Baked Alaska

Broccoli Cakes with Tomato Salsa

2012-02-06T10:47:35Z

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I remember a trip my husband and I took to Santa Fe probably 20 some years ago. One of the nights there we ate dinner at a restaurant where I had some type of a vegetable cake or patty, served with a sauce or salsa on top. I think they were broccoli, but I don't remember what type of sauce they had. I was suprised at the time how good they were.

So for this week's ingredient, broccoli, I decided to try to recreate some type of a cake. I actually made these for Christmas Eve dinner. It was just me and my husband, and I was wanting to use ingredients we had in the house, and I also wanted something healthy.

While these were good, I would change some things next time I make them. The only cornmeal I had was medium-grind. I would use a fine-grind next time. I think I would also try them with all of the flour being white next time, to see what difference that makes. You can also use whatever vegetables you have around. I happended to have about 1/4 cup of mushrooms stems leftover from making stuffed mushrooms, and I chopped those and added them to the broccoli.

Broccoli Cakes with Tomato Salsa 2-4 servings

Tomato Salsa
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Cilantro or Parsley, optional
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
dash tabasco sauce
Pinch sugar (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Brocolli Cakes
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms (or any other vegetable you choose), optional
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg + 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour (I used half white and half wheat)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated cheese, about 1/4-1/2 cup (I used an Irish sharp cheddar, but you could use any hard cheese)
2 teaspoon baking soda
juice 1/2 lemon
1 cup milk

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the broccoli, mushrooms, and garlic and cook over med heat, stirring, until tender. Place in large bowl to cool.
2. To the bowl with the broccoli, add eggs, cornmeal, flour, salt, and cheese. Mix well.
3. In a small bowl, combine the milk, lemon juice, and baking soda.
4. Add the milk mixture to the broccoli mixture and stir well.
5. Form into 4-6 patties and cook in a large non-stick skillet (which you've either sprayed with Pam or drizzled a little oil into) and cook over medium heat until first side is browned. Flip, turn heat to med-low, and continue to cook on second side until cakes are browned and cooked through.
6. Top with the tomato salsa and serve.

Banana Nut Oatmeal

2012-01-30T10:06:26Z

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Today you're getting a very simple recipe from me. I wouldn't even call it a recipe. Our ingredient for the week was bananas. I enjoy bananas, but don't think I use them in much cooking other than banana bread.

When I was in Hawaii in November, I bought some apple bananas. I love them. They're a little tarter than a regular banana, and their nice small size is the perfect portion. One morning I smashed some up in my oatmeal and thought it was delicious. Of course I've eaten bananas sliced on cold cereal, but I don't think I'd ever eaten them on hot ceraeal.

My recipe for the week is Banana Nut Oatmeal. The complimentary ingredients I used are cinnamon, oats, brown sugar and walnuts. This is a very healthy, filling breakfast. You can skip the cinnamon if you would like, and I like it even better with maple syrup instead of brown sugar.

Here's how I made it - Cut a banana (half of one if yours is large) into small chunks and place in a microwavable bowl. Add 1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal and cover with water (or you can use milk if you want a really rich oatmeal. Microwave until all water is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon, brown sugar, and toasted chopped walnuts. Stir and serve.

Asian-Flavored Beef

2012-01-23T10:01:00Z

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The ingredient this week is beef. I had trouble coming up with something that I thought was original. Then I remembered a recipe that a neighbor taught my mom years ago, when I was just a kid. An Asian lady moved into our neighborhood. I think she was Chinese. She taught some of the neighbor women to make wonderful fried eggrolls, and I think she also told us how to make this beef.

It's very simple and not really even a recipe. Place some type of thin-cut steak in a shallow pan. I threw away the wrapper without remembering which cut of beef I bought. You could use flank steak, or any cut that you can quickly cook on the grill. Mince 5 or 6 garlic cloves, a tablespoon or two of grated fresh ginger (I think we even used to use powdered ginger) and enough light soy sauce to come to about 1/4 or 1/2" up the sides of your pan., and place that all in the pan with the beef. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Turn the steaks to coat all sides in the soy sauce mixture. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator, and marinate from 1-3 hours.

When ready to cook, take out of the pan and grill until rare or medium-rare. That's all there is to it. Good served with steamed broccoli and maybe some rice. A simple, flavorful beef recipe.

PhotoHunt - Bliss

2012-01-21T10:11:18Z

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The theme for PhotoHunt today is Bliss. This photo was taken at a winery in California last year. It was a special trip for my 50th birthday.

