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| Pink Lady and Spy |
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| Johnny Appleseed |
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Apple Main Course
Apple Bacon Baked Chicken
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup stone-ground mustard
1 cup applesauce
8 slices bacon, halved crosswise
4 Granny Smith apples, quartered
4 sweet onions (such as Vidalia), quartered
Directions
1. Soak cranberries in apple cider in a bowl until cranberries are rehydrated, 2 to 6 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup stone-ground mustard
1 cup applesauce
8 slices bacon, halved crosswise
4 Granny Smith apples, quartered
4 sweet onions (such as Vidalia), quartered
Directions
1. Soak cranberries in apple cider in a bowl until cranberries are rehydrated, 2 to 6 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
3. Arrange
chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with salt and black
pepper.4. Whisk
mustard and applesauce together in a small bowl; spoon over chicken
breasts. Lay two half-slices of bacon atop each chicken breast. Arrange
apples and onions around chicken. Add cranberries, pouring any remaining
apple cider over chicken. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until bacon is crisp and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until bacon is crisp and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F.
Grilled Shrimp and Apple Skewers
(Makes 8 skewers)
3 tablespoons honey3
tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon
chopped fresh basil1 tablespoon
strawberry jam (could use other jam or preserves)1/4 teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes1 clove
garlic, minced2
tablespoons red wine vinegar (could use another kind of flavoured vinegar)1 tablespoon
lemon juice (could use lime instead)2 teaspoons
white sugar (I used less)2 Gala
apples, cored and cut into eighths16 jumbo
shrimp, peeled and deveined
1.
Whisk
together the honey, olive oil, basil, strawberry jam, red pepper flakes,
garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and white sugar in a small bowl. Place
the apples and shrimp into a large re-sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade
over the shrimp and apples, seal the bag, and shake to coat; refrigerate for 30
minutes. (Can marinate longer!)
2.
Preheat an
outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
3.
Thread the
shrimp and apples alternately on 4 metal or soaked wooden skewers. Discard the
remaining marinade.
4.
Cook the
skewers on the preheated grill until the shrimp are opaque, about 5 minutes per
side. DO NOT OVER COOK!
Apple Soup and Salad recipes
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
(serves 6)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
4 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper
1/2 cup walnut halves
4 ounces goat cheese, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash, apples, carrots, stock, and cinnamon and bring to boil, stirring occasionally Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until vegetables are soft when pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Ladle the vegetables and half of broth into a blender or food processor. Puree until very smooth. Return soup to pot and stir in remaining broth, one ladleful at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, place a few walnuts in the centre of a soup bowl. Shingle 2 slices of goat cheese on top of the walnuts and ladle the soup around the goat cheese. The idea is to have the goat cheese visible atop the soup. Hint: it may be easier to ladle the soup into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour from there.
Amazing Spinach Salad with Sweet-Spicy Nuts, Feta and Bacon
(serves 6)
Ingredients Salad
16 ounces baby spinach
1/2 small red onion, slivered
6 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped into small pieces
1 cup Feta cheese crumbles, more or less to taste
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries, more or less to taste
1-2 Honey Crisp apples, cored and slices thin
Ingredients Spicy Nuts
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of cayenne (more to taste if you want)
pinch of salt
Ingredients Red Wine Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon slat, more or less to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste
Directions
1. Dressing: shake all ingredients together in a mason jar until well combined or run them through a quick blender cycle. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to week in advance.
2. Nuts: lightly toast nuts in 350F over for 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don't burn. While they toast, place sugar, cayenne and salt in skillet over medium-low heat. cook the sugar mixture until it liquefies completely, adjusting the heat so it doesn't bubble and burn. Toss in the toasted nuts and stir to coat the nuts with sugar. Let the sugared nuts cool completely.
3. To assemble salad, toss all salad ingredients together along with cooled nuts. Serve immediately with the vinaigrette alongside. All the components can be measured out/prepped ahead of time and stored separately (can soak apples in a bit of lemon juice in water to help prevent browning). Just toss right before serving. Enjoy!
(serves 6)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
4 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper
1/2 cup walnut halves
4 ounces goat cheese, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash, apples, carrots, stock, and cinnamon and bring to boil, stirring occasionally Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until vegetables are soft when pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Ladle the vegetables and half of broth into a blender or food processor. Puree until very smooth. Return soup to pot and stir in remaining broth, one ladleful at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, place a few walnuts in the centre of a soup bowl. Shingle 2 slices of goat cheese on top of the walnuts and ladle the soup around the goat cheese. The idea is to have the goat cheese visible atop the soup. Hint: it may be easier to ladle the soup into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour from there.
Amazing Spinach Salad with Sweet-Spicy Nuts, Feta and Bacon
(serves 6)
Ingredients Salad
16 ounces baby spinach
1/2 small red onion, slivered
6 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped into small pieces
1 cup Feta cheese crumbles, more or less to taste
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries, more or less to taste
1-2 Honey Crisp apples, cored and slices thin
Ingredients Spicy Nuts
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of cayenne (more to taste if you want)
pinch of salt
Ingredients Red Wine Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon slat, more or less to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste
Directions
1. Dressing: shake all ingredients together in a mason jar until well combined or run them through a quick blender cycle. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to week in advance.
