Gelato Affogato
Gelato Affogato means “drowned” gelato in Italian. A coffee based dessert that consists of a scoop of vanilla gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso. Some people also include a shot of Amaretto or dark rum.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pints Vanilla Gelato (or Ice Cream)
1 Cup Hot Espresso
3 Tablespoons of Amaretto or Dark Rum
Scoop the gelato or ice cream into six small goblets. Stir together the hot coffee and liqueur. Slowly pour the coffee over the gelato and serve immediately. Serves 6
Cannelloni
INGREDIENTS
Bechamel Sauce
Filling:
1 Pound Ground Veal
8 Ounces Italian Pork Sausage (Remove Casings)
1 Large Minced Garlic Clove
Two 10 Ounce Packages Frozen Chopped Spinach, Cooked, Drained & Squeezed Dry
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
To Assemble:
1 ½ Pounds Homemade or Store Bought Fresh Pasta (Such As Fresh Lasagna Sheets) Cut Into 4 Inch Squares
½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Prepare the béchamel sauce and set aside. To make the filling, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the veal and pork and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Spoon off the excess fat and stir in the spinach and 1 cup of the béchamel sauce. Add the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly and then stir in the cheese. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Have ready a large bowl of cold water, and spread out some lint free kitchen towels on a flat surface. Add the pasta squares to the pot a few at a time and cook less than 1 minute. They should be slightly underdone. Scoop the pasta out of the pot and place it in the cold water until cool enough to handle. Lay the pasta squares out flat on the towels. Continue cooking and cooling the remaining pasta the same way. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter two 11x8x2 inch baking dishes. To assemble the cannelloni, spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of each baking dish. Spread some of the filling over each pasta square, leaving a ½ inch border along one side. Starting, at the opposite side, loosely roll up each pasta square. Place the rolls seam side down in the baking dishes. Sprinkle with the cheese. The cannelloni can be assembled up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake for 30 minutes. If the dish has been refrigerated cook a bit longer. The sauce should be bubbling and the top golden brown. Serve hot. Serves 12
Victoria’s Chocolate Chip Bars
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Softened Butter
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 ¼ Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
12 Ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Combine the flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Next, add the vanilla and chocolate chips. With your hands knead until smooth and place in an ungreased 8 inch glass baking dish. Pat the dough down so that it is even. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut dough into bars while still warm. Let cool another 10 minutes and remove from baking dish to a serving plate. Makes 15
Chicken Scallopini
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
4 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour (Divided)
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Chili Powder
½ Cup Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Drained Capers
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
One at a time, put chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to ¼ inch thickness. Combine 3 tablespoons flour, black pepper and chili powder on a shallow plate. Dip the chicken breasts in the flour mixture and lightly coat both sides. Combine the chicken stock, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour and capers in a small bowl. In a large skillet heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Put the chicken in the hot pan (in a single layer) and cook 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook another 2 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Repeat with the remaining chicken and brush the pan with ½ teaspoon of the olive oil each time you add the chicken pieces. This will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Stir the stock mixture and pour into the skillet. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes until thickened. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour the sauce over the chicken breast. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Steak Au Poivre
It is thought that Steak au Poivre descended from what is known as Steak Diane. Some food historians believe that the origins can be traced to Leopold I of Germany in 1790. There are quite a few chefs who claim to have created this dish in either Paris or Monte Carlo. This steak is covered with coarsely ground pepper before sautéing or broiling. Steak au Poivre is usually finished either by topping it with a chunk of butter or by making a simple sauce from the pan drippings. You can serve with mashed potatoes or pomme frites. You most likely may find this dish in traditional French restaurants.
INGREDIENTS
Four 1” Thick Strip Steaks
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Chopped Shallots
¼ Cup Butter That Is Cut Into 2 Pieces
½ Cup Cognac
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
Salt & pepper both sides of each steak. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over a high heat and sauté the steaks (2 at a time) for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in the oven at 175° F. Pour out any leftover liquid from the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Next add the shallots to the skillet along with 1 piece of butter and sauté for 5 minutes until cooked. Very carefully add the Cognac and bring to a boil for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. The Cognac may flame so be careful. Stir in the cream and the other piece of butter. Heat through and stir constantly. Serve the sauce over the steaks immediately. Serves 4
Old Fashioned Peppermint Ice Cream
In 1810 Peppermint Schnaps was invented by Paris candy maker, Francois Nicolas, to put on ice cream. Apparently, Napolean’s wife, Austrian Marie Louise Duchess of Parma, took the recipe back to Austria where it became popular as an ice cream dessert as well as a drink.
