Tuscan-Style Asparagus

Tuscan-Style Asparagus

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

1½ lb. Fresh Asparagus, trimmed

1½ cups Grape Tomatoes, halved

3 tbsp. Pine Nuts

3 tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

2 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

1 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 tsp. Fresh Lemon Zest

Directions:

Place the asparagus, tomatoes and pine nuts on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.  In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. of the oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Drizzle over asparagus mixture and toss to coat.  Place in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or asparagus is just tender.  Remove and drizzle with remaining oil and lemon juice.  Sprinkle the cheese and zest over asparagus mixture and toss to combine before serving.

Note:               To trim asparagus, just grab one and using two hands see where it naturally snaps near the bottom third of spear.  Repeat with each or line them up and cut where the first one snapped.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Fresh Asparagus Season

One of the first vegetables of the spring season is “Asparagus” and I hated it as a kid.  Now days, I can’t wait to get some from the Farmer’s Market.

I love it roasted in the oven or grilled outdoors on one of my grills.  I do it pretty simply too.  I just toss it in olive oil with salt and pepper.

But I’ve been looking for other ways to preparing asparagus and I’ve found two that really take it up a notch.  So this week I’m sharing those recipes with you.

Wednesday’s “Tuscan-Style Asparagus” takes my simple roasted one and adds grape tomatoes and pine nuts along with a few other ingredients to make a dish you’ll want over and over.

“Phyllo Tart with Asparagus and Herbed Ricotta” is Thursday’s offering.  This would be great for a brunch or a slightly upgraded dinner.  It will make an impression on guests.

Some of the big things to remember about “Fresh Asparagus” include picking fresh asparagus.  You want to pick small to medium thick asparagus, it tends to be more tender.  You don’t want rubbery asparagus either.  Check the bend of it.  Also check the tops.  They should be firm.

If you are not using your asparagus right away, stand it up in a large glass or vase with an inch or two of water in it.  Refrigerate until needed and change water every day.

The best way to trim asparagus is to just hold it in both hands and see where near the bottom third it wants to snap.  I do this to each piece because it varies on each spear.  But some like to do just one and then line up the remaining and cut with a knife the same spot.  Do whichever works best for you.

Enjoy the season and get your fill.  The season is not that long.  “Happy Cooking” to all until next week and please share the link with others.  Always looking for feedback too.

Tiramisu (GF)

Tiramisu (GF)

(9-12 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup Heavy Cream, chilled

1 pkg. (8-ounce) Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 tub (8-ounce) Mascarpone, room temperature

¾ cup Powdered Sugar

½ cup Very Strong Brewed Coffee

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

18 (GF) Pecan Shortbread Cookies

2 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa

¼ cup Chocolate for Garnish, grated

Directions:

In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer about 4 minutes or until it holds shape and soft peaks form.  In a large bowl using the same beaters, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone and powdered sugar together until well combined.  With a spatula, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cheese mixture.  Then carefully fold in the remaining whipped cream.  In a shallow bowl, combine coffee and vanilla.  Quickly and lightly dip the underside of the cookie in the mixture.  Do not saturate or cookies will fall apart.  Arrange cookies as you dip them into an 8-inch square baking dish that has been sprayed.  Use 9 cookies for bottom.  Then spoon half the cheese mixture over the cookies, smoothing with a wet spatula.  Repeat the process with the remaining cookies and cheese mixture.  Place cocoa in a fine-mesh sieve and gently dust over the cheese mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or better yet overnight.  Cut 3x3 or 3x4 and garnish each piece as you serve it with the grated chocolate.

