Crispy Caprese, A New Dish To Accompany A New Phase Of Life

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Salt
Cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 ripe pearl tomatoes (or 8 cherry tomatoes), sliced ¼” or thinner
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
16 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced ¼ ” or thinner (from an 8 oz ball or log)
16 large, fresh basil leaves
12 toothpicks
½ cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Fresh, Tomato-Basil Relish (recipe below)

Preparation:

-Preheat the oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with foil.

-Prepare the chicken breasts by butterflying each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through (you want to end up with a thinner, flatter chicken breast); place each butterflied chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound the chicken out with a mallet to about ¼” thickness; place the chicken breasts into a bowl, and add a drizzle of olive oil, the garlic, a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, the lemon juice and zest, and marinate the chicken for about 15-20 minutes.

-Next, place the thinly sliced pearl tomatoes into a small dish, and add to them the balsamic vinegar and a pinch or two of salt and pepper, and allow them to marinate while the chicken marinates.

-To prepare the chicken, place one marinaded chicken breast in front of you, vertically; giving yourself about a ½” border at the bottom, begin by adding 2 of the fresh basil leaves, then 2 slices of the fresh mozzarella cheese, next 4 slices of the marinated tomato, then another 2 basil leaves and finally 2 more slices of mozzarella onto the chicken; starting at the bottom, fold the chicken over the ingredients, gently rolling upward until wrapped; place 2-3 toothpicks through the seam at angles to secure the filling and to keep the chicken held together, and place it onto a clean plate to hold; repeat the process with all four chicken breasts.

-To bread the chicken, add the flour into a medium-size bowl; add the eggs into a another medium-size bowl, and whisk well; add the panko breadcrumbs, the grated parmesan, the Italian seasoning and a pinch of cracked black pepper into another medium-size bowl, and toss to combine; gently dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then in the eggs and finally in the panko-parmesan mixture, and set aside on the plate while you heat your oil.

-To fry, add enough olive oil to a large heavy-bottom pan or skillet for a shallow fry (roughly 1 cup), and place over medium-high heat; once the oil is hot, add in 2 of the rolled and breaded chicken breasts seam-side down, and cook until golden-brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side (about 8 minutes total); remove from oil and place onto a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat the process with the remaining two breasts; to finish the chicken, add the fried breasts to the foil-lined baking sheet, and place into the oven for about 4-5 minutes, until completely cooked through and the cheese is melted and gooey; to serve, remove toothpicks, and serve on a bed of the Fresh, Tomato-Basil Relish.

Fresh, Tomato-Basil Relish ingredients:

8 ripe pearl (or Campari) tomatoes, diced very finely
2 cloves of garlic, pressed through garlic press
¼ cup julienned fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil, drizzle or two
• Pinch or two salt
• Pinch or two freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

-Add all ingredients in a small bowl, and gently fold together to combine; cover with plastic wrap and keep in fridge until ready to use with chicken. (*Basil tends to discolor and become a bit brown over time once julienned or chopped, so prepare this relish as close to serving time as possible to maintain it’s vibrant green.)

Torcettini di Saint Vincent

Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water, about 110F
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 tsp instant yeast)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder (if making chocolate torcettini)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lime/ lemon zest (replace with orange zest for the chocolate version)
40gm unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
about 1/3 cup sugar for rolling the cookies
Preparation:

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, in a small bowl and keep aside.
Put the flour and the salt in the food processor bowl (or a largish regular bowl if kneading by hand) and pulse a couple of times to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the butter is well mixed and the flour-butter mixture looks powdery.
If making chocolate Torcetti, remove 2 tbsp all-purpose flour and add the 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder mentioned in the recipe. Don’t add the lemon zest/ anise. Use orange zest and maybe add 1/ 2 tsp instant coffee powder with the flour.
Add the yeast-water mixture and pulse till it all comes together as a ball. Do not over process or knead. Place the ball of dough in a oiled bowl, turning it so it is well coated with the oil. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise quite a bit.
This dough does not really double in volume, but it should look “puffy” after about an hour or so. When you pinch off a bit from the top you can see the interior looking a bit like honeycomb. Press down the dough and deflate it, wrap it in cling warp and refrigerate it for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. (I did just for a hour)

