Artichoke-Prosciutto Gratin

Don't plan on eating more than a few.  These are RICH and delicious and must be served with crusty bread.  Zingerman's Paesano bread is a good choice. 

This recipe come from Bon Appetit, via Epicurious.

Ingredients

2 14-oz cans artichoke hearts, drained, quartered

6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto

1 c whipping cream

1 1/2 c crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 c pine nuts (about 2 oz), toasted

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

1 t chopped fresh sage

Instructions

Pat quartered artichoke hearts dry with paper towels.  Cut each prosciutto slice crosswise in half.  Wrap each artichoke heart quarter in halved prosciutto slice.  Place wrapped artichoke hearts in single layer in 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish.  Pour cream over.  Sprinkle with Gorgonzola, pine nuts, Parmesan, and sage.  Bake until gratin is bubbling and sauce thickens, about 25 minutes.  Serve warm with crusty bread for dipping.

Sun Dried Tomato Quiche

I loved when we hung our with our friends the Davises in Virginia, because Jessica always brought the most mouth watering dishes.  Roasted Red Pepper Enchiladas, Squash Tart, Sun Dried Tomato Quiche... almost thou persuadest me to be vegetarian Jessica.  Almost.  

I specifically made this quiche last week so that I could take a picture for today's post, and of course, I forgot.  But I'm sure it won't be too long before I make it again.  I'm telling you, if you're gonna make a quiche, this is the quiche to make.  

Ingredients

3/4 c Swiss cheese, shredded

3/4 c Cheddar cheese, shredded

2/3 c chopped sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil)

2 T finely diced onion

1 t Italian seasonings

1/2 t salt

4 eggs

1 c half and half

3/4 c milk

1 T flour

one 9-inch pie crust (this recipe makes enough for two 8-inch crusts too)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and then bake pie crust for 5 minutes.  in a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together.  Pour mixture into the crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Slice into wedges and serve.

Cream Puffs

When we were little our family was friends with an older couple, the Georges.  Going over to their house was a special treat because they always had cream puffs.  I remember when I realized that my mom could make them too and thinking, "if you could make cream puffs, why wouldn't you make them every day of your life?"  

Of course, I had a similar thought when my brother got his license and I didn't understand why he wouldn't go to McDonald's every single day if he could get there himself, so don't listen to me.  Listen to the cream puff recipe...

Ingredients

1 c water

1/2 c butter

1 c sifted flour

4 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat water and butter to boiling point in saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Turn heat to low and stir constantly until mixture leaves the pan and forms into a ball (about one minute).  Remove from heat.  Cool.

Beat eggs into the mixture one at a time.  Continue to beat mixture until smooth and velvety. Spoon onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake until dry (45-50 minutes).  Allow to cool slowly.

Cut off the top third of each cream puff.  Fill with Vanilla Cream Pie Filling.  Replace the top and spread chocolate frosting over the top of the cream puff.

Vanilla Cream Pie Filling

This is not the last you will hear of Vanilla Cream Pie Filling.  She will also make future appearances in Boston Creme Pie (actually a cake), Chocolate Pie, and Coconut Pie.  I love her.  

Ingredients

2/3 c sugar

1/2 t salt

2 1/2 T cornstarch

1 T flour

1 1/2 c milk

1 1/2 c evaporated milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 T butter

1/2 t vanilla

Instructions

Mix sugar, salt, cornstarch and flour in a saucepan.  Gradually stir in milk and evaporated milk.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

Slowly stir half the mixture into egg yolks.  Then blend into hot mixture in the saucepan.  Boil one minute more, stirring constantly.  remove from heat. 

Blend in butter and vanilla.  Cool, stirring occasionally.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

No secret here ladies and gentlemen.  My chocolate frosting recipe comes right off the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can.  And yes, "Perfectly Chocolate" is their confident branding, not mine.  

Ingredients

1/2 c butter

2.3 c Hershey's Cocoa

3 c powdered sugar

1/3 c milk

1 t vanilla extract

Instructions

Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.

Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency.  Add more milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla.  About 2 cups.  

Roasted Asparagus Panini

All right, all right.  I was feeling too guilty for not actually posting any new recipes this morning, and since Panini Monday is four days away, Abram got to enjoy a Roasted Asparagus and Sweet Onion Panini with Gruyere for dinner tonight.  Here are the goods:

This recipe comes from the panini bible, my photocopied pages out of Mar's KRUPS - Panini and Other Hot Sandwiches cookbook.  

Ingredients

2 lbs medium asparagus, cut in half lengthwise

1 large Vidalia or sweet yellow onion, peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced

5 T olive oil, plus extra for brushing

2 T unsalted butter

2 t grated lemon peel

1/4 c fresh-squeezed lemon juice

salt

coarse ground black pepper

4 fresh tarragon sprigs, stems removed and leaves chopped

12 slices crusty ciabatta bread or other crusty loaf

1/4 lb prosciutto, thinly sliced

6 oz Gruyere cheese, sliced

6 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place the asparagus and onions on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, dot with butter, sprinkle with lemon zest and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper (I like to throw the prosciutto in there too).  Toss the vegetables lightly to distribute the seasonings.  Bake until soft and just starting to brown, about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, transfer to a bowl, toss with tarragon, then set aside. 

Preheat panini grill.  Place bread on a flat, clean, and dry work surface, then top with Gruyere, Swiss, and remaining slice of bread.  Brush the top with olive oil and transfer to hot grill, oiled side down; brush remaining side with olive oil.  Grill until cheese is melted and bread is browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.  

Repeat process with remaining ingredients to make additional sandwiches.  

Keep grilled sandwiches warm in a 200 degree oven.  Pull sandwiches apart and insert prosciutto and asparagus and onion mixture.  Close sandwiches, slice, and serve.  

A Little History

This blog got started when KA (who happens to write a very amusing blog) asked me for my meal rotation. I got a little carried away and now I'm posting a menu once a week. I've been slowly trying to tweak the original 20 recipes and take pictures to go along with them. So here is a little catch up. I make all of these recipes at least once a month, sometimes twice a month. I figure tried and true recipes like these deserve a little extra attention.

Lemon Alfredo Pasta
Taco Soup
Honey Lime Enchiladas
Black Bean Salad