Before I share this amazing recipe with you, I wanted to tell you about a fun event we are participating in this month; Kitchen PLAY. don’t know about you, but I love playing in the kitchen and get really excited when offered the opportunity to try new gadgets and ingredients. Don’t we all love to play in the kitchen; after all, isn’t that why you are here?
Kitchen PLAY represents a new sponsored Progressive Party every month with six food bloggers. Each food blogger is assigned one of the following courses: cocktails, amuse bouche, salad, appetizer/soup, entree and dessert. All bloggers have to incorporate the same kitchen tool or food product into their course. Sounds fun doesn’t it!
I was thrilled when I was asked to play along this month. The sponsor for this month’s Progressive Party is Lindsay Olives. Lindsay Olives are located in the central valley of California, where the sun shines, and it gets hot. Perfect weather to grow delicious olives. I love that they do not use any preservatives when processing their olives. Just ripe, natural, goodness with every bite! Lindsay Olives is currently celebrating the theme “Life Should Taste Good”, and I cannot agree more. Life should taste good.
I was assigned to bring an appetizer to the party using at least one Lindsay Olives product. Once I read up on the different olives, I decided to use two different types: green ripe olives and black medium olives. Normally when I make this recipe I only use black olives, but after I read about how “buttery” the green olives were, I had to throw them in. This recipe is the perfect starter for your next dinner party. Buttery puff pastry wraps around tangy goat cheese that is full of ripe olives, lemon zest, and fresh oregano.
Lindsay Olives is also sponsoring a delicious giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate this or any recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter. All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $50 and an assortment of Lindsay Olives products shipped directly to each winner (valued at an additional $15). To qualify, participants must reside in the US.
The deadline is January 31, 2012. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!
** Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Kitchen PLAY and Lindsay Olives; opinions stated are my own.
Recipe: Olive and Goat Cheese Turnovers
- Puff Pastry, 2 boxes
- 10 oz goat cheese, room temperature
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 medium shallot
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh oregano, handful, minced finely
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 egg
- Let puff pastry thaw at room temperature, according to directions on the packaging.
- Heat the oven to 350.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a fork, break up the goat cheese, until smooth.
- In a food processor, mince the shallot into small pieces. Remove from the food processor. Then do the same process with the olives. You will need to use the pulse mode so that you do not over process the olives into mush.
- Gently heat the olive oil, over low heat, in a frying pan.
- Add the shallots and cook until soft; about 3 minutes.
- Add the olives, stir, and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, and the oregano.
- Remove from the heat, and season with pepper. Let cool.
- Once cooled, add to the goat cheese, and using a fork, stir until mixed.
- On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a large square. Cut into equal sized squares: about 14 squares per rolled out sheet of puff pastry. You can go a little smaller or larger, depending on the look you want.
- Put a teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture on one corner.
- Using a pastry brush, dab a little water, around the sides of the cut square, and then fold over to make a triangle.
- Put onto the baking sheet.
- Make an egg wash with the egg, and a tablespoon of water. Mix very well. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the triangles.
- Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until puffed, and golden.
- Serve.
- Eat.
I have been trying to write a post for the past couple days. One that would reflect on 2011 and wrap it up tightly; something special to share with each of you. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I cannot seem to get them on paper so to speak. I think I need to continue reflexing these last few hours; absorb the rest of the minutes and then breath.
In the meantime, I am going to share the last post of 2011 with you all. Something slightly sweet, and slightly tangy. Festive and bubbly. Worth making and toasting a new year with the ones you love.
We spent most of this month drinking bottles of champagne. Oh MY, does that make it sound as if we have a problem? We were playing around (i.e.. developing recipes) with assorted alcohol and champagne for a champagne cocktail series that Maggie is hosting this week and decided to make a few extras to share with you. All the champagne cocktails were favorites but this one we really took a liking too.
Aperol – are you familiar with it? If not, here is a little history on a favorite around our house. Aperol is an Italian aperitif that was created in 1919 by the Barbieri brothers in Padova, Italy. It is known for it’s signature orange color and bittersweet taste. I love how the tang lingers on the back of my tongue. The recipe for Aperol has not changed since the early days; it is still made with a select list of ingredients including sweet and bitter oranges and other herbs and roots. As well it is still a secret recipe! I love that, in the early days, it was being marketed as a liqueur for folks interested in keeping lean and fit thanks to the low alcohol content. Today it is a classic aperitif that is enjoyed by many, including us.
We usually enjoy Aperol on ice with a wedge or twist of orange, while cooking dinner or on a hot summer day. This time we decided to play around with using it in cocktails. The champagne added a nice sweetness to the bittersweet taste, and the bubbles were just plain fun. It kind of reminded us of a bubbly Negroni. I am pretty sure this will be served as a pre-dinner drink at many of our upcoming cocktail parties!