Note:               The cookies used in this recipe are from “Pamela’s Products” at www.pamelasproducts.com

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Cheesecake (GF)

 Cheesecake (GF)

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups GF Graham Crackers

2 tbsp. Sugar

4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted

Filling:

3 pkg. (8-ounce) Cream Cheese, room temperature

1½ cups Sour Cream, room temperature

¾ cup Sugar

5 large Fresh Eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.  In a food processor, combine graham crackers, sugar and pulse until thoroughly combined and finely ground.  Add butter and pulse a few times.  Remove blade and carefully stir mixture making sure butter is incorporated.  Turn mixture into prepared pan and press, using bottom of a glass, until smoothly and evenly pressed across the bottom and slightly up the sides of pan.  Crust should be solid.  Refrigerate crust for 15 minutes or up to 2 days.  When ready, place pan on a baking sheet and put in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes.  Cool slightly before adding filling.  To make filling, place cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in a large bowl.  Beat with stand or hand mixer until combined and smooth.  Crack eggs into a small bowl and add one at a time to cheese mixture.  Fully incorporate each egg before for adding the next.  Finally, add vanilla and beat for one minute, making sure mixture is smooth.  Pour filling into crust prepared pan still on a baking sheet taking care not to disturb crust.  Gently shake pan to settle filling and place in a pre-heated 300-degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until edges are set and middle is slightly jiggly.  Turn oven off and slightly open oven door for a few seconds.  Close door and let cake sit in oven for 45 minutes more.  Remove from oven and set on a rack to cool completely before chilling.  If top begins to show signs of cracking, carefully run an offset spatula around the edge to loosen the cake.  Refrigerate at least 4-5 hours or better yet overnight.  To serve, loosen cake edges with an offset spatula and remove the collar.  Do the same to loosen bottom of pan from the crust.  Slide cake onto a serving platter.  Top with a fruit topping if desired and slice into 8 portions.

Note:               You can vary the crust flavor by using GF chocolate cookies instead of graham crackers.  If you do this, add 1 tbsp. dark unsweetened cocoa to them.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Gluten-Free Desserts

This week I have a couple of classic desserts made Gluten-Free.  I’m not going to write a lot this week about GF desserts.  But I know at this time of the year, there are many special events that come up and people wish to have some fancier desserts available for guests with gluten-free issues.

So I picked two for this week that I think will meet the need.

Wednesday’s “Cheesecake (GF)” is just a classic baked cheesecake.  This time of the year, you can top it with a variety of fresh berries.  Or you could just use canned pie filling or frozen fruit of choice.

You could even leave it plain and just top it with whipped cream.

An Italian classic, “Tiramisu (GF)” is Thursday’s recipe.  It calls for using pecan shortbread cookies, but you could use another type of gluten-free cookie instead.  If you have a favorite, why not use it.

The hardest part of making GF desserts is usually the crust.  In 4 weeks, I will have a couple of recipes for different gluten-free crusts for you to test.

In the meantime, “Happy Cooking” and see you next week.  Don’t forget to share the link here for family, friends and co-workers.

Cherry Berry-Berry Pie

Cherry Berry-Berry Pie

(6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 9-inch Unbacked Pie Crust

1½ cups Sugar, divided

¼ cup Cornstarch

4½ cups Unsweetened Pitted Tart Red Cherries

¾ cup Fresh Raspberries

¾ cup Fresh Blueberries

½ tsp. Lemon Zest

1 tsp. Lemon Fresh Juice

½ tsp. Almond Extract

½ cup All-Purpose Flour

¼ cup Brown Sugar, packed

1/8 tsp. Salt

¼ cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small pieces

Directions:

Line a 9-inch pie pan with the crust.  Just trim any overhang to 1-inch, fold under and flute edges.  Place this in the freezer while you make the filling.  In a large saucepan, stir together 1 cup of sugar and the cornstarch.  Add the cherries and toss to coat.  Then cook over medium-heat until bubbly.  Now add the raspberries and blueberries and continue cooking until thickened and bubbly.  Cook a minute more and remove from heat.  Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract.  Set aside.  Prepare topping by using a medium bowl and stirring together flour, brown sugar, remaining ½ cup of sugar and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.  Transfer cherry mixture to pastry lined pie pan.  Sprinkle the topping mixture over it.  Cover the pie crust edges with foil to prevent overbrowning.  Place the pie in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 25 minutes and then remove foil.  Continue in oven for another 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crumb topping is golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack for 2-hours before serving.

