SPANISH CHICKEN & CHORIZO PIE

SPANISH CHICKEN & CHORIZO PIE

When I was living in Western Michigan, I had a fantastic introduction to the wonderful world of Spanish Tapas.  I was hooked!  The incredible flavors, textures, and varieties were a great way to get some friends or family together, order a number of dishes, and share them around the table.  I’m a firm advocate on the near-sanctity of time at table with ones you love, and the communion and fellowship that comes with good company and a good meal.  Evidently, so are the Spanish!  Because Tapas provides you with the perfect opportunity to share your food as well as company.

One of the best dishes I tried on that inaugural Tapas adventure, and still remember fondly, was a combination chicken and chorizo sausage.  Personally, I feel it’s a fantastic combination, especially if you’re either open to spicing it up a little, or just outright heavy handed with it like I am.  In either case, the combination of these two meats, along with the tomato, peppers, garlic, and olives as in this recipe, is absolutely perfect for a quickly prepared dinner without losing the delicious flavors enjoyed in Tapas.

SPANISH CHICKEN & CHORIZO PIE:

·         2 Packages Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets

·         1 Tbs. Olive Oil

·         1 Lb. Chicken Breasts (Boneless/Skinless), cut into strips

·         1 Red Onion, Finely Sliced

·         1 tsp. Paprika

·         ½ Tbs. Minced Garlic

·         ½ Red Pepper, Chopped

·         ½ Yellow Pepper, Chopped

·         1 6 Oz. package of Chorizo Sausage

·         1 4 Oz. Can of Diced Tomatoes

·         1 Oz. Green Olives, Pitted and Chopped

·         2 Tbs. Rosemary, Chopped

·         Salt & Black Pepper to Taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet, pour your olive oil, allowing to warm over low heat.  Add your chicken, and allow to cook completely.  Remove with slotted spoon from skillet to a plate lined with paper towel. 

Returning pan to heat, add your onion and let cook for 3-5minutes.  Add paprika, garlic, peppers, and Chorizo and allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, olives, and rosemary, seasoning well with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.  Sauce will thicken as it simmers.  Stir in chicken strips, mixing well to coat chicken with vegetable and chorizo mixture.

Unfold thawed puff pastry sheets.  Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray, and lay two of the sheets into the plate on a diagonal, so corners lay well over plate edges, and are able to be folded over filling.  Repeat this process with the remaining 2 sheets, crossing the two in place, from the opposite direction.

Spoon in filling mixture, and carefully fold pastry edges across the top.  Tuck under any loose edged pastry into the pie shell.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MACCHIATO PIE

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MACCHIATO PIE

I’m going to admit that I’m a little bit of a caffeine junky, and a good cup of coffee is a bit indispensable to keep the day running smoothly.  We coffee drinkers have our own poison of choice, and a special way of drinking it.  I know a lot of coffee drinkers, and they all grab their “cup of jo” differently.  There’s the die-hards with their black coffee, those that need to lighten it up with cream, milk, or sweetener, those that go straight for the throat with a strong brewed espresso, or the truly sophisticated connoisseur who dives for the lattes and cappuccinos.  However you take your java, take a step out of your routine and try an amazing little concoction of coffee, cream, and chocolate that’s similar to a favorite drink from a famous coffee chain:  The Double Chocolate Caramel Macchiato Pie.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MACCHIATO PIE:

Crust:

·         10 -12 Cinnamon Sugar Graham Crackers

·         3 Tbs. Brown Sugar

·         5 ½ Tbs. Butter, Melted

Filling:

·         8 Oz. Package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

·         4 Oz. Dark Chocolate, Bar or Chips

·         ¼ Cup Strong Coffee or Espresso, COLD

·         4 Oz. Milk Chocolate, Bar or Chips

·         ¾ Cup Caramel Sundae Topping

·         3 Tbs. Corn Starch

·         2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar

·         2 ½ Cups Whipped Topping

·         1 Tbs. Water

·         Chocolate Shavings, Cinnamon, or Cocoa Powder For Garnish

FOR THE CRUST:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Crush graham crackers in a food processor.  Mix crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.  Press into a 9-inch pie plate.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Cool completely before filling.

FILLING:

For the Bottom Layer:

Beat 4 Oz. of cream cheese until smooth.  Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and mix well.  Add ½ Cup whipped topping and mix well.  Melt dark chocolate in microwave, about 1 minute.  Mix chocolate into cream cheese mixture.  Mix in cold coffee.  Spread mixture into pie crust and freeze until firm.

For the Second Layer:

Stir together corn starch and water.  Microwave ½ cup caramel topping for 45 seconds.  Stir together caramel and corn starch mixture.  Return to microwave for 1 minute or until thickened.  Spread over dark chocolate layer.  Return to freezer until firm.

