Fresh Berry Tart

I love L.O.V.E. love pretty desserts. It’s totally eye catching and sometimes you find yourself hopelessly staring at your dreamy desserts. It’s the magic spell of sweet treats – they lure you with their good looks and drive you insane with their taste. There has been so much gorgeous summer fruit that I pick up at the Farmers’ market that I had to highlight with this fresh berry tart. 

This recipe requires a bit of prep work, but it is totally worth the effort. Prepare the tart dough the night before if you want to bake it early in the day. It’s nice and flaky and rolls out quite easily. My secret trick for rolling pastry dough: sprinkle powdered sugar on the surface instead of flour. The powdered sugar sweetens it a tiny bit.The tart dough does make enough for two, but you can always freeze it for later. It doesn’t really take any extra effort, so why not!?!

The vanilla pastry cream is the magic glue to this dessert. It’s similar to a sweet vanilla pudding and pairs perfectly with any assortment of fruit. It’s creamy and not too sweet. I had a gorgeous selection of fresh fruits of blackberries, yellow and red raspberries, blueberries, and fresh figs. You can use whatever fruits you have on hand, and arrange them however you please. I loved the arrangement of this fresh fruit tart because it’s almost like eating a rainbow of colors. It’s a fantastic dessert to savor those last days of summer.

Happy Sweet Friday!

Fresh Berry Tart
Adapted from Blissfully Delicious
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
Pate sucree (Tart Dough):
2 ½ cups flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup ice water
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
Vanilla pastry cream:
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
For the tart:
½ recipe of the pate sucree
1 recipe of the vanilla pastry cream
4 pints of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or other fruits of your choices

Preparation:
Prepare the pate sucree
In the food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to combine. Add butter, and process just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 10 seconds.

With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Slowly add the egg yolks, and process just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; about 30 seconds. Test dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water.

Divide dough in half. Pat into discs, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least one hour.

Vanilla pastry cream
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract), and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture just comes to a simmer.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs yolks, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about ½ cup hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Continue to temper the eggs with the milk mixture, constantly whisking until it has all been incorporated.

Pour mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.

Pour pastry cream into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface (so it doesn’t form a skin). Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Just before using, whisk until smooth.

For the tart
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll one disc of dough onto a lightly floured surface into about ⅛ inch thickness. Slowly fit dough into a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

 
Pierce bottom of shell all over with fork, and bake until crust begins to color, approximately 12-14 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble the tart:
Fill the tart shell with vanilla pastry cream, spread it out evenly. Arrange the fruits of your choice on top.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Review: Gorgeous and scrumptious. You can cut the above recipe in half to make enough dough for one fruit tart. I made the whole thing and put half of the dough in the freezer for the future (up to a month). It’s always helpful to roll out some pastry dough when you need it. ;-)

Tomato Tart

What a beautiful Monday it is. It’s been incredibly hot and humid these past couple days, nothing like the beach and pool-time can’t cure. I’m a couple shades tanner than normal, and loving summertime festivities. I really don’t think Fall weather will be apparent in SoCal until late October and until then I will take full advantage of all the wonderful summer-ish things.

One of my favorite summer foods that I been eating non-stop are tomatoes. My tomato garden has thrived, and has been very bountiful and sadly they are slowly withering away. It’s sad to see them not producing, but we have had our fair share of tomato-based dishes these past couple of months. I have had my eye on this dish since the beginning of summer, and I have neglected to make it earlier. Please make this if you still have tomatoes and you will be oohing in delight.

It’s a perfect Meatless Monday dinner of beautiful heirloom tomatoes on top of a tart with ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

Simple and delicious!

Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust

Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 recipe Basil-Garlic Tart Dough (recipe follows)
8 ounces sliced mozzarella
8 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
1 teaspoon fresh Italian Parsley
2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Prepare the dough, and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl combine the drained ricotta cheese and chopped parsley together. Spread a layer of the mixed ricotta on the bottom of the tart shell and then layer the mozzarella.

Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing. (The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.)

Basil-Garlic Tart Dough

⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
4-5 tablespoons ice water

Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.

Add butter. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Process until dough forms into a ball. Remove dough from processor.

Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.)

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.

Review: Pure deliciousness and a perfect dinner. I paired this with a simple mixed greens salad. Easy and simple dinners are my favorite thing about summer. How will Fall dishes fare? Luckily, I still have another month or so to change it up!

