Blog – Recipes

Oven Baked Cabbage Burgers

When most people think of beef and cabbage, soup or cabbage rolls come to mind. But what about rethinking the way we eat this duo?

Beef and cabbage go well together for a variety of reasons. They are both substantial dishes that can handle bold seasonings. Beef and cabbage also have a similar texture, making them easy to combine in a dish. Cabbage’s mild acidity balances the beef’s richness, creating a dish that’s full of nuanced flavor.

The name ‘cabbage burger’ can be a little misleading for people unfamiliar with this culinary delight.  It’s not a new type of veggie burger. Instead, it consists of juicy ground beef patties served on flavorful slices of roasted cabbage spread with a tomato sauce and topped off with some melted cheese! The perfect combination of savory, sensational flavors.

Burgers in some context can be found in nearly every part of the world. Over time the concept has evolved, and meat patties are served with an endless variety of creative ‘buns’ and toppings. This is a tasty fusion dish that combines the classic appeal of burgers with the goodness of cabbage, elevating your culinary experience to a whole new level.

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 Oven Baked Cabbage Burgers
Votes: 1
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword oven baked cabbage burgers
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword oven baked cabbage burgers
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Arrange cabbage slices on a rimmed sheet pan. Brush a little oil on the cabbage slices & season with salt & pepper.
  3. Roast cabbage slices for about 10 minutes to precook them slightly to prevent over cooking the burgers.
  4. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, garlic, green onion, parsley, red pepper flakes half the cheese, salt & pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties.
  5. Remove the cabbage from the oven & spread a Tbsp of tomato sauce (or salsa) on top. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese the top with a meat patty. Finally, sprinkle another layer of shredded cheese.
  6. Bake cabbage burgers for 10-12 minutes or until burgers are cooked to your liking & the cheese is melted & bubbly. Serve immediately.

Wool Roll Bread w/ Apricot Filling

Today, March 28th, is my mother’s birth date. As we honor her beautiful memory, I’m sure each of my siblings will reflect on special times we shared with her. Forty-seven years after her passing, I find myself still doing many things in her likeness. Baking was a shared passion for my mother and I. We liked nothing better than to bake something together. After I moved from ‘home’ and would return for a visit, instead of having a coffee and visit we would get busy and bake something while we talked. Such great memories!

When I was thinking about what I wanted to post today, my mind drifted to the recipe archive that lives in my head, eventually making its way to the yeast breads. This is an area my mother had mastered down to a science.

Bread is so simple but a staple in almost every culture. Just flour, water and yeast, yet despite those few ingredients, there are hundreds of different types of bread across the world. And every culture has some sort of bread product.

It seems that the Wool Roll Bread become trendy in 2021 because of a Malaysian YouTuber. It also resembles some Middle Eastern breads such as shoreek and other European creations, such as Polish babka and Slovenian Belokranjska povitica. The pillowy yeast dough can be stuffed (or not) with a sweet or savory filling, then sliced, rolled and stacked in a round pan, so as the dough rises and bakes, the final result resembles rolls of wool or thick yarn.

The most popular fillings for wool roll bread are dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, custard, hazelnut, chocolate, and cheese as well as some Asian favorites such as red mung bean paste, ube or purple yam, coconut or coconut jam, and meat. Sometimes the dough is made in different flavors and colors like chocolate, strawberry, and pandan.

There is some kind of magic in seeing the result of these baked bread rolls that come together to form a Bundt-like cake shape, puffed up in a ring of pull-apart bread.

I’ve chosen to fill our wool roll bread with an apricot cream cheese filling which should be a nice compliment to the soft dough.