Note:               You can use frozen raspberries and blueberries for this pie.  Just thaw and drain before adding to cherry mixture.  The cherries can be fresh, canned or frozen too.  Again, just thaw an d drain before use.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Rhubarb Meringue Pie

(6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

Crust:

¾ cup All-Purpose Flour

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Sugar

¼ cup Shortening

1 tbsp. Beaten Egg

¼ tsp. White Vinegar

3-4½ tsp. Cold Water

Filling:

3 cups Fresh Rhubarb, chopped

1 cup Sugar

2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

pinch Salt

3 Egg Yolks

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Meringue:

4 tsp. plus 1/3 cup Sugar, divided

2 tsp. Cornstarch

1/3 cup Water

3 Egg Whites

1/8 tsp. Cream of Tartar

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar.  Cut in shortening until crumbly.  Combine egg and vinegar together and sprinkle over crumb mixture.  Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.  Cover and chill for 1 hour.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch pie pan.  Trim to a ½ inch beyond edge and flute edges.  Place rhubarb evenly in the crust.  Whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks and cream.  Pour this mixture over the rhubarb.  Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.  In a small saucepan, combine 4 tsp. sugar and cornstarch.  Gradually stir in water and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened and then cool to room temperature.  In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy.  Add cornstarch mixture and beat on high until soft peaks form.  Spread evenly over hot filling sealing edges to crust.  Return to oven for 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack for 1-hour and serve.  Store in the refrigerator if not serving immediately or you have leftovers.

Note:               You can use frozen rhubarb in place of fresh.  Measure out  while frozen and then thaw, drain in a colander, not pressing liquid out.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Time for Pie

I believe everyone likes “Pie” but have their own favorites.  Which helps give us all the varieties of pies there are in the world.  My top four are cherry, pecan, pumpkin and any pie with rhubarb in it.  Now I’ll eat many other favors of pie but there are some I would pass on.  What are your top four favorites?

Now eating pies and making pies are quite different.  But making pies doesn’t have to be that difficult for you.  The first thing that scares most away is making a “pie crust” from scratch.  That’s easy to get around these days.  There are plenty of good ready-made crusts today.  That’s both refrigerated and frozen crusts.  So don’t let that stop you from making pies.

But if you would like to make your own pie crust, it’s not that hard.  There are plenty of recipes out there online or in cookbooks for you to try.  And you can find a lot of variations, so one should fit your need.

One of the basic ingredients in a pie crust is the one that pulls it all together.  However, you even have to make a choice here.  Butter, shortening and lard are the three main binders.  Personally, I prefer the lard to the others with butter second.  But that’s a choice everyone has to make for themselves.

A couple of key factors to remember if you make your own crust. Form your dough into a disc shape before refrigerating and rolling out.  It helps in rolling out the dough. Always refrigerate the dough for an hour or two before rolling it out.  Always use a floured surface to roll it out.  Flour your rolling pin before starting.  Then roll out from the center of the disc to the edges.  Turn the dough a quarter turn each time you roll out from center.  When done rolling out, dust it with a little flour and wrap around your rolling pin or fold in half to make transfer to the pie pan easier.  There will always be extra dough sticking over the sides of the pie pan when you lay it out.  Leave your self some for the crust edge but cut the rest away.  Find an edge or crimp you like for your pie crust and master it.  Not always, but many times a recipe will call for you to prick the crust with a fork.  These air holes help keep the crust from bubbling up on you.

I have several crust recipes in the tabs above.  So check them out or use another that you find and like.