Fig Tart

Looking over my Top Chef Cookbook, I have been inspired to cook some of the dishes. I recently made Elia's  roasted chicken with vegetables dish, and it turned out very well. I had originally wanted to make Harold's Roasted Fig tart to pair along with my Top Chef meal, but you know how it goes when you try to make everything from scratch. You are sometimes shooting for the impossible when you start the day of to make your fancy meal. So I bookmarked the recipe for a later date, and made sure to make it before fig season ended again. I had planned on making a Key Lime pie for our "end of summer bbq" and I wanted one more dessert to make for everyone to enjoy.


Funny thing, I have bookmarked this recipe since I have owned the book, ummm that's since 2008. Yikes, I have been waiting for fig season every time it comes around during the summer months but cuckoo cook brains like me can be forgetful unless I have the cookbook out in the open. I bought most of the elements to this dish and I was waiting for another visit to the farmers markets to pick up a batch of figs. I haven't been able to find them at the grocery stores, but I was randomly shopping at Trader Joe's to pick up some two buck chuck and saw a big basket of figs on display. It was meant to be, and finally set on the task of making is delightful tart. Finding the pairing cheeses was the harder task, so I served it without the cheeses and the family enjoyed the fig tart all by itself.  I loved the nutty pine nut crust paired with the smooth fresh fig tart. Totally Harold-worthy, and a great way to end a meal!

Harold's Roasted Fig Tart
Adapted from Top Chef Cookbook (show)
Top Chef, Season 1, Episode 12
Ingredients:
2/3 cup pine nuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk

½ cup fresh figs
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 ounce fig jam

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the pine nuts and pulse in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse until finely ground.
Add the butter, egg yolk, and 2 tablespoons water into the food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, cook the figs, sugar, 3⁄4 cup water, and the vanilla bean and seeds for 15 to 20 minutes, until the figs are tender. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the heavy cream, cream cheese and blend to combine. Slowly add the eggs and blend to combine. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the plastic. Butter a 9 inch tart with a removable bottom. Pat the dough evenly into the tart pan. Pinch the dough edge so that it's slightly thick, even, and rises just above the rim.

Fit a piece of aluminum foil into the tart shell to help it keep its shape. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown.

Fill the cooked tart with the fig mixture and bake for 24 to 28 minutes, or until the filling is just set in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature

Cut into slices and garnish the tart with fig jam on top and place a fresh fig half alongside. Enjoy!

Review: This fig tart was a sad reminder of the late-summer fruits, and very decadent and not too sweet. Everyone was surprised by how much they liked it. Fresh figs may sound unappealing almost like prunes, but in a familiar pie form - everyone fell in love. I'm a big fan of figs, and can't wait until they return again next year. I'll make to sure to place the big reminder on my cookbook for it, too!

S'mores Brownies

It's officially summer, or we welcome ugly June gloom for a little bit here in SoCal. The mornings start off questionable with clouds, but by afternoon the sun is blasting away. Summertime is the perfect time to get together with your friends and family, have a little barbecue and eat some sweet treats. I was in the mood for another brownie fix yet again. What can I say, I got chocolate on the mind right now.

Last year, I had made s'mores bars and those were pretty ooey, gooey fantastic - a cookie and s'mores paired together perfectly. I knew that these s'mores brownies would be just as fantastic. Besides this recipe kept popping up in my google reader, and I bought the recent items (graham crackers, marshmallows & candy bars) on sale last week at the grocery store so I knew that it was kismet. What a beautifully layered brownie:  layers of brownie, graham crackers, melted chocolate, marshmallows and more brownie = heaven in a bite! Bring them to your next family function or make them for yourself...they are unbelievably awesome.

S'mores Brownies
Adapted from Picky Palate and Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
1 box of your favorite brownie mix
4 1/2 full Graham Crackers
3 1/2 Full size Hershey’s Bars
16 or more large marshmallows
Prepared in 9×13 inch baking pan.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.
2. Line foil into an 9x13 inch baking pan and spray generously with cooking spray.
3. Pour half the brownie batter into lined pan. Layer graham crackers over brownies following Hershey Bars and marshmallows. Pour remaining brownie batter over marshmallows.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes mostly clean from center. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Carefully remove foil and brownies from pan. Peel any foil from away from edges and cut into squares.