For the Third Layer:

Beat remaining 4 Oz. Cream Cheese until smooth.  Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and mix well.  Add ½ Cup whipped topping and mix well.  Melt milk chocolate in microwave, about 1 minute.  Mix chocolate into cream cheese mixture.  Spread over caramel layer.  Freeze until firm.

For the Top Layer:

Microwave ¼ Cup caramel topping for 15 seconds.  Allow to cool, but not set.  Stir into remaining 1 ½ Cups of Cool Whip.  Spread over milk chocolate layer.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Garnish with sprinkled cinnamon, cocoa powder, and chocolate shavings.

BOILED CIDER SPICED APPLE PIE

BOILED CIDER SPICED APPLE PIE

Autumn brings with it some truly fantastic flavors and scents.  Crisp autumn air, cinnamon and spices, freshly laid hay for a hayride, or the unmistakable aroma of an orchard on a fall afternoon all bring some amazing memories to mind.  Chief among them is almost anything with apple.  Be it cobbler, cider, or stovetop simmered applesauce or apple butter, the fall has endless options and recipes for apple related recipes.  And of course, there’s always room for pie.

Almost everyone I know has special memories associated with some variation of apple pie.  Let’s face it, the styles and methods for making an apple pie are about as endless as the varieties of apples themselves.  One of my personal favorites combines both apples picked from one of my favorite local orchards, as well freshly pressed and spiced apple cider.  So, grab yourself a mug of something warm against the cool air, enjoy the colors of the changing trees, and settle in with this great fall favorite.

BOILED CIDER SPICED APPLE PIE:

Crust:

·         2 Cups Flour

·         1 Cup Cake Flour

·         1 Cup Crisco

·         ¼ tsp. Salt

·         ¼ tsp. Baking Powder

·         1 Egg

·         1 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar

·         ½ Cup Ice Water

Filling:

·         3 Cups Sweet Apple Cider

·         4 or 5 Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Sliced

·         2 Tbs. Tapioca

·         ¼ tsp. Salt

·         1 tsp. Cinnamon

·         2/3 Cup Sugar

·         2 Tbs. Butter, Melted

DIRECTIONS:

For the Crust:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all the dry ingredients together and cut in the Crisco.  Beat together the egg, vinegar, and ice water.  Add to the flour mixture.  Mix only until all the flour is moistened.  Form dough into a ball.  Divide dough in half, rolling out one ball into your bottom crust.  Spray a 9-inch pie plate with baking spray, and lay in your bottom crust.  Reserve remaining dough to roll out for your top crust.

For the Filling:

In a large saucepan, reduce your apple cider over medium heat to about a ½ cup.  Add the peeled and sliced apples, cooking down until the apples are about half-way done.  Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the apples.

Pour filling into the bottom crust, and add your top crust, sealing the edges.  Bake for 60 minutes, or until crust is a golden brown color.  Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

LAMB AND POTATO PIE

LAMB AND POTATO PIE

Every now and again, you run into a recipe that you read and think won’t be terribly interesting or all that good.  Imagine my surprise when I tried this one and was not only thoroughly impressed, but immediately made the decision that this little pie was one I’d be re-visiting, and would highly encourage you to do the same!

LAMB AND POTATO PIE:

·         2  9 inch Pie Crust Pastries

·         1 Lb. Potatoes, Peeled and Quartered

·         Salt and Black Pepper

·         1 Tbs. Olive Oil

·         1 Onion, Finely Chopped

·         Handful of Rosemary Sprigs, Leaves Picked and Chopped

·         12 Oz. Lamb Stew Meat, Shreaded

·         1 Tbs. Flour

·         1 ¼ Cups Vegetable Stock, Hot

·         2 Tbs. Mint Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes until soft.  Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over low heat.  Add the onion and allow to sweat gently for about 5 minutes, until soft.  Stir in the rosemary.  Sautee for 2-3 minutes, and remove from heat.

In a separate, cooking sprayed skillet, brown the lamb thoroughly in a small amount of water until almost completely cooked through.  Allow to cool completely and drain off water.  Once cooled, shred lamb with a knife and fork, or with your fingers, setting aside for future use.

Bring onion mixture back to medium heat and add lamb.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle mixture with flour and pour in vegetable stock.  Stir for about 10 minutes until mixture thickens.  Add the potatoes and stir in the mint sauce.  Simmer for another 10 minutes, then allow to cool slightly.

Roll out your pie crusts and lay into a baking sprayed pie plate.  Pierce the bottom crust with a fork, allowing the top crust to hand about ½ inch over the edge.  Spoon the filling mixture into the bottom crust, then place the top crust over the filling.  Carefully roll the edges towards the pie center, sealing the edges.  Pierce the top crust for ventilation.  Bake for 40 – 50 minutes until the crust is golden brown.  Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

CARAMEL APPLE PECAN PIE

AWARD WINNING CARAMEL APPLE PECAN PIE

 Every now and then you stumble on a recipe that’s not just fantastic, but a true show stopping, award winning one!  In fact, this recipe did just that!

