Peanut-Chocolate Macaroons

I love french macaroons, but I don't love buying almond flour or lavendar sugar. This recipe combines the wonderful texture of french macaroons with simple ingredients that you can buy at your normal grocer. This recipe is from Sunset.

Notes: For best results, bake these French-style macaroons on cooking parchment. They're best eaten the day they're filled; however, you can make both cookies and filling up to 3 days ahead. Stack cookies carefully in an airtight container and store at room temperature; cover ganache airtight and refrigerate. Melt ganache over hot water and cool before filling cookies.

FORMULA:

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/3 cups unsalted roasted peanuts (about 7 oz.)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
Chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

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PROCESS:

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1. In a food processor, whirl powdered sugar and peanuts until nuts are very finely ground.

2. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium heat, bring 2 to 3 inches of water to a boil; adjust heat to maintain a very low simmer. In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk sugar into egg whites. Set bowl over simmering water in pan (bottom of bowl should not touch water) and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture feels warm to the touch. Remove bowl from water and, with an electric mixer on high speed (fitted with the whisk attachment if using standing mixer), whip egg white mixture until thick, stiff peaks form. Gently fold in powdered sugar mixture.

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3. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and, with the tip almost touching the parchment, pipe into flat 2-inch circles about 1/8 inch thick, 1 inch apart, on two cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets (see notes).

4. Bake cookies in a 300° oven until tops are shiny and dry and edges are cracked, about 15 minutes; if baking two pans at one time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool completely on sheets (about 1 1/4 hours), then remove by gently lifting them up and peeling the parchment away from the bottoms.

5. Spread the flat side of each of half the cookies with about 1 teaspoon chocolate ganache. Top each with a second cookie, flat side toward filling.

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Chocolate Ganache:

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FORMULA:

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6 oz. chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

2 T whipping cream

1 T corn syrup

1 T butter

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PROCESS:

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In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), occasionally stir 6 ounces chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons whipping cream, 1 tablespoon corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon butter until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool until thick but not firm, about 15 minutes. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Summer in a Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 package Spring Mix or Continental Mix, mixed with Romaine lettuce.

Strawberries, halved

Blueberries

Avocado, sliced

Pear, sliced–but not until right before serving

Grapefruit, peeled and sliced like a pinwheel

Oranges, peeled and sliced like a pinwheel

Crumbled blue cheese

Sugared pecans, whole or halved

DRESSING:

1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing

1 T. sugar (or just a little less)

1 T. poppy seeds (or just a little less)

3 T. Water

1/4 C. Vinegar

1/2 C. Oil

PROCESS:

Mix all dressing ingredients before adding the oil. It’s best to first toss the lettuce with dressing, then add the fruit and toss with dressing, and put the cheese in at the very end. Don’t overmix.

Curry Beurre Blanc

This recipe is from Chef Craig Steinmetz.

FORMULA:

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup cream (optional)

1 medium shallot, minced

1/4 tsp. cracked lack pepper

2 tsp. curry powder

1 1/2 sticks butter

1/4 cup bunch parsley, finely chopped

PROCESS:

In a pan reduce wine, shallots and pepper to dry. Add 1/4 cup cream (optional). Whisk butter slowly a slice at a time over medium heat. Add curry and mix well.

Spoon sauce over chicken, shrimp, veggies, mussels, or whatever you prefer. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Chicken Sate

This recipe is from Chef Craig Steinmetz. Measurements aren't exact, he just kept playing with it until it was the taste he wanted.

Chicken Marinade

FORMULA:

2 lb. chicken, cut into strips

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. ginger, ground

1 tsp. coriander, ground

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

PROCESS:

Mix all ingredients except chicken to create a marinade. Marinate chicken at least 2 hours.

Sate Sauce

FORMULA:

1/3 cup peanut butter

3 tsp soy sauce

3 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp water

PROCESS:

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more spices & more water until it is the consistency and spice level that you desire.

Cook chicken (either deep fry or saute). Skewer chicken and dip in sauce.

Option: have a bowl of toasted sesame seeds or chopped green onion to roll chicken in after dipping in sauce.

Brie and Gorgonzola Quesadilla with Pear Compote.

We took a class from Chef Craig Steinmetz of Artisan Grille. We thought this recipe would be even better on some crostinis or in a panini.

FORMULA:

3-4 pears, peeled and diced in 1/2 inch cubes

1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch, mix together with 2 tsp. water

1 T (or more) water

1 small wedge of brie cheese (4 oz)

1 small wedge of gorgonzola cheese (4 oz), crumbled

1 bag flour tortillas

butter or olive oil

PROCESS:

In saute pan, add approximately 1 tbsp butter and the brown sugar. Watch it and add another tbsp or two of water and another tbsp or so of butter. Dissolve over medium heat. Toss in the diced pears and saute a few minutes until tender. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer to make a glaze. Set aside.

Layout a tortilla and place slices of brie over entire surface. Sprinkle with gorgonzola. Place into skillet with some butter or oil. Top with another tortilla and gently brown for approximately 1-2 minutes. Turnover and brown the other side. Remove from pan and cut into pizza style wedges. Serve with pear compote.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This recipe is from Sunset. I love Sunset recipes.

FORMULA:

• 3 large (1 1/2 lbs.) red bell peppers
• 3 medium thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• About 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

PROCESS:

Put peppers on a baking pan and broil 3 in. from heat, turning as needed until all sides are charred, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool; remove stems, seeds, and skin. Coarsely chop peppers.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook onion in 2 tbsp. oil, stirring, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes, peppers, broth, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a blender, purée soup in batches, holding lid down with a towel. Pour back into saucepan and thin to desired consistency with more broth if you like; reheat until hot. Drizzle each serving with a scant 1 tsp. oil.

Fresh Pico

I love tomatoes. I love garlic. I love cilantro. I love pico de gallo, although I have never understood why it was named after a rooster's beak.

FORMULA:

3 Roma Tomatoes
1/8 Onion
1/8 Green Pepper
1-2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 tsp Salt
1, 2, or 3 Cerrano Peppers, Seeds Removed, Minced
Juice of 1/4 Lime
3-5 Sprigs of Cilantro, Minced

PROCESS:

Chop all ingredients up into desired size. Dump in bowl and fold together. Let juices sit for a minute and enjoy.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Strawberry Coulis

FORMULA:

Cake:

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3 cups all-purpose or cake flour

1 tsp. salt

Strawberry Coulis:

2 cups quartered, hulled strawberries (about 12 oz)

1/4 cup water

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

PROCESS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, making sure everything is incorporated. Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, at least 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add in the flour and salt and mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brow and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 75 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

To make the strawberry coulis, combine the strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Puree until very smooth, then press through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Serve with slices of pound cake.