Tarte Tatin

Apple season!! A great recipe from the New Gourmet cookbook...


1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17 1/4 oz package), thawed

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

7-9 gala apples (you don't want to be short, i always get 10) peeled, quartered lengthwise and cored

special equipment: a well seasoned 10" cast-iron skillet

Put racks in middle and lower third of oven and preheat to 425.

Roll out pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 10 1/2" square. Brush off excess flour. Using a plate as a guide, cut out a 10" round with a sharp knife. Transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate.

Spread butter thickly on bottom and sides of skillet and pour sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange as many apples as will fit in tight concentric circles in pan, standing them on end (i usually trim the edge off of one end of the slice so it will stand more easily). Apples will stick up above the rim of the skillet (see pic above).

Cook apples over moderately high heat, without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18-25 minutes. (Don't worry if the juices color unevenly).

Lay a sheet of foil on lower oven rack, to catch any drips, and put skillet on middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly).

Remove skillet from oven and lay pastry round over apples. Bake until pastry is browned, 20-25 minutes. Transfer skillet to a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Just before serving, invert a platter with a lip over skillet and, using potholders to hold skillet and platter tightly together, invert tart onto platter. Replace any apples that stick to skillet. (Don't worry if there are caramelized black spots in apples). Brush any caramel remaining in skillet over apples. Serve immediately.

Taco Salad with Ground Turkey and White Beans

My friend Jessica just asked for this recipe, so I thought I'd post! I love this for a healthy dinner. I don't mix the turkey together with the other ingredients until I put them on my plate, that way the leftovers stay good (no wilty lettuce) and I can take them for lunch the next day!

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey (or chicken)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1 avocado, peeled pitted and diced
1 tomato diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
1 15 oz can white beans (or black), rinsed and drained
1/2 c. scallions, diced
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. store-bought salsa
1/4 c. fat free sour cream (i use Fage fat free greek yogurt)
4 pickled jalapenos (optional- i never have these!)
baked tortilla chips (also optional- i never have these either)

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 5 to 7 minutes (until done). In a bowl, toss together lettuce, mango, avocado, tomato, onion, carrots, beans, scallions, and lime zest and juice. Serve salad with turkey and garnish with salsa, sour cream, jalapenos and tortilla chips.

Tomatillo Guaca-Salsa

Ingredients:
1/2 lb tomatillos, husked
1 serrano or jalepeno pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/2 avocado (if you want a creamier salsa, you can use the entire avocado)peeled
3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Place tomatillos and pepper in dry cast iron skillet and place over medium heat
2. Blister the tomatillos and pepper, turning frequently to get all the sides
3. Remove from heat once the tomatillos are a bit soft
4. Put the lime juice in a blender
5. Slice the pepper, removing the stem and seeds (if you want spicy salsa, keep some seeds)
6. Add tomatillos, pepper and 1/2 the salt to blender and blend
7. Add avocado and the other half the salt to blender and blend
8. Add cilantro and blend until everything is completely blended

Yields: 3/4 cup

Chimichurri Sauce

note: this recipe makes a huge batch of Chimichurri

Ingredients:
1 white onion
2 cups chopped garlic
4 bunches parsley
2 pinches oregano
dash of red wine vinegar
large dash lemon juice
4 cups vegetable oil
salt/black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Put vegetable oil in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before beginning
2. Take oil out of freezer and blend all ingredients until they are pureed together

Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Margarine
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 shot any type of Liquor (I like Chambord)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Jam or jelly (your favorite)

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add Flour little by little, continuing to mix
3. Add liquor and vanilla and continue to mix until batter is creamy (no lumps)
4. Scoop out one inch balls of batter and roll into neat spheres, arranging onto ungreased cookie sheet, leaving room between each sphere
5. Press thumb into center of each sphere so that cookie is flatter, but has a nice well in the center
6. Scoop jam into the center of each cookie so that it just fills the well in the center
7. Put in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes
8. Allow to cool before trying to move cookies from baking sheet

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker crust (either premade or use the recipe on the side of the graham cracker crust box)
6 oz. key lime juice
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs

Directions:

*preheat oven to 350
1. Whisk Eggs
2. Add in milk slowly as you continue to whisk
3. Add in Key lime juice as you continue to whisk
4. Pour mixture into pie crust
5. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until solid

Peanut Sesame Sauce

Ingredients:
3 TBSP Sesame oil
1 inch Piece ginger finely minced (or pureed)
1/3 cup Peanut butter
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/4 cup Water
1 TBSP Vinegar
1 TBSP Vegetable oil
2 TBSP Sugar
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients over low-medium heat until completely mixed