A co-worker of mine recently attended a wedding in Traverse City, Michigan, at which was a PIE CONTEST!!  After some conspiratorial conversations, giggle laced scheming, and a late night of baking a pie that would travel a 364 mile trip from Chicago to the Northern reaches of Michigan, it’s my pleasure to bring to you the Reader’s Piegest’s (and the baker’s VERY FIRST) Award Winning Caramel Apple Pecan Pie!

CARAMEL APPLE PECAN PIE:

For Crust:

·         1 ½ Cups  Voortman’s “Windmill” Spice Cookies, Crushed

·         1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

·         6 Tbs. Butter, Melted

·         ½ tsp. Cinnamon

·         10 Caramel Squares, Cut in Quarters

For Filling:

·         2 Golden Delicious Apples, Sliced

·         2 Granny Smith Apples, Sliced

·         1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar

·         1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

·         2 Tbs.  Sugar

·         1 Tbs.  Cornstarch

·         1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

·         1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

For Pecan Crum & Caramel Topping:

·         3/4 Cup Flour

·         3/4 Cup Pecan Halves

·         1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

·         1/4 tsp. Salt

·         9 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Cut in Small Pieces

·         25 Caramel Squares

·         1 Handful of Pecan Halves

·         1/2 Cup Pecan Halves, Chopped

  

DIRECTIONS:

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix your cookie crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until well blended.  Grease or spray with cooking spray a 9-inch pie plate.   Press mixture into pie plate.  Bake for 5-7 minutes.

Take 10 caramel squares and cut into 4 pieces each.  Lay caramel pieces into bottom of pie crust.  Put pie crust into freezer while filling is being made.

For Pie Filling:

Preheat your oven to 400.  Peel and core your apples.  Mix your apple slices, brown sugar, and lemon juice well.  Set aside for 5 – 7 minutes. 

In a separate bowl, mix your sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Mix well, and add to your sugared apples.  Mix apples and spice mixture.

Remove pie crust from freezer, and add your spiced apple mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.

For Crumb Topping:

In a food processor, combine your flour, pecan halves, sugar, salt, and butter.  Pulse a couple of times until mixture is well blended, and fairly gravel-like.  Refrigerate crumbs until pie is ready.

Reduce temperature of oven to 375.  Pour crumbs over top of entire pie, smoothing to edges, and tamping down.  Return to oven for another 30-40minutes.  Cover pie crust edges with pie shield or tin foil for the last 10-15 minutes to avoid overbrowning. 

Allow pie to cool for 1 Hour.  At nearly the 1 hour mark, and pie is still warm, prepare your caramel topping.

For Caramel Topping:

In a double-boiler, or in a heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine your caramel pieces, butter, and a little water (apple juice or cider may be substituted).  Melt butter and caramel mixture, stirring constantly until fully melted.  Remove from heat, and whisk mixture until smooth.

Drizzle melted caramel sauce over pie.  Carefully place pecan halves decoratively around the outside pie edge and at center in star-shape.  Sprinkle crushed pecans over caramel.  Allow to set for 10 minutes.  Drizzle remaining caramel over the pecans.

Allow to sit for 1 hour before serving.

BRITISH BAKEWELL TART

BRITISH BAKEWELL TART

Once upon a time, a very good friend of mine invited me to their home to have a casual Saturday afternoon visit and a cup of tea.  What was intended to be an hour or two visit, proceeded to be an all day event, filled with great conversation, memories, and laughter.  Naturally, the tea and the sweets were as fantastic as the visit, which is why I’m thrilled to have the chance to  pass on a traditional English tea-time favorite:  The Bakewell Tart.

The Bakewell Tart actually has an interesting history.  Some think the name came from a customer of the White Horse Inn in Bakewell, England, who on eating it decided that the tart was "baked well".  Thus, the Inn called it their "Bakewell" tart, a pun on the name of the town of Bakewell and a well baked tart.

Now, just to confuse my culinary, Anglophile friends, it should be noted that there is a Bakewell Pudding and a Bakewell Tart that differ somewhat but it’s generally accepted that the pudding is the original version, dating back to Tudor and possibly even medieval times.  The most commonly told story is thought to be a myth...that it was made by accident - as with all good inventions!

As the story goes, the Bakewell Tart was first made in either 1820 or the 1860’s in Bakewell, Derbyshire, when a Mrs. Greaves, the landlady and cook of the White Horse Inn (now called the Rutland Arms) was busy and left instructions for her new cook to make a special flaky, buttery and delicious strawberry jam short crust pastry tart (or pudding) which used eggs and almond paste.  This is where the stories diverge...