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Tart

2012-01-16T10:02:44Z

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The ingredient this week is beets. I love beets. As a kid, I ate canned beets. I liked them, but as an adult when I discovered fresh, roasted beets, my love for them grew more. One of my favorite ways to eat them is on a salad. A salad with roasted beets, goat cheese, and toasted walnuts. Yum. This week I decided to take the flavors of that salad and put them into a tart. This tart was absolutely delicious. The crunch of the crust, tang of the goat cheese, sweetness of the beets and earthiness of the walnuts complement each other perfectly. I served it the first evening with a simple green salad that was dressed with mandarin orange-infused olive oil and a sweet balsamic vinegar. Then I had some of the leftovers the next morning for breakfast. The tart is very versatile and could be served as an appetizer if made in individual small tart pans, or as a light entree alongside a salad, or as a breakfast or lunch course. It reheats nicely, but be sure and reheat in the oven, not the microwave or you will have a soggy crust.

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnut Tart
Yield: one 10" tart
3 small to medium beets
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 tablespoons dry white wine
3 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 ounces soft goat cheese
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
10" tart shell, blind-baked (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry the beets and place them on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Close the foil tighly around the beets and bake until beets are tender, about 1 hour. When cool, peel the beets and cut them into small chunks. (Can be prepared up to 1 day in advance.)
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft. Add the wine and stir up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the wine has all evaporated.
3. Preheat oven to 350. Spread the cooked onions evenly in the bottom of the cooked tart shell. Then evenly distribute the beets on top. Sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.
4. Whisk together the eggs and cream and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour this over the beet onion mixutre. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.
5. Bake until just set, about 40 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Tart Shell (Pate Brisee) Yield: one 10" shell
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons ( 1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Ice water

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles course meal. Add the egg and pulse again until dough comes together. If dough is a little dry, add a few drops of ice water. You want the dough to hold together but you don't want a sticky wet dough.
2. Pull dough out of processor and with floured hands, shape dough into a flattened ball or disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
3. When ready to use, let dough stand at room temperature long enough you can roll it, about 10 minutes. Roll dough on a floured surface until it's large enough to fit in the tart pan with extra to come up the sides. Gently pat into pan and press up the sides of pan. Cut off excess.
4. To blind-bake the shell, preheat the oven to 375. Line the shell with foil and fill with beans, rice or pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is nicely golden brown all over.

PhotoHunt - Circular

2012-01-14T10:09:15Z

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The theme for this week's PhotoHunt is Circular. This is a photo of artichokes I took at San Diego's Italian market.

Winter Sqash Risotto

2012-01-09T10:32:47Z

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The special ingredient for today is Winter Squash. I had several winter squashes sitting around my kitchen, and I decided to try to create something from ingredients that I already had in my kitchen. I settled on making a Winter Squash Risotto. I began by roasting the squash for extra sweetness and flavor. Then I made a basic risotto, added the mashed winter squash along with some French triple creme cheese. It was a very delicious meal, and one that will surely remind you that you're in the winter season.

The complimentary ingredients I used this week were SAGE, stock,olive oil,leeks, and cheese.

WINTER SQUASH RISOTTO About 8 servings
winter squash of your choice (I used 3 different varieties-Delicata, Butternut, and Acorn (About 2 cups when roasted)
1 leek, cut in half and thinly sliced
10 cremini mushrooms, cut in half and sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups Arborio rice
3 14 oz. cans chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 ounces French triple creme cheese (or brie, gorgonzola, or blue)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut squash in half, scrape out seeds, season inside with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on an oiled bakig sheet. Cook until tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Can be made in advance.
2. Bring broth to simmer in a saucepan. Turn to low and keep warm.
3. Place 2 teaspoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until both are softened. Add rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until evaporated. Add 1 1/2 cups hot broth and simmer, stirring frequently, until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup broth at a time, allowing broth to evaporate before adding any more. Remember to stir frequently. When rice is tender (but not too soft), add the sage, squash, and cheese. Stir to combine and taste for seasons. Serve on warmed plates or bowls.

PhotoHunt - Bling

2012-01-07T10:07:12Z

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The theme for PhotoHunt today is Bling. This is the way Alaskan's do bling.

Crostada di Miele e Pignoli (Honey and Pine Nut Tart)

2012-01-04T20:28:38Z

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I've made this tart twice now and it is absolutely wonderful. It has a crunchy crust, a sweet/salty filling oozing with the flavor of butter and honey, and is topped with the unique taste of pine nuts. It's an easy tart to make also.