Review: One of the best brownies that I've had and it comes from a box! I tell ya...sometimes a boxed mix can make it perfect. I'll do the comparable with Joy the Baker's recipe and see if it makes a difference or not. I can't wait to make these again for the upcoming family functions - they love being my taste-testers! Who can resist S'mores and brownies? Not I!

The Chewy

Do you remember the Friends episode with Phoebe's cookies? Phoebe decides to give Monica her grandmother's chocolate-chip cookie recipe as an engagement present, but discovers it was destroyed in the fire. She and Monica try to figure out the secret recipe, only to discover that they are Nestle Tollhouse cookies. Here's a snippet of the scene:

Monica: What about friends of your grandmother's? Wouldn't they have the recipe?
Phoebe: Well, you know I may have relatives in France who would know. My grandmother said she got the recipe from her grandmother, [trying to pronounce her name in French]
Phoebe: Nestlé Toulouse.
Monica: What was her name?
Phoebe: [again trying to pronounce it in French] Nestlé Toulehouse.
Monica: Nestle Toll House?
Phoebe: Oh, you Americans always butcher the French language.

Muahahahaha, that was a great episode. I remember how frantic Monica was for these cookies, and I can now relate...because I have found the most perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe thanks to Alton Brown. Not Nestlé Toulouse. I finally got to use my Good Eats bible that my wonderful husband got me for Christmas. If you get to watch the episode Chips for Sister Marsha, there are 3 different varieties he makes: the thin, the puffy and the chewy. I'm totally bias on this and love a gooey, chewy, chocolate-filled cookie. AB explains that the chewiness calls for melting the butter, holding back on the egg whites and using more, if not all, brown sugar. It really does make for the ultimate cookie. Enjoy with a nice tall glass of milk.



The Chewy
Adapted from Good Eats the Early Years: Volume 1
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. (Let this cool down)
2. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. (I use a scale to measure my ingredients, too. Accuracy is key to baking!)
3. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. (It should look like creamy peanut butter)
4. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
5. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. (AB does this on parchment paper, and adds it in slowly. I just used a bowl)Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Chill the dough for 1 hour. (In the actual episode, he chills the dough for 36 hours or so)
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
8. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets (I used my silpat mats) 6 cookies per sheet. (YUP...I said 6, like GIGANTIC style!)
9. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. (It's important to rotate the cookies to help evenly cook them - especially for those without convection ovens).

Review: OMG...so effing fantastic. This is FOREVER known as my go-to recipe for making chocolate chip cookies, and I kinda LOVE that they are big. It's perfect for dunking, and the buttery and gooey-ness of the chocolate chips is unbelievable. Thanks Alton Brown for perfecting the science on the chocolate chip cookie! YUMMY!

AB Deep Fried Turkey & Turkey Derrick

I'm a little late on this post, but I can't stop thinking about this amazing Turkey. I'm a traditionalist on my turkey, I love my Good Eats roasted turkey, I have made this turkey at least 5 times! It's juicy, moist and always full of flavor. I was highly doubtful that "deepfrying" a turkey could produce the same results. However, never say never because Alton Brown always delivers the goods!!! Just look at this turkey...doesn't it look finger licking good?

We hosted our 4th Annual Turkey potluck with our college friends, and we wanted to spice things up a bit by having a Iron Chef Battle between the hubby and me. All of our friends participated, brought various mashed potatoes (we had about 4 or 5 kinds),side dishes galore, sweet treats, and lots of beer and wine to go along with our meal. They also had the final say which "turkey reigned supreme!" My husband, the engineer, set up the turkey derrick per Alton Brown's strict directions. The most important step is the Turkey Derrick set-up, remember safety first!! If you try this at home, please do this on the grass and not on the cement. Here's the PDF. This set-up was in our backyard, along with the various tools, the much needed fire extinguisher, and 4 gallons of fat I mean peanut oil awaiting the demise of the deep fried turkeyness.

The turkey already looks amazing...my husband was fighting off all the guys hands off the turkey. Step away from the bird!