When ready to make the cookies, take the dough out and lightly roll it out into an approximately 6” square. If the dough feels sticky, scatter a little sugar on it. Using a pizza wheel cut the dough into four strips of equal width. Cut each strip into 6 equal pieces, by cutting across, making a total of 24 pieces. The measurements are not very critical in this part because this just makes it easier to have 24 equal sized bits of dough, as compared to pinching of bits of the dough.
Roll each piece into a pencil thick “rope” about 5” long. Sprinkle a little sugar on your work surface and roll the “rope” in it so the sugar crusts the dough uniformly. Form the “rope” into a loop crossing it over before the ends.
Place the Torcettini on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 1 1/2″ between them. Leave them for about 20 minutes or so till they rise/ puff up slightly. Don’t worry, they will not “puff up” much.
Bake them at 160C (325F) for about 25 minutes till they’re a nice golden brown. Cool the cookies completely, on a rack. Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature.

FRENCH BEANS CASSEROLE WITH POACHED EGG

2 cups ( 300g) french beans- cut into 5 cm length
1 red chilli- sliced
2 cloves garlic- minced
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese- grated
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to season
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the red chili and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add in the beans and fry for few minutes.
3. MIx in the milk, salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the grated cheese on the bottom of a casserole and tip in the sauteed bean-milk mixture.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180C until cheese is bubbling and melted.
6. Serve with poached egg on top and baguette slices.

S’mores with Mounds Candy Bars

Ingredients:
package of plain graham crackers
package of large marshmallows
bag of Mounds Candy bars-snack size (or substitute coconut and chocolate)

Directions:

Toast marshmallows over open flame. I used my gas stove flame. Then place on top of graham cracker and place in microwave for 10-15 seconds to heat inside.

Place Mounds candy bar (snack size). Place graham cracker and sandwich all ingredients together. Enjoy.

Blue Cheese Coleslaw

Ingredients
5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and divided
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
2 cups broccoli slaw mix
Instructions
In a bowl, combine 4 ounces of the cheese with the mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar and vinegar. Whisk to combine until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbages and broccoli slaw. Add the dressing – a little at a time – toss well and taste. Add as much dressing to coat all the slaw nicely – you may not use all the dressing – refrigerate any left over. Scatter with remaining blue cheese on top and serve.
Notes
…from the Picture-Perfect kitchen:
Planning: The slaw will keep for several days in the fridge but will become slightly less crunchy.
Product Purity: There are several different blue cheeses you can buy. Roquefort, the “king of cheese,” is my favorite – but it is a very pungent cheese. You can opt for the milder Maytag blue cheese, which is also delicious.
Presentation: The crumbled blue cheese garnish tells your guests what they’re about to savor in the slaw!

Neapolitan Zebra Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

For the Strawberry Layer:

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup strawberry purée*

1 teaspoon strawberry extract (optional, but strongly recommended)

A few drops food coloring (optional but recommended)

*(blend frozen strawberries that have been defrosted in your food processor to make the purée.)

For the chocolate layer:

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup flour

For the vanilla layer:
8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour

Instructions:

To prepare the crust:

Mix together the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter until combined. (It will have the texture of wet sand.) Press along the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Press a round measuring cup along the edge to smooth it out. Place the crust in the freezer while you prepare the batter.

To prepare batter: combine all ingredients for strawberry mixture in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. (You can do this with an electric mixer or a whisk.) Set aside. Repeat to make chocolate and then vanilla batter.

To assemble the cheesecake:

Remove the crust from the freezer. Place a small scoop (*see note) (about 2-4 Tablespoons) of the vanilla batter in the center of the crust.
Next, place a scoop of the chocolate mixture in the center of the vanilla. This will cause the vanilla mixture to spread out. Then, place a scoop of the strawberry mixture in the center of the chocolate, again, this will push the chocolate mixture out towards the edge.