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin
We wish each of you a safe New Years Eve and a New Year filled with Joy!
Denise & Lenny
Recipe: Aperol Champagne Cocktail
- 1 oz aperol
- champagne
- lime swirl, for garnish
In a champagne glass add the aperol. Top off with champagne. Garnish with a lime swirl. Serve. Drink.
I have a few things to share before 2011; just not sure which one to share first. Then I remembered this sinful dessert we served a couple weeks ago. I just had to let the cat out of the bag, as you will definitely want to include it with your New Years Eve dinner menu. It is insane!
Flourless chocolate cake is always my go-to dessert when we have a dinner party for couple reasons: 1) all ingredients are staples in your house, 2) gluten-free so all guests are covered; and 3) easy to make. Usually when I make one I play with the ingredients, by changing chocolates, flavors, and amounts of ingredients. I have to say this version is IT! I will no longer be playing with the recipe. In our opinions it came out perfect. Dense. Rich. Sinful. Just the way dessert should be.
I wanted to lighten the chocolate a little so I served brown sugared creme fraiche and candied cranberries along side. Candied cranberries are really wonderful. Slightly tart, slightly sweet. You will need to start the candied cranberries a couple hours before serving, but the process is well worth the effort. If you do not have fresh cranberries, feel free to serve without or with another fruit you like.
Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Tart with Candied Cranberries
- 12 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate
- 8 oz + 2 tablespoons good quality unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coco powder, sifted
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 oz creme fraiche
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a tart pan with 2 tablespoons of butter. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler; set aside to cool. In a mixer bowl, using a whisk attachment, beat the butter until creamy; about 4 minutes. Add the sugar, continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the sifted coco powder, beat for 3 minutes. Drizzle the melted chocolate into the mixture, with the mixer running at a very low speed, I use a KitchenAid and keep the speed at 2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Beat the mixture for 5 minutes, until very light and doubled in size. Pour into the buttered tart pan. Tap on the counter to release the air bubbles. Bake for 25 minutes. While the tart is baking stir together the creme fraiche and brown sugar; put in the fridge until time to serve. Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Let cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the tart pan. Let set at room temperature until ready to serve.
Recipe: Candied Cranberries
- 2 cups cranberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat bring the water and sugar to a boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat, and add the cranberries. Stir. Some of the berries will pop, this is okay. Let set at room temperature for 4 hours. Strain the cranberries before serving with the cake.
*Keep the sugary cranberry liquid as it will be lovely in a cocktail.
I have been playing with my scone recipes for a few months. Actually, ever since I made these pumpkin ones. The recipe had to be different, as it was not going to have the added moisture that these autumn inspired scones had. Finally, nailed down what I consider to be the perfect scone, and just in time for you to make up a batch for New Years day brunch.
After batches of scones and extra weight on the hips, I have a scone recipe that rocks the previous ones. It is perfect!! Flakey. Not over-dry. Moist. Flavorful. Delicious. I have found the key to being perfect is the ingredients. The first important ingredient is the butter. It has to be a high quality butter, and for some mysterious reason, Irish butter has been working the best for me. Really, it is true. I have been trying all sorts of butter, and scones come out better using Irish butter. What do they do to make their butter so perfect for scones?
The fruit is just as equally important. I have been making our scones using seasonal, fresh fruit. Sure you can substitute using frozen or dried; but, why not make a treat for your loved ones every season. Winter cranberries or pears. Spring strawberries. Summer peaches or blackberries. Fall apples or butternut squash. The possibilities are endless, and you are doing good by eating fresh and seasonal. If you opt to for frozen, you will have to thaw the fruit, drain for couple hours, and really pat dry; otherwise, you will have a soggy scone. If you use dried fruit, you will need to add a little more moisture.
For the holiday season, I made this delicious, fresh cranberry and ginger scone for Eat Boutique. I loaded the recipe with fresh cranberries; love when the fruit gets hot and bursts into little puddles of jammy fruit. As well we like spicy, so I really upped the candied ginger in this recipe; feel free to cut back a little, if you are not that much into ginger. Do add a little ginger as it really warms up the otherwise tart cranberries.
This scone is perfect served with some bergamot marmalade (which is easier to make than you think) and a hot beverage of choice. A wonderful way to wake up during the last few days of the holiday season.
We love mushrooms and any excuse to include them in a meal is a bonus around our house! I mean, think about it, mushrooms are one of the most versatile veggies out there. They are great in just about everything from baked eggs, all the way down to hearty vegetarian entrees.