You can never judge a turkey by it's cooking vessel, a tradtional turkey is always the safe way to go, but the fun and crazy way to prepare a turkey is the Alton Brown way!
Alton Brown's Deep Fried Turkey & Turkey Derrick
Adapted from the one and only: Alton Brown
Ingredients:
6 quarts hot water
1 pound kosher salt
1 pound dark brown sugar
5 pounds ice
1 (12 pound) turkey, with giblets removed
4 gallons peanut oil
*Cook's Note: In order to determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey into the pot that you will be frying it in, add water just until it barely covers the top of the turkey and is at least 4 to 5 inches below the top of the pot. This will be the amount of oil you use for frying the turkey.
Directions
1.Place the hot water, kosher salt and brown sugar into a 5-gallon upright drink cooler and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cool. Gently lower the turkey into the container. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure that it is fully immersed in the brine. Cover and set in a cool dry place for 8 to 16 hours.
2. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
3. Place the oil into a 28 to 30-quart pot and set over high heat on an outside propane burner with a sturdy structure. Bring the temperature of the oil to 250 degrees F. Once the temperature has reached 250, slowly lower the bird into the oil and bring the temperature to 350 degrees F. Once it has reached 350, lower the heat in order to maintain 350 degrees F. After 35 minutes, check the temperature of the turkey using a probe thermometer. Once the breast reaches 151 degrees F, gently remove from the oil and allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to carving. The bird will reach an internal temperature of 161 degrees F due to carry over cooking. Carve as desired.

Review: Hands down, my husband WON the Iron Chef Battle. I'm a hard critic, but overall...best turkey I have ever had, including my own! It will be a nice break for me to NOT cook turkey, but the dinner & a possible FIRE show at our house is pretty entertaining no matter what. Eric had won the crowd with his Turkey Derrick, and the smokiness & juicy turkey was just amazing.

Steak Au Poivre

Whenever Eric & I crave a hearty and delicous steak, we "used" to dine at Ruth Chris Steak house, Morton's, Wood Ranch, Prime Cut Cafe is my newest favorite steak place. However, my husband, aka pyro-afficiando, loves this recipe from Alton Brown because it inspired him to cook like our steak house restaurants. Getting restaurant quality at home is our number one mantra right now. It's alot easier to make this meal at our current house than our small Yorba Linda apartment...I think we burned the exhaust fan...it never ran the same after that incident! I love this meal for many reasons: 1)the pyro-show - seeing Cognac flames is quite entertaining and fearing for my life is next; 2) it's the best steak recipe ever; 3) it's an elegant meal for anyone. Try it, fire it up, and eat it up...because it's that good. Trust me.



Steak Au Poivre
Adapted from Alton Brown
4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon
1 cup heavy cream
Preparation:
1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with kosher salt.
2. Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a coffee grinder - it's much easier on the hands than using a mortar and pestle. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.

4. Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a fire starter. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.
Review: Best steaks ever...it's the kind of dish that I would lick the plate clean. All the steakhouses can't come close to this meal. I did scream my head off due to the proximity of the fire in my face, but luckily I was holding the fire extinguisher, too!

Easy French Apple Tart

Seriously, this was an easy treat for the hubby & I. I knew that after eating fish & veggies that he would want something delicious and sweet for the perfect ending. Apple pie is his favorite dessert, and I knew this would be a comparable for him. I cheated by not making the pastry dough, but come on now, I was exhausted after preparing the first 2 components of the meal. Besides, I only wanted 2 servings of this dish because this dessert is best to serve fresh and warm. My grocery store sells them in the perfect 10 x 10 sheets, too. So less work for me, yeah! I loved the mixture of the apricot jam & rich cuban rum that was drizzled over the tart was heavenly.



French Apple Tart
Adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients:
Puff Pastry sheets
or use Ina's recipe
For the apples:
2 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced
1/4 cup apricot jelly
1 tablespoons Rum

Directions:
1. Remove the pastry sheets and thaw as directed.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the rum and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Review: What an easy and sweet little treat. We both had the tart with a large glass of my favorite milk. What a perfect "Ina Garten" day of food.

Pork Wellington

I have saved this recipe for the past 3 months ever since I watched the episode on Good Eats. Alton Brown always pleases the crowd and never disappoints. I saved this recipe to make for a small dinner party, and I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to make it. My favorite taste testers, my Cuban family, happily came over for dinner last night. It was an early celebration for my cousin's birthday, and just another good reason for me to make a delicious meal.

One word best sums this meal up, WOW. It really does have the wow factor, presentation and taste factor are over the moon for this dish. The pork tenderloin is tender and juicy and all wrapped in the ham, and the flaky puff pastry crust gives a nice buttery bite to the dish. I loved the addition of the apple rings in the middle, the sweetness compliments the pork very well. Everyone was oohing and aahing the entire time. It's such a gourmet and fancy meal, that you feel like you're in a fine dining restaurant.