It will be no surprise that the recipes this week include rhubarb and cherries.  Wednesday is “Rhubarb Meringue Pie” and then “Cherry Berry-Berry Pie” on Thursday.  Hope you like them and “Happy Cooking” until next week.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 medium Spaghetti Squash

as needed Salt and Black Pepper

10 oz. thick-cut bacon, ½ inch dice

5 large Egg Yolks

1½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese plus

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds.  Season squash with salt and pepper generously and place cut-side down on the parchment paper.  Place in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.  Meanwhile, set a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon crisps (10-15 minutes).  Fill a medium pot with 3 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer.  In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks and Parmesan.  Mixture should be as thick as glue; add more cheese if needed.  Run the tines of a form through the cooked squash so flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands.  Carefully transfer strands to pan with bacon and gently stir to combine.  Transfer squash-bacon mixture to bowl with eggs and gently toss to combine, taking care to keep strands intact.  Set bowl over pot of simmering water and gently toss squash mixture until sauce thickens and coats strands (about 1 minute).  Season with salt and pepper, and add more cheese to taste.  Serve immediately.

Note:               You could add some red pepper flakes to give it a little heat, if you like.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Smoked Gouda Carbonara

Smoked Gouda Carbonara

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Spaghetti

6 large Fresh Eggs

1 cup plus Smoked Gouda

to taste Salt and Black Pepper

1 tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive oil

6 oz. Slab Bacon, finely diced

¾ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:

In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package leaving it al dente.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.  Separate the yolk from the white for 5 of the eggs.  In a large bowl, beat with a whisk the 5 egg yolks and the one whole egg with the cup of cheese, ½ tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper.  Very gradually whisk in ½ cup of reserved cooking water to temper the eggs.  Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat oil and then add the bacon doing this over medium heat.  Cook until rendered but not crisp (5-7 minutes).  Now add the pasta, red pepper and ¼ cup of reserved pasta cooking water.  Cook, tossing, until pasta is coated (1-2 minutes).  Scrape the pasta mixture into the large bowl of the egg mixture and toss vigorously until creamy (1-2 minutes).  Add more cooking water if needed.  Season with salt and pepper, divide pasta mixture among bowls and serve.  Pass more smoked Gouda at the table.

Note:               You can use sliced bacon if needed.  Just dice it up

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Carbonara with and without Pasta

Carbonara is a basic pasta dish that is easy to make.  But there are many variations of this simple pleasure.  This week, I give you two.

The dish is just pasta, eggs, meat and cheese.  It’s usually spaghetti, mostly egg yolks, pancetta or bacon and grated parmesan cheese.

You can change out the pasta, but long strands are best.  Five egg yolks are normal but some recipes add a whole egg as well.  Be sure to temper your eggs so they don’t cook on you and become scrambled eggs.  Pancetta is the preferred meat of choice but other bacons can work well and save on the pocketbook too.  Cheeses, now here you can change the flavor dramatically but always use grated.  Many people add pasta water to help with the sauce.  Just add a little at a time.

Wednesday’s recipe of “Smoked Gouda Carbonara” uses spaghetti as the pasta.  But Thursday, the recipe of “Spaghetti Squash Carbonara” uses the strands of spaghetti squash as the pasta.  Now days, with the spiral cutting kitchen equipment one can use zucchini or butternut squash as the pasta too.  Or anything else you can spiralizer.

Once you’ve tried one of these or one of some other carbonara recipes I have in the tabs, use your imagination and favorite flavors to create a carbonara of your own.

Enjoy and “Happy Cooking” until next week.  Be sure to share these recipes and others with your friends, family or co-workers.  Thanks in advance for that from me.

Crab and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Crab and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

(25 caps)

Ingredients:

25 medium Whole Baby Bella Mushrooms

8 oz. pkg. Imitation Crabmeat

1 ½ cups Refrigerated Spinach Dip

¼ cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs

1 tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 tsp. Olive Oil

Directions:

Line a baking pan with foil and set aside.  Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth or rinse lightly and gently dry with a paper towel.  Remove stems and hollow out caps.  Place caps on foil lined baking pan with hollowed out sides up.  Set aside.  Chop crabmeat and place in a medium bowl.  Add the spinach dip and mix until combined.  Divide equally between caps, mounding slightly.  In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese and oil.  Sprinkle this mixture over each filled cap.  Place pan in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until filling is heated through.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Note:               To hollow out caps, use a spoon or a melon baller.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Porcini and Olive Stuffed Mushrooms