This recipe comes from Gina DePalma, from her great book Dolce Italiano. Gina is the pastry chef at Mario Batali's restaurant Babbo. Thank you Gina for such a delicious recipe.

If you have a special mild honey, such as acacia or orange blossom, this recipe is even more special.

]]> Honey and Pine Nut Tart
Makes one 10" tart for 8 servings

Sweet Tart Crust (see below)
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cup pine nuts

On a floured surface, roll the tart dough into an 11" circle 1/8" thick. Transfer the dough to a 10" tart pan with fluted sides and a removable bottom. It's easiest to transfer by rolling the dough around the pin and then unrolling it into the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim it so it is flush with the top of the pan. Chill the tart shell while you make the filling.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and position an oven rack in the center of oven.

To make the custard: Place the honey, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir to combine them. Add the butter, place the saucepan over med-high heat, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl; allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream, followed by the egg and egg yolk.

Place the tart shell on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Distribute the pine nuts evenly over the bottom of the tart shell and pour the custard into the shell until it reaches the top of the crust. Bake for 30-55 minutes, or until both the crust and the filling have turned light golden brown and the custard is set but still jiggly. (Mine took the full 55 minutes.) Allow the tart to cool completely on a rack before carefully removing the sides of the pan.

Serve the tart while still slightly warm, or cool it and serve at room temperature. Leftovers will keep, wriapped in plastic, for a few days in the refrigerator.

Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Sweet Tart Crust
Makes one 10" tart shell

2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 small orange
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4" cubes
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
A few drops ice water, if necessary

Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and citrus zest in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine the dry ingredients. Add all fo the cold, cubed butter to the bowl and pulse to process the mixture until it is sandy and there are no visible lumps of butter.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times, or until the dough comes together. If necessary, add some ice water, a few drops at a time, to make the dough come together.

Remove the dough from the food processor and work it with your hands to even out any dry and wet spots. Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours, before rolling it out. You can freeze the dough, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.

Pasta Carbanara with Smoked Oysters.

2012-01-02T07:53:32Z

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Our ingredient this week is oysters. I had plans to make oysters on the half shell with a champagne granita. The only problem was my husband won't eat raw oysters, and I waited until the last minute to buy fresh oysters, so I was afraid they would all be gone. So I switched gears and decided to make something using canned smoked oysters.

I decided to make an Spaghetti Carbanara with Smoked Oysters. I thought the smokiness of the oysters would match the smokiness of the bacon. The results were good, but the pasta was really rich. Serve this in very small portions. I'm not a big oyster fan, so I actually liked the pasta better without them, but if you like smoked oysters, then I think you'll really like this dish. And by the way, it's not a true carbanara. I added leeks, mushrooms, and used parmesan cheese.

Pasta Carbanara with Smoked Oysters
4-6 servings

1 lb dried spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 oz bacon,cut into thin strips
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, cut in half and thinly sliced
6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs
1 cup parmesan regianno cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Bring water to boil. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over med heat. Add bacon and saute until bacon is almost crispy. Add leeks, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute until leeks and mushrooms are tender.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and cheese together until there are no lumps. Set aside.
4. Add hot drained pasta to the skillet wtih the bacon mixture. Toss to coat well. Remove from heat.
5. Pour the egg/cheese mixture over the pasta and quickly stir to mix well and keep the eggs from scrambling. Thin out the sauce with the reserved pasta water if needed.
6. Season with salt if needed and lots of coursely ground black pepper. Top with the chopped parsley.

Apple Spice Cake with Chestnuts

2011-12-19T10:19:41Z

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This week our featured ingredient is chestnuts. I've eaten chestnuts a few times, but I never enjoyed them very much. I thought the texture was rather mealy. I liked the flavor, so I figured that I just never had really good ones since most people seem to love them.

Chestnuts are hard to find here in Anchorage. I didn't want to have to mail order any, then I remembered that a few years ago on a visit to Tuscany, I brought back a couple of jars of chestnuts in syrup. I think I ate the first jar on top of ice cream, and for whatever reason never opened the second jar. I won't tell you how many years past expiration they were, because you'd think I was crazy to eat them. But internet searches led me to discover that sweet jams and fruits rarely go bad. They just might deteriorate in quality. So I tasted one, and it was delicious. No funny taste, and I ate the first one about 8 hours ago and I'm not sick yet.