One version says that the cook was supposed to put the jam on top of the egg mixture but forgot and put the egg mixture on top of the jam.  Another version says that the cook forgot the eggs and sugar, making a non -sweet pastry.  So they stirred the eggs and almond paste mixture together to make a filling and then, instead of blending the strawberry jam into the filling, spread the jam onto the bottom of the pastry shell and covered it with the filling.  Well, as you can imagine, when the tart finished baking and the beautiful fruity jam rose through the paste, it became an instant and popular hit at the Inn!

BRITISH BAKEWELL TART:

For the Crust:

·         1 ¼ Cups Flour

·         7 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Chilled & Cubed

·         ¼ Cup Sugar

·         ¼ Cup Grated Lemon Zest

·         1 Large Egg Yolk

·         ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract

For the Filling:

·         8 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Softened

·         ½ Cup Sugar

·         3 Large Eggs

·         ½ tsp. Almond Extract

·         1 Cup Ground Almonds

·         1/3 Cup Good-Quality Jam (Raspberry or Strawberry are most common)

·         ½ Cup Sliced Almonds

·         1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar (For Dusting)

DIRECTIONS:

For Dough:

To make the dough, rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips until the mixture has a bread crumb texture.  Stir in the sugar and lemon zest.  Beat the egg yolk with the vanilla and mix into the crumbs, bringing the mixture together to form a soft dough.  If needed, add a little water.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a decent, but not to thick crust.  Spray your pie plate or tart pan with baking spray, and carefully lay your crust into the container.  Prick the bottom and sides with a form.  Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with ceramic pie weights or beans.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the beans and the paper, baking for an additional 5 minutes, if the center still looks uncooked.

For the Filling:

Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and almond extract until well combined.  Fold in the ground almonds to form a thick paste.

Spread the jam evenly over the bottom of the tart shell.  Pour the almond filling over the jam layer and spread top evenly with a knife or scraper.  Sprinkle top with almond slices.  Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar, sprinkled through a sieve. 

SPINACH, FETA, & KALAMATA OLIVE QUICHE

SPINACH, FETA, & KALAMATA OLIVE QUICHE

We as a human race owe a great deal to the Greeks:  Democracy, The Olympic Games, Literature, Theatre, Philosophy, and Some Amazing Food, just to name a few.  I’ve had the pleasure of having several facets of my life enriched by the contributions of several of these amazing people.

In the professional world, I have had the pleasure of working side by side with an amazing administrative assistant who, single handedly, could probably run the world, if she had the time.  I’ve worked under the kind guidance and passionately enthusiastic nature of a woman who taught me nearly everything she knew about sewing machines.

In the world of academia, I’ve had the great fortune to have had several of my formative years overseen and carefully directed by a dedicated principal, a truly compassionate student teacher with a specialty in storytelling, and remarkable college professor who encouraged me to push past my own status quo for more.

On the personal sphere, I count myself incredibly blessed by several amazing Greeks.  A woman I call “sister-in-law” with limitless bounds of her talent, heart, and will scrapbook or embroider you under the table without flinching.  A gentleman who is as generous of spirit and heart as he is about all things Elizabethan military history, and equally so with sharing it as a teacher and coach.  And finally, a man that I have the honor of calling my friend, who I carried a pike in his absence for and carry in my heart daily while he defends our country. 

At the table of life, we banquet with the best.  So, raise your glass, shout OPA!!, and enjoy this fantastic quiche made of some Greek favorites:  spinach, feta, and Kalamata olives.  καλή όρεξη!!

SPINACH, FETA, & KALAMATA OLIVE QUICHE:

·         8 Sheets Frozen Filo Pastry, Thawed

·         1 Cup Baby Spinach

·         1 Tbs. Olive Oil

·         1 ½ tsp. Minced Garlic

·         1 Cup  Feta Cheese

·         ½ Cup Kalamata Olives

·         ½ Cup Half-and-Half

·         2 Large Eggs

·         Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Place Filo sheets on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment on your counter top and cover with a clean, damp towel.  Place 1 Filo sheet into your pie plate, covering the bottom and angling up the sides, allowing any excess Filo to extend over the edges.  Lightly spray the Filo with cooking spray.  Repeat this process with 6 – 7 more layers of Filo sheets, alternating the direction of your sheets to ensure the pie plate bottom and sides are completely covered.

For the filling, cook the spinach in a large frying pan with the olive oil and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until it softens.  Place the spinach in a sieve and press out any extra water.  Set aside to cool.

Once the spinach is cool, puree it in a blender with the olives, feta cheese, half-and-half, and eggs until the mixture is smooth.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Carefully pour the filling into the pie shell.  Sprinkle the top of the pie with feta cheese.  Bake for 45 minutes until the mixture has just set.  Set aside for 15 minutes before serving.