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 Wool Roll Bread w/ Apricot Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword wool roll bread w/ custard filling
Servings
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Bread Dough
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword wool roll bread w/ custard filling
Servings
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Bread Dough
Votes: 1
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Instructions
Apricot Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine dried apricots, orange juice, lemon juice & sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apricots soften & the liquid is reduced by half. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a food processor & process until a puree forms. Set aside until room temperature.
Cream Cheese Filling
  1. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese & sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk & vanilla, beat to combine. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.
Bread
  1. In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar & yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, Combine flour & salt. Cut in the soft butter. Combine lukewarm water with the beaten egg & add to flour/butter mixture. Add the yeast mixture & mix until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth & elastic. Once the dough is kneaded, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth & allow to rise in a draft-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Lightly oil a work surface with olive oil. Gently deflate the dough, divide it into four equal pieces & shape each piece into a ball. Cover the dough & let rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Line a 9" springform pan (at least 2" deep) with parchment paper.
  6. Roll out each piece of dough (on the lightly oil surface) into a 6" x 12" rectangle. On the top HALF of each rectangle, spread the cream cheese filling across the entire width of the rectangle (leaving about 1/4" bare on each side) & down about 6" leaving the bottom 6" bare. Next, spread a good sized dollop of apricot filling over the cream cheese filling. Use a fork so you can do this gently.
  7. Using a sharp knife, cut the uncovered dough at the bottom into very thin strips about 1/8" wide. Starting from the filling covered top & rolling toward the uncovered strips, roll the dough into a log about 6" long.
  8. Place each log, seam-side down, into the bottom of the pan so they are snuggled up against the pans outside edge to form a complete circle.
  9. Preheat to the to 350 F.
  10. Brush the rolls lightly with milk, being careful not to deflate the delicate dough. Cover the 'wool rolls' & let them rise for about 60-75 minutes, until puffy.
  11. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove the roll from the oven & cool it in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely. Slice & serve.

Crispy Roast Chicken Meatballs

You can never have too many rotisserie chicken meals in your dinner rotation. A whole roasted chicken is a wonderful thing: juicy meat, crispy skin. But the real joy is in those lovely leftovers! Try it in a salad or a pasta bake, a hearty stew or a warming chicken soup. If you fancy taking things up a notch, you can use leftover roast chicken to make meatballs, dim sum, or lasagna.

Rotisserie chickens are juicy, tender, inexpensive, and incredibly flavorful. It is the perfect shortcut to getting dinner on the table in a hurry.

That’s the wonderful thing about chicken, it’s great as a leftover, and if not seasoned too specifically, can be repurposed for multiple different recipes.

Even store-bought leftover rotisserie chicken can make a great second meal if you get creative. Using up your leftovers is also a great way to cut down on food waste. Using leftover chicken reduces the cooking time of many recipes, which is another great thing to free up time.

Crispy roast chicken meatballs are so good served with pasta and sauce.

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 Crispy Roast Chicken Meatballs
Votes: 1
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Cuisine American
Keyword crispy roast chicken meatballs
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Breading & Frying
Cuisine American
Keyword crispy roast chicken meatballs
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Breading & Frying
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Shred & slightly chop roast chicken. Finely chop leeks & sauté in a Tbsp of olive oil. In a large bowl, place chicken, leeks, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Combine mixture well.
  2. Cut gouda cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Divide the meat mixture into 12-13 portions. Take a portion of the meat mixture & flatten it in the palm of your hand to form a shell. Divide gouda between meatball portions. Place a portion of gouda in the center of each & seal the mixture around it to form a meatball. Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray.
  3. Beat egg for the breading in a small bowl. Pour the breadcrumbs in another. Heat oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, dip each meatball first in egg & then in the breadcrumbs. Fry the meatballs until golden brown, keeping in mind that there is egg in the filling that needs to be cooked.
  4. Transfer meatballs to a plate lined with paper towel. Nice to serve with egg noodles & pasta sauce.

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed w/ Boursin, Pears & Prosciutto

Today, March 21st, our family honors the memory of my father on his birth date. He passed away at the age of 92, 20 years ago. Although my father lost his sight to macular degeneration, he carried on in his life with much courage and dignity.

As a teenager, I never realized what a special privilege growing up as a farmer’s daughter really was. Coming home on the school bus and having to do ‘chores’ seemed so boring as opposed to being able to spend after school hours with your friends. As I look back on those times now, it all comes clear as to how treasured and valuable those life lessons were.

To be a successful farmer takes a tremendous amount of strength and courage. I think back to those days with great admiration and appreciation of the special man he was.