The next decision was what to make. I decided to make apples one of my complimentary ingredients. I was trying to think about what I could make when something got me to thinking about those old-fashioned applesauce snack cakes. You know, the one where you mix everything together right in the pan you're going to be baking it in.

So since baking is somewhat of an art, I had to have a basic recipe to adapt from. A google search turned up a recipe from TreeTop. I skipped the allspice called for in the recipe, and instead used cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I also skipped the lemon juice and used rum instead. And then most apple snack cakes have raisins. I don't remember whether this original recipe did or not, but I decided to instead use the drained, chopped chestnuts.

The cake turned out really good! Much better than I expected. I would by no means consider this a snack cake now. The rich spices and chestnuts and rum definitely elevate it above that. It would be perfect for any dinner party, plain with just a dusting of powdered sugar on top, or with a little lightly sweetened whipped cream.

If you don't happen to have any chestnuts in syrup that you brought back from Italy on hand, you could always just use raisins (I would prefer golden raisins) or any other dried fruit.

Apple Spice Cake with Chestnuts

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
grating of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon rum
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2/3 cup apple juice
1/2 cup drained, chopped chestnuts in syrup

In an ungreased 8 or 9" square pan (I used a 10" round pan), combine flour, brown sugar, spices, and soda. Mix well with fork or whisk. Sprinkle with the chestnuts. In a separate bowl or large mixing cup, combine apple sauce, vanilla, rum, oil, egg, and apple juice. Mix thoroughly with fork or whisk. Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture in pan, and mix until all ingredients are combined. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 - 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (The original recipe called for baking for 40 minutes. I had to back mine for 60 minutes or even a little longer to get it cooked in the center.)

Roasted Vegetable Soup

2011-12-12T10:46:27Z

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I know, I know, this is a strange colored soup. This is what happens when one of your ingredients is fresh beets. The color doesn't bother me, but if it bothers you, just use golden beets instead of red beets. That's what I did the second time I made this soup and it was a nice golden color.

The ingredient for this week is PARSNIPS. I love soups of all sorts, and with this winter weather we've been having, soups are perfect. This is also a very healthy soup. You can alter this recipe in many different ways. I'm going to just describe what I did here rather than give you an actual recipe. Any way you adapt it, it always turns out good.

The complimentary ingredients I used with parsnips are NUTMEG, carrots, olive oil, pepper, potatoes, salt, chicken stock.

Here's what I did. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cut into small pieces about 4 parsnips, 4 carrots, 3 potatoes, and 3 beets. You can use any variety of root vegetables in any quantities you want. Place all on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss to mix together, then spread out. If the vegetables can't all lay flat, place half of them on a second pan. I also peeled 1 medium onion, sliced it in half, and layed in cut side down on the baking sheet. If you'd prefer, you can dice it instead and toss with the other ingredients. Roast the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. The time will depend on how small you cut your vegetables, but probably 30-45 minutes. Remove from pan, and place in a large saucepan. Add about 1 can chicken broth or stock. Use an immersion blender to then make a pretty smooth soup. I like some chunks still, but not too large. You can also use a blender. As you're doing this, add more broth until it's the right consistency. I think I used 3 or 3 1/2 cans for the above quantity of vegetables. When the soup is pureed and the consistency you like, place the pan on the stove to heat back up. You can add any spices you might want also. I used a little freshly grated nutmeg, because I needed to have this as a complimentary ingredient. It tasted good, but the second time I made it I only used salt and pepper. Fresh herbs like thyme or sage would be good also. Place in a bowl, and serve with fresh croutons or slices of bread.

That's it. I love this soup, love that it's healthy, easy, and adaptable to whatever root vegetables you want to use. Turnips, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sunchokes, even winter squash and cauliflower work well.

Pasta with Cabbage and Potatoes

2011-12-05T10:06:45Z

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This was a hard challenge for me. I love cabbage and eat it quite often, but it seems like by ways of cooking it are very simple-saute it in a stir fry, or just brown it in a skillet with a little olive oil. Or make it into a salad. I was going to post the salad I make, which is very low in calories and very healthy. I thought it was too simple. Shredded cabbage, almonds, dried cranberries, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, salt and pepper. You can also add some cooked chicken if you would like some protein.

But that is not the recipe I chose to feature. As I was thinking about what to create, I saw a recipe in Food & Wine for a Italian pasta with cabbage and potatoes. The cabbage and potatoes were steamed, and become a quite soft texture. I decided to cook cabbage the way I normally do, add some potatoes, leeks, and spices, and mix that with whole wheat pasta. The results were prettey healthy and delicous.