I love eating bruschetta, from savory to sweet, they are a great little bite to serve guests. My friend Tracy, makes some pretty rock’n bruschetta; check out her butternut squash ones as well Strawberry and Goat Cheese. I was dying to make the strawberry recipe all summer, but never got a chance. Next year!
For those of you who are not familiar with bruschetta, you should be, as it is a simple recipe to have on hand for last minute appetizers or even a snack. Bruschetta dates back to 15th century Italy and is served as an antipasto. It was meant as a way to salvage old bread. It is roasted bread that has been rubbed down with fresh garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. The toppings can be very creative from traditional chopped tomatoes, all the way down to mushrooms. Just use your imagination.
Couple weeks ago I needed to make an impromptu appetizer, and wanted to use what I had in the house. After all, it was impromptu. My ingredient list was sparse as I only had some mushrooms, a day old baguette, and a few staples in the pantry. I decided bruschetta it was.
I sauteed a portabello and oyster mushrooms with a little minced shallot, garlic, and fresh thyme. Very simple; very classic. Before serving I deglazed the pan with a high quality balsamic and then tossed the mushrooms with the reduction, before topping each little toasted piece of baguette. It was perfect served along side a glass of bubbly.
This recipe was also developed for the Mushroom Channel.
Recipe: Mushroom Bruschetta
- 1 portobello mushroom, stem removed, and cut into small pieces
- handful of oyster mushrooms, on the smaller side, or slice larger ones into stems
- 1 small garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup high quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 baguette sliced thinly
- olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves to rub over the baguette
Heat oven to broil. Rub each slice of baguette with the large piece of garlic. Using a pastry brush lightly coat each slice with some olive oil. Toast in the oven until golden. Remove and set aside. Gently heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat, add the shallots and minced garlic, slowly cook until caramelized in color; about 10 minutes. Add the portobello mushroom, and cook until lightly browned; about 5 minutes. Add the oyster mushrooms, stir, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the thyme and season with some black pepper. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar to the frying pan, and bring to medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, keep stirring until reduced in half, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat, and stir the mushrooms and their juices into the reduction. Serve on the slices of toasted baguette.
A couple months ago, the first pears started to arrive in our market. I immediately brought some home with intentions of not only enjoying them but too also make a bottle, or in this case, a Mason jar, of Eau de Vie. If you are not familiar with Eau de Vie, you should become. It is a gentle liqueur that is made from fermented fruit and alcohol; otherwise, known as a fruit brandy. This recipe is very simple to make. You only need ripe pears and some vodka, as well as a little time. Definitely recommend you taking of advantage of pear season, and whip up a batch of two of this liqueur to enjoy next year.
You may be wondering what you should do with your mason jar full of liberations. Eau e Vie Poire is lovely to enjoy on its own or to use in cocktails as well as in baking. It adds a warm kick to whatever you decide to add it too. As well it would make a lovely gift to share with someone who enjoys unique alcoholic beverages. I keep thinking I should have made a few extra batches to give as gifts this holiday season; there is always next year. In the meantime we wanted to share a holiday cocktail using a little of the Eau de Vie Poire.
The past couple weeks we have been playing around with making new cocktails using bottles of champagne and other assorted alcohols. One of our favorites has been made with the homemade Eau de Vie Poire as well as some good ole Rye. The warm, earthiness of the pears compliments the smokey undertones in the rye. Champagne, well one cannot, have a holiday cocktail without some bubbles. This recipe really is a lovely cocktail!
We also wanted to share some exciting news which is all about spirits. We were recently approached by Liquor.com about our thirst quenching recipes, and we have decided to start a partnership with them. We like their expertise in the field as they work with master mixologists and top spirits experts. You will notice a side bar on our site, where you can take advantage of some unique specials on spirits as well as featured recipes.
Recipe: Eau de Vie Poire Champagne Cocktail
- blood orange bitters
- 1 oz eau de vie poire
- 1 oz rye
- champagne
- pear slices, as garnish
In a champagne glass add a splash of bitters. Swirl around the glass. Pour the remainder into another glass to use for another cocktail. Add the eau de vie poire and rye to the champagne glass; stir. Top off the glass with champagne. Garnish with a pear slice. Serve. Drink.
I have become reacquainted with an old favorite, and wanted to share it with you, as it would be a great recipe to have during the holidays. It is Choux. Choux is a light pastry dough that is made with butter, flour, water, and eggs. It does not have a baking agent, instead the high heat that it is baked at, created steam, which helps raise the little puffs. Once you have the basic recipe down, you can use choux to make many sweet or savory nibbles. It is also a great stand-by recipe for when you need a last minute nibble to serve impromptu guests.
The other night we were opening a bottle of bubbly to try out some new cocktails. I wanted something to nibble on while enjoying the moment, normally, I would grab some cheese out of the refrigerator. This night, I wanted something different. Then I remembered a classic that I use to make often; savory gougeres.