INGREDIENTS
4 Egg Yolks
1 ½ Cups Half & Half
1 Cups Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 cups Whipping Cream
4 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Good Quality Crushed Peppermint Candy Pieces
In a heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, half & half, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over a low heat until the mixture reaches 160° F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and place the pan in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes. Next, stir in the whipping cream and the vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. If you have time let it refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and fill the cylinder of the ice cream freezer 2/3 full. Make sure to refrigerate any of the remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Stir in the peppermint candy pieces. Pour into a storage container and place in the freezer 2 to 4 hours before serving. Serves 8
Peach Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Chopped Fresh Peaches
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Whole Milk
2 Large Beaten Eggs
1 Tablespoons Vanilla
2 Cups Half & Half
Combine the peaches with ¼ cup of the sugar and chill in the refrigerator. In the meantime combine 1 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch and salt in a medium sized saucepan. Slowly add the milk and to the sugar mixture and cook over a medium low heat. Stir constantly for 20 minutes until thickened. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and then add ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk. Next add the egg mixture to the saucepan containing the milk mixture and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla and half & half. Stir in the peaches and then freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions. If you need to do this in batches then go ahead. When done freeze in your freezer until ready to serve. Serves 8
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
I love homemade ice cream and vanilla has to be my favorite.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pint Whipping Cream
1 Pint Half & Half
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
Mix all ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Cover and chill until ready to use. Follow manufacturer’s directions to churn and freeze the ice cream. Place in your freezer until ready to eat. Your homemade ice cream will taste so much better than store bought. Serves 8
Corn Chowder
This corn chowder is a real summer treat! Serve with warm buttermilk biscuits.
INGREDIENTS
6 Medium Ears of Corn
5 Slices Diced Bacon
1 Medium Chopped Red Onion
1 Seeded and Chopped Jalapeno Chile
1 Chopped Garlic Clove
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Pound Chopped Red Potatoes
15 Ounces Chicken Broth
2 Cups Half & Half
2 Peeled, Seeded & Chopped Ripe Tomatoes
5 Thinly Sliced Basil Leaves
Cut the corn kernels from the cobs. This will yield about 3 cups. Keep 3 of the cobs and throw the other 3 away. In a 5 quart Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Reserve the bacon drippings. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Crumble the bacon and set aside. In the Dutch oven add the onions and jalapeno to the bacon drippings. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Next, stir in the potatoes, the three reserved corncobs, the chicken broth and the half & half. Heat to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Throw away the corncobs and stir in the reserved corn kernels. Heat through. Transfer the chowder to a warm soup tureen or a large serving bowl. Stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the bacon and basil. Serves 8
Strawberry Shortcake
This history of strawberry shortcake began around 1847 in the U.S. The first found recipe was in Miss Leslie’s Ladies New Receipt Book for “Strawberry Cake.”
The “Strawberry Cake” is very similar to what is known, today, as “Strawberry Shortcake.” Forget using the store bought sponge cakes for your Strawberry Shortcake. It is so much better to bake your own!
INGREDIENTS
Biscuits:
½ Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Stick Chilled Butter
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2/3 Half & Half
Filling:
1 Quart Strawberries
1/3 Cup Sugar
Topping:
1 ½ Cups Real Whipping Cream
Rinse the berries under cold water and drain well. Hull and slice the berries and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and cover. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Whip the cream and sweeten with 3 tablespoons of sugar until soft peaks form. Cover the whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Move rack to the center. In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Pulse to mix. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add to the mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with a few pea sized chucks of the butter left in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a for stir in the cream just until the doug his moist. Be very careful not to overwork the dough as the dough doesn’t have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough stand for 1 minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over on itself. Knead 3 times until it is holding together and is less sticky. Gently pat the dough into a 6×12 inch rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 (3 inch) biscuits with a floured round cutter. Transfer to a buttered parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush on a little half & half and sprinkle the tops with a bit of sugar. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove to a platter and split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the hot biscuits and then top with 1/3 cup of strawberry mixture. Replace the tops and top with 1 tablespoon strawberries. Serve with chipped cream for the topping. Serves 8
