Panna Cotta With Raspberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Three ¼ Ounce Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin
½ Cup Cold Water
1 Quart Half & Half
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Strip of 3 Inch Piece Lemon Zest
1/3 Cup Sugar
Raspberry Sauce
Two 10 Ounce Packages Frozen Raspberries In Syrup – Thawed
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch Mixed With 2 Tablespoons Water
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and set aside to soften. Combine the half & half, cream, lemon zest and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the softened gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Discard the lemon zest and add the vanilla extract. Divide the cream mixture among twelve 6 ounce custard cups. Cover and refrigerate until the panna cotta is set. This should take at least 4 hours. You can refrigerate these overnight if you wish.
To make the raspberry sauce, puree the berries with their syrup, the sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Bring the puree to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then pour into a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
To serve, dip the bottom of the custard cup into a bowl of hot water for 10 seconds. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cream. Invert the cream onto a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining custard cups.
Spoon some of the sauce around the creams. Serve immediately. Serves 12
Greek Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ripe Tomatoes
1 Thinly Sliced Small Red Onion
1 Seeded & Sliced Green Bell Peppers
1 Sliced Small Cucumber
5 Ounces Cubed Feta Cheese
8 Black Olives
6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of Dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Cut the tomatoes into quarters lengthways and cut out the stalk pieces. Cut the quarters into bite sized wedges and put in a medium sized bowl. Add the onion, bell pepper, cucumber, feta cheese, olives, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss to coat with the olive oil and infuse with the oregano. Keep at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serves 6
Wine Poached Ginger Pears
INGREDIENTS
4 Medium Firm Pears
4 Pieces Crystallized Ginger (1 inch size)
1 Cup Red Wine
1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Honey
3 Thin Strips Lemon Peel
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Use a corer or sharp knife to remove the bottom “flower,” and about 1 ½ inch of the core. Place one piece of the ginger into each hollow. Place the pears upright in a medium pot. Combine the wine, water, honey, lemon peel, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and pour over the pears. Cover the pot and place over medium-low heat. Simmer the pears for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot and gently lay the pears on their sides. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and gently turn each pear over to its other side. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stand the pears upright in a medium glass bowl. Pour the wine syrup over the pears. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Can be served with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream. Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
16 Ounces Ziti Pasta
4 Cups Marinara Sauce
15 Ounces Ricotta Cheese
8 Ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – Divided
¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 350° F. Boil pasta for 10 to 20 minutes or until done. Be careful not to overcook the pasta. Drain pasta, but reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Mix marinara sauce, ricotta cheese and ½ cup pasta cooking water in a large bowl. Add the pasta and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese and lightly mix. Spoon pasta mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish that has been greased with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 8
Classic Marinara Sauce
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Cloves Grated Garlic
16 Ounces of Crushed Tomatoes
½ Cup Red Wine
½ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
6 Torn Fresh Basil Leaves
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat and sauté grated garlic for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Just as the garlic begins to turn brown, remove the skillet from the heat. Allow pan to cool and add the tomatoes, wine, water and salt. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Serves 4
**You Can Use Canned Tomatoes If You Wish
Old Fashioned Pancakes
You Don’t Need To Purchase Mixes… make your own!
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
3 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 ¼ Cups Milk
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons Melted Butter
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter. Mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter onto the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Serve with fruit, jam or maple syrup. Serves 8
Grandma’s Chocolate Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¾ Cup Butter (you can use sour milk)
¾ cup Melted Butter
3 Eggs
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 inch cake pan and set aside. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Next add eggs and buttermilk to dry ingredients. Mix everything together until smooth with an electric mixer. Pour into pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. When done remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After the cake has cooled, slice cake in half to make 2 layers. It is easier to slice if the cake has been refrigerated for a couple of hours. Frost with Chocolate Butter Frosting. Use 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top and the rest around the cake. Grandma’s Chocolate Cake should be served at room temperature. Serves 12
**To Make Sour Milk: ¾ cup of milk and add either two tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for five to ten minutes.
Tarragon & Shallot Vinaigrette Dressing
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Champagne Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Chopped Shallot
2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Tarragon
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, tarragon, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Refrigerate for two hours before serving. Makes about 1 ½ cups
Herb Cheddar Scones
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Rosemary, Dill or Chives
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Butter
½ Cup Shredded Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
½ Cup Heavy Cream
1 Large Egg
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine flour, herbs, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk together cream and egg and add to flour mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ½ inch thickness. Using a 3 inch round cutter, cut scones and place on baking sheet. Brush scones with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes about 12 scones
Old Fashioned Creamed Peas
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Chopped Shallots
2 Tablespoons Dried Tarragon
1 Pound Fresh or Frozen Peas (Thawed)
2/3 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Coarse Ground Mustard
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Cup Sour Cream
1/3 Cup Whole Milk
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallots and tarragon. Cook until tender for about 3 minutes. Add peas, water, mustard, salt, sour cream and milk. Stir until smooth and creamy. Cook until peas are heated through for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4