Repeat with the remaining batter, alternating between the colors. (Note about the size of the scoop- the smaller the scoop, the more impressive your cheesecake will look, but the longer it will take. Just make sure the scoops are the same size for each flavor.)

Bake the cheesecake at 350 for 65 minutes. To prevent cracks, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool slowly for at least an hour.

If you don’t want to make your own crust, divide the batter between two pre-made graham cracker crusts and bake for 40-45 minutes.

*Note: I heard from many readers who used squeeze bottles and piping bags to place the batter in neat, even circles. This might also make the process easier.

My Favorite Green Smoothie

ingredients:
1 apple, cored
1 medium banana
2 cups baby spinach
3/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
3/4 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

directions:
Place all the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Recipe by Tessa of Handle the Heat

Piña Colada Cheesecake Smoothie (Vitamina de Abacaxi com Coco)

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups vanilla yogurt (I used Dannon Light & Fit Non Fat)
1-1/4 cups light coconut milk (the real thing)
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar (or sugar substitute to taste)
2 ounces (about 57 gr.) cream cheese, softened (I used the light one)
3 cups frozen pineapple
Directions:

In a blender, combine all the ingredients well until smooth. Serve immediately with whole or crushed graham crackers on top (I served mine with cinnamon graham crackers). Enjoy!!!

Note: This recipe was adapted from Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies from Melissa’s Cuisine. According to Melissa, the original source of the recipe is The Royal Cook.

Syrian Lamb kebabs with Sour Cherries

Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb
2 tsp homemade baharat
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt & pepper
1 jar sour cherries, fresh or jarred
skewers, for grilling
Method:
Let’s build some towers. Like this… but with meat:

Palmyra, Syria. Photo by Zelidar.
To get started, thoroughly mix the lamb with the spices. The best tool for the job is your hands. Really work it. Then cover and refrigerate at least an hour, but overnight is fine, too.

Shape into balls and thread onto skewers , alternating with the sour cherries.
“Look, mama, you made a pattern!” said Ava, at this moment.

Cook on an oiled, medium-hot grill, turning once, until the meat is cooked through. You can also make these inside on a grill pan, if your door happens to be blocked by a giant table. You know, if that’s where you happen to take your blog photos …. (ahem).
Enjoy with some crazy, curly hair.
Seriously. When did that happen?

Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder/granules, optional
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon brewed coffee, optional (leftover from the morning brew is fine)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a standard 12-count muffin pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside. For cosmetic reasons, I prefer to avoid the ruffled edges that paper liners create.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the the first seven dry ingredients, ending with optional salt.
Add the chocolate chips and whisk to incorporate; set aside.
In a 2-cup measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 5 wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold to incorporate using a rubber spatula. Don’t stir vigorously or beat; just make sure everything is combined and there are no unblended dry ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl or in the folds of the batter. Don’t overmix or muffins will be tough. Batter will be quite thick.
Using a 1/4 cup-measure that’s been sprayed with cooking spray (helps batter to slide right out), scoop out quarter-cupfuls of batter into prepared pan. Re-spray measuring cup with cooking spray every third or fourth scoopful of batter, or as necessary. Fill muffin cups up to a solid 3/4-full, nearly filling to the top. This creates domed, high-top muffins. Underfilled cups create flatter muffins, and you’ll also end up with extra batter.
Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean (noting that it’s hard to find a ‘clean’ patch to test that doesn’t have melted chocolate chips and it’s easy to confuse muffin batter with a gooey melted chocolate chip). Muffins should be domed and springy to the touch; don’t overbake.
Allow muffins to cool in the pan on top of a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Then place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Tip: If you’ve accidentally overbaked your muffins which is easy to do with chocolate, wrapping them while still warm in plasticwrap, and putting them inside a large Ziplock, and sealing it, will help muffins soften over the next day. Muffins are best fresh, but well-wrapped, they will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Serve with peanut butter, chocolate peanut butter, Nutella, jam, cream cheese, frosting, or enjoy plain.
Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.