Gougeres are little puffs of choux dough that has been seasoned with savory herbs, cheeses, and mustard. For this recipe, I used white cheddar and sage; I thought the two would be great compliments with the cranberry champagne cocktails. I was right; they were a huge hit. Other favorite combinations are: gruyere cheese and dijon, blue cheese and black pepper, and rosemary and lemon zest. Use your imagination, the list is really endless.
To make choux you will have to be hands on. It is not a recipe that you can start and then leave on the stove and forget about. Once you have brought the water and butter to a boil, you will need to mix in the flour, quickly. It will form a soft ball rather fast; I keep beating it for a couple minutes (this is a great arm workout as well). By the time I have finished getting my up arm workout, the dough is cool enough to start adding the eggs. I find the key to mixing the eggs into the semi-hot dough is to use a wooden spoon; it gives me more control to mix the dough quickly. I beat in each egg separately, and do not add the next one until the dough is a little glossy. After I have mixed the dough, I then stir in my savories.
Some bakers like to pipe the dough onto their baking surface. I like to use two teaspoons and put little spoonfuls of dough on the baking sheet. They do get larger when baking, so keep this in mind when making your little puffs. I usually keep them the size of the teaspoon I am using. Bake and enjoy.
Simple isn’t it? I cannot wait to hear what flavors you come up with making these warm little bites.
Recipe: Basic Choux
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
Heat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. In a large saucepan bring the water, salt and butter to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the flour using a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat. Continue beating the mixture vigorously until the dough comes together. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat with the wooden spoon until the mixture is glossy; then add the next egg and repeat. Using a pastry bag or two small spoons, put little amounts of dough on the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Bake for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 375. Continue baking for 20 – 25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Serve warm. Eat. Recipe: White Cheddar and Sage Gourgeres
- basic choux recipe
- 1/2 cup grated white cheddar
- 1/8 cup fresh sage, minced
Make the basic choux recipe as above. After beating in the last egg, mix in 1/4 cup of the cheese and the sage. Mix well. Continue the recipe as mentioned above. Before baking sprinkle each little puff with a small amount of the remaining cheese.
We cannot think of a better time to give a really special gift, than during the holidays. Maggie, over at Eat Boutique has gorgeous holiday gift boxes, and there is something for everyone on your list. We are huge fans! How about a marshmallow gift box for that sweet niece or nephew. Or a New England gift box for that friend who is homesick for the NE. Going to visit family or friends over the holidays, surprise them by sending ahead a Holiday Mornings gift box.
It has been way too long, since we have featured a give-away. We love giving gifts, and want to give you one of Maggie’s gorgeous gift boxes. The cocktail box we are going to share with one lucky reader is all about making gorgeous cocktails at home.
We love making cocktails at home! The key to a really fantastic drink, is by using great ingredients, such as homemade bitters, syrups, and dusting sugars. Eat Boutique is giving us their Homemade Cocktail Gift Box, to share with one of you. Not only is the packaging gorgeous, but the ingredients are really special. For instance you will get a chance to enjoy Scrappy’s Bitters. Their flavors are exotic …. celery, rootbeer, lavender, chocolate, as well as some traditional flavors. We have yet to try, but have heard amazing things about Scrappy! You will also receive some Lemonbird and Morris Kitchen simple syrups, that will take your cocktail from exotic to warm and spicy. The holidays are meant for a little bling, and cocktail bling is very fun. Didi Davis Food makes special sugars that rim a cocktail glass beautifully.
We cannot wait to share this with one of you! Simply leave a comment on this post answering this dying to know question:
What is your favorite holiday cocktail to make at home? Share the Recipe, and we will feature it during one of our Cocktail Hours!
Hurry though; you need to leave a comment by 11:59 PM (PST) on December 17, 2011. We will announce the winner on the 18th of December, after we read through them all, and pick the one that makes us very thirsty.
The gift box will be shipped directly from Eat Boutique. Due to the nature of this product, this giveaway is only open to residents of the continental USA. Be sure you enter a valid email address, because if your name is drawn and I can’t get a hold of you within 48 hours, I will choose an alternate winner.
Want some Extra Chances of Winning?
In addition to the main comment, leave a separate comment for each bonus entry:
- Follow @chezus and tweet the following: I just entered to win a Homemade Cocktail Gift Box from @eatboutique and @chezus! Enter here:
- Like Chez Us on FaceBook! Come back here and tell us you did (we do check – smiles)
- Like Eat Boutique on FaceBook! Come back here and tell us you did!
Photos were styled and photographed by Maggie Battista and Heidi Murphy. + White Loft Studio.
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