If you are old enough, you might remember an American radio broadcaster by the name of Paul Harvey. Mr. Harvey’s twice-daily soapbox-on-the-air was one of the most popular programs on radio between 1950-1990. Audiences of as many as 22 million people tuned in on 1,300 stations to a voice that had been an American institution for as long as most of them could remember. He personalized the radio news with his right-wing opinions but laced them with his own trademarks: a hypnotic timbre, extended pauses for effect, heart-warming tales of average Americans and folksy observations that evoked the heartland, family values and the old-fashioned plain talk one heard around the dinner table on Sunday.

He would always begin with a velvety voice that turned the news into narrative and entertainment each week on his famous segment ‘The Rest of the Story‘.

‘So, God Made a Farmer’ was a speech given by Paul Harvey at the 1978 Future Farmers of America convention. When I read it I thought it was a nice tribute to our Dad on his birthdate.

So, God Made a Farmer

On the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker.”

I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper and then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the Farm Bureau.

 I need somebody with strong arms to wrestle a calf, yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild. Somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry and have to wait until his wife is done feeding visiting ladies, then tell the ladies come back soon.

I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt and watch it die and then dry his eyes and say maybe next year. I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout and shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire. Who can make harness out of hay wire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. Who’s planting time and harvest season will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon. Then, with the pain from tractor back, he will put in another 72.

So, God made a farmer.

God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double-speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds and yet stop in mid-field and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor’s place.

I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, and yet gentle enough to wean lambs and pigs and tend the pink combed pullets. And who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadowlark.

It had to be somebody who would plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive to church. Somebody who would bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing. Who would laugh, then sigh and reply with smiling eyes… when his son says he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does!

So, God made a farmer.

For any of us growing up as farmers’ daughters or sons, I think we can relate to this article well.

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 Pork Tenderloin Stuffed w/ Boursin, Pears & Prosciutto
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Course Main Dish
Keyword pork tenderloin stuffed w/ boursin, pears & prosciutto
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword pork tenderloin stuffed w/ boursin, pears & prosciutto
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Core & cut apples & pears into thin slices.
  3. Cut the pork tenderloin by making an incision over its entire length of about 1 1/2 -inches, leaving about 1 cm at each end to form a pocket.
  4. Spread the Boursin in the cut & add the apples & pears. Close the pork tenderloin by wrapping it in prosciutto.
  5. Bake 20 minutes. Cut into medallions about 1 1/2-inches wide.

Raspberry Crumble Cookies

Raspberry Crumble Cookies are no ordinary treat. Half tart, half cookie, they offer a perfect balance between a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a crumbly, cookie-like crust. Made with a homemade tangy raspberry compote, these cookies are a delectable balance of sweet and tart flavors with a burst of fruity goodness in every bite.  

I have wondered where this crumb (or crumble) cake/cookie idea came from. Its origins speak of its German heritage. The origin of crumb cake was called ‘streuselkuchen,’ and today’s modern crumb cake is fairly similar to its forebear. Streuselkuchen ‘crumb cake’ is often referring to a cake made of a sweet yeast dough covered with a crumb topping that is called ‘streusel.’ Today, we make crumble cakes with baking soda or baking powder for leavening. One thing that has not changed is the signature thick layer of crumb topping where the crumbs are made simply of sugar, butter, and flour and allowed to have a roughly unfinished look. The crumb topping is sprinkled with powdered sugar to add interest to the look of the uneven top.

What we know today as crumb or crumble cake/cookies is most likely the adaptation of coffee cake recipes by German bakers who came to North America. The cake does bear a passing resemblance to many of the streusel topped kuchen recipes, a popular coffee-friendly cake from Germany.

Raspberry Crumble Cookies are baked in a muffin tin and look like mini pies! The dough does double duty as the base of the butter cookies and the crumble topping.