Porcini and Olive Stuffed Mushrooms

(20 pieces)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

¾ oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms

1 cup Hot Water

pinch Salt and Black Pepper

20 Firm White Mushrooms (1½ inch caps)

4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, room temperature

¼ cup Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley, chopped

¼ tsp. Dried Oregano, crumbled

½ medium Fresh Lemon, juiced

15 Castelvetrano Olives, pitted, rinsed and finely chopped

Directions:

Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  In a small bowl, combine dried mushrooms and hot water with a pinch of salt and let stand 20 minutes.  Separate the stems from the caps of the white mushrooms.  Place the caps, gill-side up on baking sheet.  Trim stems and finely chop.  Set aside one cup of these and discard the rest.  In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. butter with a pinch each of salt and pepper.  Dot the butter evenly in each cap.  Place caps in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for about 10 minutes or until a little moister is released.  Set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, rub dried mushrooms between your fingers in the soaking water to remove any grit.  Lift out mushrooms and squeeze dry over bowl and finely chop.  Slowly add soaking liquid to a medium skillet, over medium-low heat, stopping when you reach the grit in bottom of bowl.  Add both types of chopped mushrooms to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer gently until all liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally (about 15 minutes).  Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.  Add remaining butter, parsley, oregano, lemon juice and olives to cooled mushroom mixture.  Season with salt and pepper and stuff each cap with about 1 tbsp. of mixture.  Place baking sheet in an oven now pre-heated to 400-degrees.  Bake until tender when pierced with a toothpick and sizzling, about 10-15 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  

Note:               Try it this way first.  Then if you like a little cheese flavor, top each cap with a little grated Parmesan cheese before baking.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Different take on Stuffed Mushrooms and the Start of Year 7

We’re starting my seventh year of “Cabana Boy Cooks” this week.  I hope the changes I’ve made over the last two weeks are helpful to your surveying the site.  Please note that all the “Gluten-Free” recipes are now available under their own “Recipe Tab” to make it easy for those needing them.  There are 50 plus GF recipes as of now and I add two more every four weeks. 

There are now over 650 recipes under all the recipe tabs for you to enjoy and share.  Please do try the recipes that fit your taste and lifestyle and share the link with any and all your family and friends.  Thank you and please ask questions or give feedback so I may serve you better.  Now let’s get started with the 7^th year.

If you like “Mushrooms” than I’m sure you must like “Stuffed Mushrooms” too.  Never tried them, you don’t know what you’re missing.  The recipes this week are a must try for anyone.

The two best mushrooms to use for stuffing are the ever available white mushrooms and baby bella mushrooms.  You will want to use ones that have a diameter of about 1½ inches.  These give you plenty of room for the filling and make a two or three bite delight.

If you are serving them as a finger food as people mill around at a party, you might go down to a one-inch diameter.  That way you don’t need utensils.  The cooking time will need a little adjustment for this size.

Fillings for stuffing mushrooms are really almost unlimited.  After you have tried making a few different stuffed recipes, use your imagination and experiment with some of your favorite foods.  Cheeses, sausage, bacon, bread crumbs and fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro are popular as components in the stuffing mixture.  One of this week’s recipes calls for imitation crab, which saves money.  But fresh or canned crab meat works wonderfully too.  Just a little more expensive.

Remember to be careful in cleaning the mushrooms.  They absorb water easily so do a quick rinse and dry with a paper towel gently.  Another way is to just use a damp paper towel and lightly rub the mushrooms.

Also, be careful removing the stems.  That’s what helps create the cavity to hold the filling.  Don’t throw the stems away.  Trim them and dice up to use in the filling.

The recipes this week include Wednesday’s “Porcini and Olive Stuffed Mushrooms” and then “Crab and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms” on Thursday.  Enjoy trying them and “Happy Cooking” until next week.