2. Nuts: lightly toast nuts in 350F over for 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don't burn. While they toast, place sugar, cayenne and salt in skillet over medium-low heat. cook the sugar mixture until it liquefies completely, adjusting the heat so it doesn't bubble and burn. Toss in the toasted nuts and stir to coat the nuts with sugar. Let the sugared nuts cool completely.
3. To assemble salad, toss all salad ingredients together along with cooled nuts. Serve immediately with the vinaigrette alongside. All the components can be measured out/prepped ahead of time and stored separately (can soak apples in a bit of lemon juice in water to help prevent browning). Just toss right before serving. Enjoy!
Apple Appetizers
Apple Whiskey Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded apples
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon diced garlic
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup Open Pit Apple Whiskey barbecue sauce... or some other kind (Alice, what kind did you use?)
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix very well. Shape meat mixture into 24 good sized meatballs. Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
2. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 400F. Remove from oven and place in a crock pot. Add the barbecue sauce and stir. Keep warm. Refrigerate leftovers.
(servings: about 18 mini tarts, or 6 large)
1. sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
2 tbs butter
half large onion
2 apples (Granny Smith or other tart variety)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3c fontina cheese, shredded
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Begin with prep work. Slice/chop onion very thinly. Peel and core apple, chop into pieces approx. same size as onion.
2. Heat butter in sauté pan over medium. Once it's melted add onions and 1/4 tsp salt. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add apples, reduce heat to low. Cook over low for about 30 minutes. Onions should be nice and caramelized and lightly browned. Stir in pepper and remaining salt. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Preheat oven to 375F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Unwrap and unfold puff pastry dough. Slice along the folds already present in dough, creating 3 even strips of dough. Cut each strip into 3 squares, then slice diagonally through each square to create 2 triangles. This should result in 18 triangles from the entire sheet of dough. Place each dough triangle on prepared baking sheet, without touching.
7. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the onion-apple mixture onto each dough triangle. Sprinkle some of the grated fontina cheese on top. Sprinkle thyme on top of the cheese.
Make-ahead note: You can caramelize the onions-apple mixture and store it in the fridge up to two days beforehand. You can assemble the tarts one day before you serve the, and just store in the fridge, wrapped in cling wrap or foil on a baking sheet. Just pop them into the oven when you are ready.
(Not sure if fontina cheese was used... I looked it up and found this suggestion: Mild provolone, gruyere, and gouda cheeses may all be substituted for fontina, depending on your personal preference and the other ingredients in your dish. Why such a wide range of choices? Because fontina cheese is similarly available in a wide range of flavors and textures. The fontina most commonly found in US markets is Danish fontina, which tends to be mild flavored and somewhat softer than Italian fontina.)
Toffee Apple Dip
Ingredients
1 package cream cheese
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup English toffee bits
6-7 cored and sliced apples for dipping (tossed with a little lemon or pineapple juice to prevent browning)
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and brown sugar until well combined. Stir in the toffee bits.
2. Serve with sliced apples. Store the dip covered in fridge until ready to serve.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded apples
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon diced garlic
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup Open Pit Apple Whiskey barbecue sauce... or some other kind (Alice, what kind did you use?)
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix very well. Shape meat mixture into 24 good sized meatballs. Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
2. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 400F. Remove from oven and place in a crock pot. Add the barbecue sauce and stir. Keep warm. Refrigerate leftovers.
Caramelized Onion & Apple Mini Tarts(servings: about 18 mini tarts, or 6 large)
1. sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
2 tbs butter
half large onion
2 apples (Granny Smith or other tart variety)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3c fontina cheese, shredded
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Begin with prep work. Slice/chop onion very thinly. Peel and core apple, chop into pieces approx. same size as onion.
2. Heat butter in sauté pan over medium. Once it's melted add onions and 1/4 tsp salt. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add apples, reduce heat to low. Cook over low for about 30 minutes. Onions should be nice and caramelized and lightly browned. Stir in pepper and remaining salt. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Preheat oven to 375F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Unwrap and unfold puff pastry dough. Slice along the folds already present in dough, creating 3 even strips of dough. Cut each strip into 3 squares, then slice diagonally through each square to create 2 triangles. This should result in 18 triangles from the entire sheet of dough. Place each dough triangle on prepared baking sheet, without touching.
7. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the onion-apple mixture onto each dough triangle. Sprinkle some of the grated fontina cheese on top. Sprinkle thyme on top of the cheese.
Make-ahead note: You can caramelize the onions-apple mixture and store it in the fridge up to two days beforehand. You can assemble the tarts one day before you serve the, and just store in the fridge, wrapped in cling wrap or foil on a baking sheet. Just pop them into the oven when you are ready.
(Not sure if fontina cheese was used... I looked it up and found this suggestion: Mild provolone, gruyere, and gouda cheeses may all be substituted for fontina, depending on your personal preference and the other ingredients in your dish. Why such a wide range of choices? Because fontina cheese is similarly available in a wide range of flavors and textures. The fontina most commonly found in US markets is Danish fontina, which tends to be mild flavored and somewhat softer than Italian fontina.)
Toffee Apple Dip
Ingredients
1 package cream cheese
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup English toffee bits
6-7 cored and sliced apples for dipping (tossed with a little lemon or pineapple juice to prevent browning)
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and brown sugar until well combined. Stir in the toffee bits.
2. Serve with sliced apples. Store the dip covered in fridge until ready to serve.
Monday, March 31, 2014
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