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 Raspberry Crumble Cookies
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Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword raspberry crumble cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Raspberry Compote
Cookies
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword raspberry crumble cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Raspberry Compote
Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Raspberry Compote
  1. Place rasp[berries, sugar, lemon juice, zest & vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat & simmer for 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat & pour through a sieve. Press through sieve with a spatula to take out as many of the seeds as possible. Set aside.
Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 24 mini tart or mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In food processor, place flour, sugar & butter. Pulse a few times until mixture is crumbly; set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture. To remainder add baking powder, baking soda & nuts. Place mixture in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, beat egg slightly then stir in sour cream & lemon zest. Add to dry ingredients; stir until just moistened.
  4. Divide batter between the 24 mini tins. With the back of a small scoop that has been dipped in flour, press batter to go over the bottom & up the sides. Spoon about 1 tsp raspberry compote in the indented area of the cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the reserved crumb mixture.
  5. Bake 15-18 minutes or until done. Remove from oven & allow to cool in pans for at least 10 minutes. At this time the cookies should pop out easily. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Artichoke Cupcakes

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

St. Patrick’s Day is a funny thing here in Canada. It’s the one time each year that people seek out green food and drinks, everything from shamrock shakes, a green bagel, or green beer are part of our version of this holiday.

Green food has been getting more and more ‘creative’ on this particular holiday. Clean eating, green foods like spinach, avocado and broccoli for example. A walk through the grocery store produce section will provide a variety of examples of just how many green foods are available to use in meals and snacks.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to incorporate some green food in some desserts. What better excuse could I have to make some artichoke cupcakes!

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. About a 20-minute drive inland from Monterey Bay is the tiny agricultural town of Castroville. When you enter into the town you will see a sign that says, ‘Artichoke Center of the World’.  Where the rich, fertile soil of the Salinas Valley meets the sands of Monterey Bay, these fog-shrouded fields prove to be the ideal location for the commercial cultivation of Heirloom artichokes.

About another 20-minute drive further north you come to another agricultural town called Watsonville. Just before we reached the town, I spotted a sign advertising ‘artichoke cupcakes’ from Pezzini Farms. We have never eaten anything sweet associated with artichokes before now. This charming roadside market goes deep into the crop that made this chunk of California famous.

Now, Watsonville might not be the self-proclaimed Artichoke Center of the World like its neighbor, Castroville. But it still ranks right up there in growing this distinctive plant that’s actually an herb.

Pezzini Farms is family-owned and has been growing and selling Heirloom Green Globe artichokes since 1929. The family immigrated to the United States from Italy bringing with them their family’s artichoke root stalk. 

The market offers a great selection of fresh produce that includes artichokes sold individually or in bulk. The store also has a wide selection of artichoke products that featured jarred artichoke hearts, artichoke dip mix, and artichoke marinara sauce, among others. By the register, customers were enticed by an array of sweet pastries displayed under glass dessert domes. Among them were decadent artichoke cupcakes topped with thick frosting.

It inspired me to think of artichokes in a whole new way. Brion & I purchased a cupcake to see how it would taste. The dense cake wasn’t overly sweet, with chunks of artichoke heart adding an almost earthy quality. The frosting was velvety with a little cream cheese bounce. A good comparison would be like a zucchini bread or a carrot cake.

Of course, as soon as we came home, I couldn’t wait to try to recreate this interesting little cupcake and what a better time than today. Think artichoke green for St. Patrick’s day!

I’ve added a few pictures I hope you will enjoy.

  • Pezzini store pics x 2
  • Artichokes growing in the fields
  • Production line
  • Store cupcakes
  • Life-size signage
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 Artichoke Cupcakes
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
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Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 6-cup muffin pan with large paper liners (or 12 small paper liners).
  2. Drain artichoke hearts well & mince into very small uniform pieces. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, water & oil.
  4. In another bowl, sift together flour, white & brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom & ginger.
  5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, then gently fold in the minced artichokes with a spatula until they are completely incorporated into the batter.
  6. Fill the prepared muffin tins with the batter & bake about 30 minutes for the large size (20-25 minutes for small size).
  7. Once the cupcakes are baked through, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
  1. With an electric mixer, beat butter & cream cheese until creamy & well combined & lump free.
  2. Add vanilla & salt, mix to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until completely combined.
  3. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Sweet Onion Upside Down Cornbread

It’s the cornbread version of upside-down cake, baked then flipped over to reveal a layer of sweet/ savory onions. The idea behind this type of recipe is that you put everything into a baking dish with the intention of flipping it over at the end and having the meal come out fully assembled. For the most part, this method is used to make delicious fruit cakes with the fruit on the bottom and the batter on top of it. Still, often its forgotten that you can apply this same principle in a more savory way.