Pork Wellington
Adapted from Alton Brown

1 whole egg
1 tablespoon water
2 ounces dried apple rings
1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
4 1/2 ounces thinly slice prosciutto ham
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed completely
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Preparation:
1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F.
2. Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.
3. Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating 2 separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.
4. Lay out a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the 2 pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.
5. Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12 by 14 inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.
6. Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F.
7. Remove the tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Review: OMG...I can't wait to make it again. I served it along with pesto risotto & green apple salad. It was such a comforting and gourmet meal, that it's quite simple to prepare. Thanks Alton for a great recipe, it was definitely good eats!

Molasses Coffee Marinated Pork Chops

Another great recipe from AB that I knew would love. I've been trying to make dishes that focus on great flavor, low on my budget, and using ingredients that I already have. This recipe had all these components, I brewed an extra cup of our "Bux coffee, picked up some pretty chops at TJs and picked some thyme from my herb garden! It also helps when I do my food prep and marinade the night before I prepare the dish, I love how that cuts down my actual cooking time! My only real concern was reusing the marinade as a sauce since it held my raw meat the night before...but AB did it, and I followed his recipe regardless.


Molasses Coffee Marinated Pork Chops
Adapted from Alton Brown - Episode Pantry Raid X: Dark Side of the Cane

Ingredients:
1 cup cool strong coffee
6 ounces molasses, by weight
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 to 8-ounce) bone-in, 1-inch thick pork chops

Directions
1.Place all of the ingredients into a 1-gallon zip top bag, seal, and shake to combine. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
2.Preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Remove the pork chops from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and boil gently, stirring often, until reduced to about 1/2 cup liquid, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove the thyme stems after the glaze has reduced.
5. Meanwhile, grill pork chops 3 to 4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Allow the pork chops to rest 4 to 5 minutes before serving with the glaze.

Review: I served my chops with roasted veggies & potatoes. These were pretty darn tasty, and I loved that the molasses & coffee added a richness to the pork chops. It was a nice change from the cuban style pork chops that I usually make. I love when Alton Brown utlizes ingredients in my pantry & garden, it's a very low budget & healthy meal! Next time, I would add more garlic and some additional spices, it needed a little heat to spice up the dish!

Parsnip Muffins

You're probably asking yourself why would I mix a veggie & a muffin together? Because ALTON BROWN did, that's why! I recently saw this episode on Good Eats and knew I had to try it. This episode was hilarious because he was trying to convince his niece that she could eat vegetables and LIKE it! He convinced me and won me over! This really is a must-try recipe for you inquistive AB food geeks like me. ;-)


Parsnip Muffins
Adapted from Alton Brown - Recipe on Good Eats: Undercover Veggies 1

Ingredients:
1-ounce sliced almonds
Nonstick spray
8 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 whole eggs
3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces sugar
10 ounces grated parsnips

Directions
1. Place the almonds in a single layer in a pie pan and place in oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the nuts until lightly toasted, approximately 20 minutes while the oven heats. Meanwhile, spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with the nonstick spray and set aside.

2.Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and process for 5 seconds.

3. Whisk the eggs, yogurt, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture and parsnips, and fold with a spatula until all of the flour is moistened, there will be some lumps. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups using a level 2 1/2-ounce disher or 1/3 cup measure. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the toasted almonds. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins reach an internal temperature of 210 degrees F and are golden brown, rotating halfway through baking. If needed, use a small knife or offset spatula to loosen the muffins and immediately remove them from the tin to a cooling rack, and cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Review: Perfect and moist and the little kick of spice that you get from the parsnips is really sweet. I will be making these again! I had my muffin for breakfast with my coffee, and it was a perfect meal.

Chile-Cheddar Corn Muffins

We had a bbq last night, and I made a couple of things. We cooked up some bbq tri-tip, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and I made some good cornbread. This is from Ina Garten's Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread from http://www.foodnetwork.com/ but I don't like Jalapenos' so I substituted in some green chiles. These were pretty tasty!!

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups milk, **I substituted buttermilk instead**

3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan

16 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided

1/3 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish *3 green onions*

1 small can of green diced chiles

Preparation:

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs & butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the green onions, and chiles, and allows the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar Cheese & extra chopped green onions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.