Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives (Poulet Provencal)
Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives
(Poulet Provencal)
Serves 4
4 large garlic cloves, sliced, plus 1 teaspoon minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1/2 cup White Wine (or Red Wine)
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds, cut into pieces) OR 8 pieces chicken legs or thighs OR several chicken breasts
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 large ginger knob, peeled and grated
2 cinnamon sticks
4 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
1 can (14 Ounces) Whole Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons (Heaping) Tomato Paste
1/2 cup drained brine-cured black olives, pitted if desired
Heat pan with olive oil. Carmelize garlic and onions. Deglaze with white wine. Arrange the chicken thighs and legs in a single layer and season them with salt and pepper, to taste. Turn the pieces on their other side and season again. Season with herbes de Provence, cumin, chili, ginger. Add cinnamon and bay leaves to pan mixture. Add seasoned chicken to pan to cook.
Allow the mixture to cook and all the flavors to come together, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomatoes to pan mixture during last 5 minutes of cooking.
When the chicken is cooked through, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with rice.
Unstuffed Cabbage
Unstuffed Cabbage
Serves 6 to 8
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
Add the chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
Honey Pear Bread
Honey Pear Bread
Makes two loaves
3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups packed light brown sugar (or regular sugar, or mix and match)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 medium pears, peeled and grated (grate when you’re about to put them in, so they don’t turn brown)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9×5 loaf pans.
Combine in a medium bowl the flour, baking powder, backing soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir with a fork to mix everything well. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of this mixture and combine it in a large bowl with the chopped walnuts to coat the nuts with the flour.
Add the sugar, oil, honey, and eggs to the large bowl holding the walnuts. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Peel and core pears, and then grate them to about approximately 2 cups. Fold in pear mixture and stir just until everything is evenly moistened.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 60 to 65 minutes. Serve it as it, sprinkle it with confectioners sugar, or drizzle it with a simple glaze made from whisking 3 tablespoons buttermilk, a dash of vanilla, and 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar together.
Tasting notes: Can utilize other kinds of fruits for bread.
Scones
Scones
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Makes: 8 scones
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut up
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit, chopped)
2 tablespoons roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup whipping cream
1. Mix: Measure flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the food processor. Pulse a few times.
2. Cut: Drop in butter chunks. Pulse several times, cutting butter down to pea-size (or smaller) bits.
3. Fold: Turn out into a large mixing bowl. Fold in dried fruit and seeds. Drizzle on cream a little at a time, folding with a flexible spatula, until dough clumps (you may not need all the cream).
4. Pat: Turn out dough (still a clumpy mess) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat into a 11/2-inch-thick disk, about 8 inches across. Brush the top with a little of the remaining cream and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Slice dough circle into 8 wedges. Separate wedges by 1 inch.
5. Bake: Slide into a 375-degree oven and bake until set and golden, about 15 minutes. Enjoy warm or room temperature.
Caramel Apple French Toast
Caramel Apple French Toast
Yields 6 servings
1 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons clear Karo syrup
6 Tablespoons butter
whole pecans
3 Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon corn starch
12 slices Texas Toast or 1" thick cut French bread
12 oz. cream cheese
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream or half and half cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1 teaspoon nutmeg)
Grease generously 13"x9" glass pan. Combine sugar, syrup, butter and boil in pan for one minute. Pour and spread over bottom of greased pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Combine apples, water, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice and cook, stirring constantly, in pan over medium heat just until apples begin to soften. Add cornstarch and continue to stir until thickened. Remove from heat.
Thickly spread cream cheese over 6 slices of bread and place in single layer to
cover caramel mixture in pan (cream cheese side up). Distribute apple mixture
over bread/cream cheese layer. Cover with remaining 6 slices of bread.Blend together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and gently pour over bread layers in pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight (not more than 24 hours). Remove cover and bake at 350F., 60 minutes or until brown and slightly puffy. Immediately invert each serving on plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, top with sweetened whipped cream and garnish with pecans, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
NOTE: Fresh pears or peaches may be substituted for apples with cinnamon/nutmeg
seasoning. Fresh raspberries or strawberries may also be sprinkled over apple
mixture stuffing for additional color and flavor.