Topped with sweet onions and filled with cheddar cheese & bacon, this upside down cornbread is truly amazing. The bread has the perfect touch of sweetness, plus, it’s the best choice when you want a side dish that packs a little more punch than your typical cornbread.

I have always been a lover of cornbread, so I’m always on the lookout for a version I haven’t tried yet.

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 Sweet Onion Upside Down Cornbread
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword sweet onion upside down cornbread
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword sweet onion upside down cornbread
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon & drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Add minced onion; cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
  3. Remove from skillet. Wipe skillet clean & heat oil over medium heat. Place onion slices in oil, filling bottom of skillet to the edges. Cook onions until tender & golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Roughly chop cooled bacon & sprinkle around onion slices.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & onion powder. Stir in cheese.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream (buttermilk), melted butter & egg. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture & stir until combined. Fold in minced onion. Carefully pour batter over sliced onion & bacon.
  6. Bake about 30 minutes until golden brown. Test with a wooden pick inserted in center that comes out clean.
  7. Let cool in skillet for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate & slice into wedges. Nice to serve warm with chili.

Baked Chicken Gnocchi w/ Garlic Asiago Cream Sauce

There are many regions that lay claim to the origins of gnocchi. While they are generally associated with northern Italy, the truth is that these dumplings are found all over the peninsula and in many diverse forms, made with a variety of base ingredients depending on where they come from: flour, corn meal, semolina, bread, chestnut flour, ricotta, or vegetables—from pumpkin to spinach to the classic potato.

The word gnocchi is thought to come from nocca, which means knuckles, or from the Lombard word knohha, which means knot (such as wood knot) or walnut—all words that imply the small, tight, rounded shape of gnocchi that we know today.

The most famous potato gnocchi that are known and loved world-wide date back to the sixteenth or, more likely, seventeenth century—well after Spanish explorers brought potatoes from South America and introduced them to Italian kitchens.

Some iterations of gnocchi such as gnocchi à la parisienne or gnocchi alla romana are always baked, even the classic potato iteration can be improved by a bit of oven time. This isn’t necessarily the most traditional way to make and serve gnocchi, but it’s certainly a twist on the classic and, above all, a nice way to dress up a package of prepared gnocchi, which might otherwise be a bit tough.

Another idea would be to use gnocchi as the base for a vegetarian sheet-pan dinner with roasted vegetables, baking them until they get crispy and golden brown; in another, similar recipe, the roasted gnocchi could be served on a bed of arugula for even more nutrients and flavor. 

Of course, you can bake gnocchi in a casserole with lasagna-like influences, simmering in a bubbling mass of sausage, ricotta, marinara, and mozzarella; this gnocchi bake, meanwhile, marries the dumplings with chicken, broccoli, and a rich, creamy Asiago cheese sauce.

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 Baked Chicken Gnocchi w/ Garlic Asiago Cream Sauce
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Cuisine Italian
Keyword baked chicken gnocchi w/ garlic asiago cream sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Broccoli
Gnocchi
Garlic Asiago Cream Sauce
Cuisine Italian
Keyword baked chicken gnocchi w/ garlic asiago cream sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Broccoli
Gnocchi
Garlic Asiago Cream Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Gnocchi
  1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain in a colander & set aside.
Broccoli
  1. Cut broccoli into florets & place in a 'steamer' microwave dish. Cook in the microwave about 1 minute; drain dish & set aside.
Chicken
  1. Season chicken quarters with Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken on both sides, starting skin side down, until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; drain & set aside.
Asiago Sauce
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a rimmed baking dish & set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic & cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth & Italian seasoning. Cook, whisking constantly, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in half & half cream & grated asiago cheese until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper to taste.
Baking
  1. Arrange chicken quarters in prepared baking pan. Top with cooked gnocchi, broccoli florets & asiago cheese sauce. Roast until completely cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Dill Pickle & Bacon Bread

Pickles are one of those love it or hate it things. Brion & I are in the love category, that’s why I made this dill pickle bread, but if you’re a hate them kind of person, you may want to move along.

