Last Call: Cranberry-Almond Biscotti

Cranberry-Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:

~4 c. sifted flour

~½ tsp salt

~1 tsp baking powder

~1 1/3 cups sugar

~1 stick of butter

~1 stick of margarine

~1 tsp vanilla extract

~1 tsp anise extract

~6 eggs

~1 cup chopped almonds

~1 package of dried cranberries/craisins

Directions:

1. Cream butter and margarine, then add sugar slowly. Add one egg at a time, then add extracts and beat thoroughly.

2. Add sifted flour, baking powder and salt (about 8 or 10 tablespoons at a time), mix and continue adding flour mixture until finished. Add chopped nuts and berries. Dough will be soft.

3. Grease 3 cookie sheets lightly. Using a large mixing spoon, spoon out 3 tablespoons of dough, forming small loaves. 3 small loaves will probably fit on one cookie sheet (and they WILL expand during while baking).

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes and remove. Cut dough into slices and turn them on their sides and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, flip cookies and bake the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden brown.

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

 

 

Last Call: Pineapple Ricotta Muffins

Pineapple Ricotta Muffins

Ingredients:

~15-oz. container ricotta cheese

~1/2 cup vegetable oil

~1 egg

~1 cup crushed pineapple

~2 cups all-purpose flour

~1 Tablespoon baking powder

~1/2 teaspoon baking soda

~1/2 cup sugar

~1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a blender combine cheese, pineapple, oil and egg; blend until smooth. Combine dry ingredients, and fold in cheese mixture. Fill muffin cups half full, and bake about 20-25 minutes, until tops are light golden.

Last Call: Croissant French Toast w/apples, pears & cranberries

Croissant French Toast with Spiced Apples, Pears & Cranberries

Ingredients:

Fruit topping:

~1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries 

~3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar

~1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Grand Marnier

~4 medium Fuji apples

~4 medium Granny Smith apples

~6 Bartlett pears

~6 Tbsp. butter

~2-3 Tbsp. cinnamon, or to taste

~1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

~1/2 cup maple syrup

Batter:

~2 cups half-and-half or cream

~4 eggs

~1 Tbsp. cinnamon

~1/4 cup powdered sugar

~ 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

~24 mini or 12 large croissants

~Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a small pan, cook frozen cranberries with about 2 Tbsp. of the brown sugar and 1 tsp. Grand Marnier until tender. Set aside.

2. Peel and dice apples and pears and sauté in butter over medium heat with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, for about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier and maple syrup. Continue cooking, stirring often, until tender. Fruit will release some juice during cooking. Be sure to keep this to spoon over croissants with the fruit. Remove from heat, add cranberries and stir. Fruit topping can be made ahead and refrigerated, then reheated before serving.

3. Mix all ingredients for batter. Use a sharp serrated knife or scissors to cut a small piece off the top of each croissant. Dip each croissant into batter, and allow excess batter to run off. Cook croissants on a griddle or in a skillet as you would French Toast, browning on both sides. Remove from heat, and spoon cooked fruit and juice over the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately. Serves 12.

Last Call: Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

~2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

~1/2 Cup margarine or butter, melted

~1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup

~1/2 Cup onion, chopped

~2 Cups cheddar cheese, grated

~1/2 teaspoon pepper

~1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine soup, onion, melted butter, and seasonings, stir well. Stir in cheese and frozen hash browns. Place in 9x13 dish and bake at 350 for thirty minutes, or until bubbly.

Last Call: Spinach and Pancetta Quiche

Spinach and Pancetta Quiche

Ingredients:

~ 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

~ 4 eggs

~ 1/2 cup cream

~ salt

~ pepper

~ garlic powder

~ 1/4 pound pancetta, diced

~ 1/4 cup grated parmesan

~ 1/2 onion, diced small

~ 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

~ 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375*F. The first thing you want to do is cook the pancetta a little. In a saucepan over medium high heat add the diced pancetta and let cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

2. On a lightly floured surface take out the sheet of puff pastry and roll it out with a rolling pin until big enough to put in your pie pan. Put the puff pastry in the pie pan, set a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper on top and set a small pot in the middle and put in the oven. This is called blind baking and what it does is give the crust a head-start so you have a nice flaky crust instead of undercooked dough. Let cook in the oven until a pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

3. While that is cooking get the egg mixture ready. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, and parmesan until all mixed together. Add the spinach, pancetta, onion, and season with salt, pepper, and onion powder.

4. Once the puff pastry is ready, take out of the oven and take the pan off and the foil. Add the egg mixture and pop right back into the oven! Let cook for another 20-25 minutes, or until the center doesn't jiggle. Let cool for a couple of minutes and serve.

Last Call: Gnocchi in Bolognese Sauce

Gnocchi in Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:

~one pound ground beef

~two large cans (usually 28 oz) of tomato puree

~3 Tbsp pesto

~pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

~ 2 tsp. garlic powder

~ 2 tsp. onion powder

~salt

~pepper

~2 tsp. basil

~1 cup wine

~1 cup water

~pound of fresh or frozen gnocchi

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and basil. Drain grease.