Pasta with Cabbage and Potatoes
Serves 4

17 oz whole wheat pasta
1/2 green cabbage, thinly sliced
3/4 lb potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice (mine were small potatoes, and I didn't peel them)
1/2 leek, cut in half and thinly sliced
1/2 onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin oilve oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Paremsano Reggiano cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add leeks, onions, and garlic. Cook until onions/leeks begin to soften.
2. Add the potatoes. Cook at med high heat until potatoes begin to soften. Add the cabbage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook until all vegetables are tender and beginning to brown. Adjust temperature as needed.
3. While vegetables are cooking, cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente.
4. When pasta is al dente, drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of water.
5. Add the pasta to the onion mixture, along with 1 cup pasta water. Stir well.
6. Remove from heat, and add cheese. Stir until combined well.
7. Place on plates and serve.

Pear Coffee Cake

2011-11-28T10:18:06Z

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(Excuse my bad photos. I have got to get a better light to take photos with. Our days are too short to rely on natural light, and my photos are suffering.)

Our ingredient this week is pears. For some reason, I had trouble coming up with something unique. I have been wanting to make a coffee cake lately-seems like the cold weather makes me crave things like this. I decided to do an adaptation of a sour cream coffee cake. I'm not sure where my original recipe came from-it's one written on a recipe card that I've had for a long time. The original has a streusel filling that contains currants and cocoa powder. I decided to skip those ingredients and add chopped fresh pears. I also changed around some of the spices.

The cake tasted really good on the day it was baked, with a good texture. But after that first day, the texture changed. I think it was too much moisture from the pears made the cake more dense, instead of the crumb you would normally think of in a coffee cake. I made double the recipe, and in the second batch I skipped the pears and used dried cranberries instead. I liked that texture better. So if you make this cake, which I do highly recommend, either serve it on the day it's made, or else subtitute dried fruit for the fresh pear.

The complimentary ingredients I used were WALNUTS, SUGAR, CINNAMON, BUTTER, and VANILLA.

PEAR SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE
8-10 servings

1 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pear, peeled and diced
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 16 oz container sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan.
2. Mix first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
4. In large bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy and well-blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
5. Mix in dry ingredients, and sour cream alternately into the butter mixture in 3 additions. Beat on high 1 minute.
6. Pour one-third of batter itno prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of pear/nut mixutre. Spoon another third of batter on top, then sprinkle with remaining pear/nut mixture. Top with last third of batter.
7. Bake cake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on rack for 10-15 minutes. Cut around pan to loosen, then turn out onto rack and let cool 1 hour.
8. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Brussel Sprout and Goat Cheese Salad

2011-11-21T13:51:57Z

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This week's ingredient is Brussel Sprouts. I love roasted brussel sprouts. I had a little trouble deciding what to make this week, because I couldn't seem to come up with an unique recipe. I don't know if what I came up with is unique or not. Probably not, since hardly anything is, but I've never had it and I loved it and it will be added to my list to make many times for future meals.

I made this recipe the last week of September because when I was at the Farmer's Market, I found some great-looking brussel sprouts still on the stalk. They were tender, flavorful, and I wish I had purchased a lot more.

The complimentary ingredients I used this week were BACON, GOAT CHEESE, Dijon mustard, olive oil, black pepper, sea salt, and shallots.

I really liked this combination of flavors. You get that bitter hint of the brussel sprouts, but the sweetness from roasting them. Then the sweetness of the cranberries counterbalances the tang of the goat cheese and the fatty goodness of the bacon. And it's all tied together by the Dijon mustard and shallot vinaigrette.

If you've not liked brussel sprouts in the past, give this recipe a try. It might just change your mind.

Roasted Brussel Sprout and Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts, cleaned and sliced in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 to 4 slices bacon, diced
1 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or could use dried tart cherries)
Vinaigrette (see below)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.
2. Place brussel sprout halves in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss, and place, cut side down, on large baking sheet.
3. Roast until tender and browned, turning once, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool.
4. While brussel sprouts are roasting, cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Place on paper towels to drain. Also make vinaigrette (see recipe below).
5. Just before serving, place brussel sprouts, bacon pieces, dried cranberries and goat cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette over, and gently toss. Serve.

Vinaigrette
1 small shallot, peeled and finely minced
1/8 teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix shallot, salt, and vingegar in a small bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes for the shallots to soften in flavor. Whisk in the mustard, then slowly whisk in the olive oil.