter (add more butter if necessary).

Whisk in stock, half and half, salt, and pepper to form a smooth sauce.  Boil then adjust salt and pepper to taste..  Stir in turkey and parsley.  Simmer until thick (about 30 minutes).  Fill Bouchées just before serving.

Variation:
Place turkey filling into small ovenproof bowls.  Top with puff pastry or the following crust recipe and press to adhere pastry to sides of bowl.  Brush top with yolk/water mixture.  Then bake 20 minutes at 425˚


Crust Recipe
Ingredients:
8 oz, flour
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp sugar
6 oz unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4" bits
1/2 cup cold crisco
4.5 oz. flour
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup water

Preparation:
Process flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined 2 one second pulses.  Add butter, shortening and process until dough starts to collect in uneven clumps about15 seconds.  Add flour; pulse until mixture is evenly distributed and dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses.  Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture.  Use a folding motion to mix, until dough sticks together.  Divide into six balls and flatten each into a disk.  Wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes.  Roll, fold, and refrigerate 3 times like puff pastry.  Refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days before using.

Roll each pastry disk to fit a ramekin with 1/2" overhang.  Brush outer rim of ramekin with yolk mix.  Place pastry over.  Press to adhere.  Brush top with yolk mixture.  Cut a small slit for steam to escape and bake for 20 minutes at 425˚.

History:
Crust and turnkey pot pie recipe comes from Chef Tech Cooking School.   Using Boucheé instead of crust is my French take on the recipe.

Chili Cheese Squares

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Ingredients:

1 pint cottage cheese
4 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 lb. grated jack cheese
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
7 oz. canned, chopped, green chilies
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Preparation:
Mix cottage cheese, jack cheese, cheddar cheese and green chilies together. Combine flour and baking powder in separate bowl. Add flour mixture to cheeses. In a separate bowl, lightly whip eggs. Add butter to eggs then add egg mixture to cheese mixture and stir well.

Pour ingredients in a 9” by 13” pan or Pyrex dish. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350° and bake another 30 minutes or until light golden brown.

Serving Suggestion:
Cut into squares while still warm. Arrange on a plate and serve warm.

Variation:
For variety, try adding pimentos, olives or cooked ground beef, or bacon.

History:
This was my mother’s recipe and was simply called “Cheese Appetizers”. Through the years, we just referred to them as Chili Cheese Squares.