This savory dill pickle bread is an easy and tasty quick bread loaded with all thing’s dill – dill pickles, dill pickle juice, and fresh dill. It’s super easy to make and bakes up nice and soft with a golden crust.

It’s truly delicious on its own, but even better with a little dab of butter! Great served with a bowl of soup or in place of dinner rolls to complete a meal and even better made into grilled cheese sandwiches. This dill pickle bread is nothing short of irresistible!

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 Dill Pickle & Bacon Bread
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Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword dill pickle bread
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SLICES
Ingredients
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword dill pickle bread
Servings
SLICES
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. In a skillet, fry bacon until somewhat crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Crumble. Chop dill pickle's. Grate cheese.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, oil, eggs & sugar until smooth.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, onion & garlic powder & salt. Add to wet mixture along with pickle juice. Stir until combined.
  5. Fold in bacon, dill pickles, cheddar & dill. Pour into prepared loaf pan & smooth out on top.
  6. Bake until bread is golden & a toothpick inserted into the middle of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Notes
  • I made salmon sandwiches with some of this bread & we really enjoyed it!

Pulled Pork w/ Swiss Mac & Cheese

The exact origin of the classic ‘macaroni and cheese’ is unknown, though it likely hails from northern Europe. Although there were French dishes with pasta and cheese as early as the 14th century, it was an English writer and businesswoman called Elizabeth Raffald who first wrote the recipe for what we would recognize as macaroni and cheese in 1769. Elizabeth’s recipe was for macaroni, cooked in a béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese added and sprinkled with parmesan.

Many countries have a profound love and deep historical connection to a version of this dish including the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and of course Italy where pasta was first popularized in Europe. It is also possible that some of its origins may trace back to the Alps of Switzerland.

In Swiss-German, mac and cheese is called Älplermagronen, which roughly translates as alpine macaroni. It is the Swiss version of the American macaroni and cheese, but heartier and with bolder flavors.

Alpine macaroni is essentially Swiss mac and cheese with potatoes. Macaroni and cubed potatoes collectively drown in a decadent cheese sauce! This classic is topped with caramelized onions and crispy bacon pieces, served with a side of applesauce. The recipe was invented back in the 1930s and is comprised of ingredients easily available to herdsman keeping an eye on their cows grazing in the Alps.

This humble pasta w/ cheese dish has become an ultimate comfort food in a plethora of cultures and countries around the world. There have been many inventive twists put on this classic. The 1953 edition of the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, calls for a sauce made from Velveeta, onion and cream of mushroom soup. Other variations sub in Brie, figs, rosemary and mushrooms for the traditional cheddar-based sauce.

In our meal today, I’m putting my own twist on this version of Swiss Älplermagronen by omitting the potatoes and bacon and adding some pulled pork. Instead of serving the applesauce on the side, I’m adding it to the cheese sauce. Applesauce might sound like a weird addition, but it works. Just like cheddar melted over a piece of apple pie is an unexpectedly delicious treat.

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 Pulled Pork w/ Swiss Mac & Cheese
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Rating: 5
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Cuisine European
Servings
Ingredients
Cuisine European
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil & cook macaroni (or orecchiette pasta) according to package directions. When cooked to al dente stage, drain well, RESERVING pasta water. Drizzle pasta with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Shake it around a bit in the colander to keep it from sticking together.
  2. In same pot used to cook pasta, melt butter & sauté onion until tender crisp then whisk in flour. Cook mixture for 2 minutes, whisking all the while then whisk in milk & applesauce. Cook for 2 more minutes continuing to whisk while the mixture is thickening.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish, set aside.
  4. Remove from heat & stir in salt, pepper, sage, Gruyere, cheddar & pulled pork. Combine then add cooked pasta & stir until pasta is evenly covered with sauce. If mixture is too thick, adjust consistency with some reserved pasta water.
  5. Place in a baking dish & bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until pasta begins to turn slightly golden brown.