Banana Nut Delight Cake
Banana Nut Delight Cake
Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen
Yields 1 8-inch three layer or 1 9-inch two layer cake
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana
2 large eggs
For the cream cheese and nut frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
One 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch or two 9-inch cake pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl; add the shortening, buttermilk, and banana. Mix until all the dry ingredients are dampened, then beat at low speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat for 1 minute.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out the cakes on a rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:
1. Combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Fold in the pecans, and frost the cake. If you love lots of icing, you can make 1 1/2 times this recipe. Remember, this is not banana bread but a stacked cake, so be sure to frost between the layers as well as the outside.
Apple-Blueberry Crisp
Apple-Blueberry Crisp
Serves 8 to 10
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces, plus more for baking dish
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups blueberries
3 pounds apples (about 8), peeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons flour
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the lower third. Butter a 3-quart baking dish, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, mace, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until large clumps form. Using a rubber spatula, mix in oats. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together blueberries, apples, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, flour, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to combine. Pour the blueberry and apple mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, covering fruit evenly. Bake until juices are bubbling and the topping is evenly browned, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve crisp warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Moroccan Turkey Breast
Moroccan Turkey Breast
Serves 4 to 6
2 ounces finely chopped blanched almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 5-pound bone-in turkey breast, rinsed and patted dry
2 heaping tablespoons honey
1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, plus more, if needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Orange slices, for garnish (optional)
Tomato slices, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet, combine almonds and sesame seeds. Cook over medium heat, until fragrant and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, cloves, salt, and pepper. Rub over entire surface of turkey.
In a small saucepan, heat honey and stock. Place turkey, breast-side up, in a small roasting pan. Dot with butter, and pour stock mixture over turkey. Roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices. As the honey browns, add additional stock to avoid burning. If the pan dries out, add more stock. If turkey browns too much, cover with aluminum foil.
Remove from oven, and remove turkey from pan. Set aside. Strain pan juices into a small saucepan and return turkey to roasting pan. Stir almonds and sesame seeds into pan juices. Spread over turkey, return to oven, and continue roasting, basting every 3 to 5 minutes. Cook until skin is dark golden brown and crisp, and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 165 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer turkey to a platter, and garnish with orange and tomato slices.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Makes 2 loaves
2 cups plus 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons nonfat powdered milk
4 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups dark raisins
Canola oil, for bowl and plastic wrap
3/4 cup sugar
7 teaspoons cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg white, beaten
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/4 cup warm water and yeast. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour, powdered milk, sugar, salt, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 3/4 cups warm water. Mix, using the paddle attachment, on low speed for 1 minute. Change to dough hook, and mix on medium-low speed for 7 minutes. Or knead by hand, 15 or 20 minutes. Add raisins, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is firm but not dry, 3 minutes.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand into a ball. Place dough, smooth side up, in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Butter two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans generously, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and cut in half. Cover one piece of dough loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Press the other piece of dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Brush with half of the beaten egg, sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar, and drizzle with half the melted butter. Rub the surface with the back of a spoon to blend butter and cinnamon sugar. Starting at a short end, roll up dough tightly, and pinch together along crease. Roll the dough back and forth to make it cylindrical, and pinch the ends together. Transfer to a loaf pan, seam side down, and cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Repeat process with second piece of dough. Let loaves rise in a warm place, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Thirty minutes before this final rise is completed, place a baking stone, if using, in the lower third of oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush tops of loaves with egg white, and sprinkle each loaf with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Bake 15 minutes; lower oven to 400 degrees;, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
New York Crumb Cake
New York Crumb Cake
Recipe courtesy of Sara Foster
Makes one 9-by-12 1/2-inch cake
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for pan
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Place rack in center of oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees;. Lightly brush a 9-by-12 1/2-inch baking pan with canola oil, dust with flour, and tap to remove excess. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together egg, milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.
Transfer pan to oven, and bake, rotating pan after 10 minutes. Continue baking until a cake tester comes out clean, about 10 minutes more. Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Using a serrated knife or bench scraper, cut into 3-inch squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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