2. Pour in cans of tomato puree, add pesto, wine and water. Simmer together  on medium-low for 20-30 minutes, uncovered to allow sauce to thicken. Continue to season to taste, if necessary.

3. Boil pasta in salted water according to the timing directions. Gnocchi is usually thoroughly cooked when it starts floating at the top of the pot. Pour sauce over pasta.

 

Last Call: Sausage-Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Sausage-Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Ingredients:

~8 oz mild or spicy Italian sausage, casing removed

~¼ cup parmesan cheese

~2 (14-oz) jars Peppadew cherry peppers (about 32), or other type of small, jarred cherry peppers ~1 tsp olive oil

~chopped parsley, optional

Directions:

1. Drain the peppers. If using non- Peppadew brand peppers, you may need to remove the stem and seeds with a melon baller.

2. Mix sausage with cheese. Pinch off a piece of the sausage mixture and stuff each pepper. Cover a baking sheet with foil and rub with the olive oil. Place the peppers, evenly spaced, on the pan.

3. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F. oven for 20 minutes. Best served at room temperature.

Last Call: Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Ingredients:

~1 1/2 pound large scallops 

~1/2 pound thin-sliced bacon 

~Extra-virgin olive oil

~Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

~1 cup good quality mayonnaise

~1/4 cup hot chili paste (recommended: Sriracha Hot Chili Paste)

~1 lime, juiced

~2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

~2 heads Bibb lettuce, washed

~3 avocados, sliced

Directions:

1. Heat the broiler. Wrap each scallop in a piece of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Place the bacon wrapped scallops onto a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Cook them under the broiler for about 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon is cooked through, turning once.

2. Make the spicy mayo by combining the mayonnaise, chili paste, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. To serve, carefully peel away the lettuce leaves and line a large platter with the lettuce cups. Top each with a bacon wrapped shrimp, 2 slices of avocado, and a spoonful of spicy mayonnaise. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Last Call: Proscuitto-Wrapped Melon

Proscuitto-Wrapped Melon

 

Ingredients:

~1/4 cup lime juice

~ 1 honeydew melon, fruit removed with a melon baller

 ~9 ounces thinly-sliced prosciutto

~ 36 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:

Place melon balls into a bowl, and sprinkle with lime juice. Stir gently to coat. Wrap each ball with a slice of prosciutto, and secure with a sprig of mint. Arrange on a serving tray. Refrigerate until serving.

Last Call: Spanikopita

Spanikopita

Ingredients:

~1/3 cup olive oil

~2 pounds spinach, washed and drained

~1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped

~1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

~Salt and freshly ground black pepper

~1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

~1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten

~1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

~1 pound filo pastry sheets

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).

2. Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.

4. Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.

5. Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)

Variation: Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, and spread 6 sheets of filo, brushing each with butter, on the bottom. Spoon the spinach filling over the filo, then cover with 6 more sheets of filo, buttering each sheet. Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.

Last Call: Chicken in Wine Sauce

Chicken in Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

~ 1 package of boneless, chicken breasts, cleaned and cut into "nugget-size" pieces

~2 eggs, beaten

~seasoned bread crumbs

~cooking oil

~4 large onions, sliced

~2 small cans of mushroom slices

~1 cup of lemon juice

~1 cup of sherry or wine

~salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to taste



Closest picture I could find; my family's recipe looks MUCH juicier and dredged in mushroooms, onions & wine sauce

Directions:

1. Dip chicken in egg and then bread crumbs. Brown breaded chicken cutlets lightly in oil.  Remove to drain on paper towels. Then pour off most of oil.

2. Saute the 4 large onions in same pan. Then add cans of drained mushroom slices. Put breaded chicken back into same pan.

3. Add  the lemon juice and the wine and simmer for about 30 minutes, adding the salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to your preferred taste. 

Last Call: Chicken Apple Salad Bruschetta

Chicken Apple Salad Bruschetta

Ingredients:

~3 chicken breasts

~garlic salt

~ olive oil

~ 1 carrot

~1 celery stalk, chopped finely

~1/2 small onion, chopped fine

~3/4-1 cup black currants

~1/2 granny smith apple, apple chopped

~1/2 cup chopped pecans

~1 -1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

~1/4 teaspoon mild curry powder

~salt & pepper to taste

~ 1 loaf bread; French baguette

Directions:

1. Pat washed chicken breast with paper towel.

2. Rub with olive oil lightly and add garlic salt all over. Bake for 35/40 minutes at 350, let cool.

3. In large bowl add next 6 ingredients. Chop the cooled chicken in small cubes and add to bowl. In another bowl mix mayo with the curry powder add salt and pepper, pour over chicken, mix.

4. Mix well with wooden spoon. If not used within 2 hours, put back in fridge.

5. Cut baguette in 2 inch peices rub with garlic, drizzle with olive oil and some salt and grill in oven till golden brown. Remove and let cool.

6. Top slices of toasted bread with chicken salad mix. Sprinkle with parsley and put grapes around platter as a garnish.