Monthly Archives: November 2013

Zucchini Tart with Crumbled Sausage and Dijon

I’ve become a big fan of puff pastry. What’s more simple than thawing out some frozen dough and having the result be flaky and buttery without you doing a lick of the work to get it that way? Last week I brought you a pizza made with phyllo (which I loved) and this week I bring you something similar. This Zucchini Tart with Crumbled Sausage and Dijon isn’t technically a pizza but it’s just as simple.

Puff pastry is thawed and topped with Dijon mustard, browned turkey sausage and thinly sliced fresh zucchini before being baked until golden and puffy. For so few ingredients, you might think that this could be bland – at least I did. But I’ll tell you what, the Dijon adds such a pop of flavor to the tasty sausage that I was almost thankful for the mild zucchini (of course you can always use hot sausage instead for an even bigger punch). Any other flavor might have taken this tart right over the edge. I do recommend going on the lighter side with the Dijon because a little really does go a long way. Make this tart for people and I guarantee it won’t stand a chance.

The ingredients:

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until cooked partway through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon; reserve the skillet.

Add the zucchini, 2 tablespoons water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the drippings in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.

Unfold the pastry on a baking sheet and prick all over with a fork, leaving a ½-inch border around the dough. Spread the mustard on the pastry (avoiding the border); top with the zucchini and sausage. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cut the tart into 8 pieces.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

Sweet turkey sausage

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Real Simple magazine

Chicken in Deviled Gravy

I just love it when I come across a recipe and realize that I already have the ingredients in my kitchen so I can start cooking immediately. It doesn’t happen often. Let’s be real…part of the reason why we don’t make recipes we come across is because it calls for something we don’t have. Part of the reason for this blog is to challenge me into making things that I would normally throw to the side because I don’t have/want to buy the necessary ingredients. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t love it when no trip to the store is required like with this Chicken in Deviled Gravy.

A simple mixture of shallots, garlic, and red pepper flake is thickened with flour, broth, and wine and then bumped up with even more flavors of paprika, dry mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. The result is a rich, deep, bright gravy which brings tons of flavor to basic boneless, skinless chicken but would be equally impressive with beef, pork or seafood. Each bite of this chicken had me guessing what it was that I was tasting but it really is the marriage of all of the flavors combined. It’s not buffalo chicken and it’s not barbecue chicken. And it’s definitely not boring chicken. It’s something entirely its own that is sure to have people guessing what it really is.

The ingredients:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning, for 10 minutes. Off the heat, cover to keep warm.

Add the butter to the pan over medium-low heat. Stir in the shallots, garlic and chile (or crushed red pepper); season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour, paprika and mustard. Whisk in the stock and vermouth (or white wine); bring to a bubble.

Whisk in the hot sauce, parsley and Worcestershire. Add the chicken and its juices to the gravy and turn to coat completely.

Serve the chicken on the toast points (if desired).

Additions: None

Omissions:

Toast

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine

Walnut Cream Cheese Sandwiches on Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

I will never look at grilled cheese the same way again. Never in my life had I ever considered a sweet grilled cheese. I’ve had sweet sandwiches before (like this Panini with Chocolate and Brie) but nothing like this Walnut Cream Cheese Sandwiches on Cinnamon-Raisin Bread. Every once in a while when I go out to get a bagel from the bakery, I’ll splurge and get the walnut-raisin cream cheese but it’s rare because it seems so decadent. Well, the walnut cream cheese in the middle of this sandwich tastes nearly identical. And I’m obsessed.

Cream cheese (I used reduced-fat), walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon are mixed together until creamy and spread between two pieces of cinnamon-raisin bread which is then grilled in a little light butter until golden and slightly crispy. Even with using reduced-fat cream cheese and light butter, I still found this sandwich to be a little rich so if you aren’t into sweets for breakfast, this would make a great after dinner dessert. I mean, why not? You can control however much cream cheese you want in your sandwiches so you can make it as hearty as you like. Trust me, any leftover cream cheese mixture is stunning on a toasted bagel. Or licked from a spoon. Or licked from your fingers. Not that I know anything about that.