Apple Puff Pastry Tarts

I adapted this recipe from Alton Brown's Good Eats episode "Puff the Magic Pastry." I finally was able to use the apples I bought at the farmers market a good 2 weeks ago. I used a "Prime Red" apple - it's a type that the farmer created though experimentation with cross pollination. I must say... Prime Reds are probably one of my favorite apples now. They are a cross between a jonathan and something else that I forgot. The apples are bright red while having a pure white inside... and they are always crisp but not too tart.

Caroline - I know you are reading this way over in Oregon and your care-package is on the way... complete with some baked good that is posted on my site.

Apple Puff Pastry Tarts

Adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients

• puff pastry
• Sugar, for dusting
• Prime Red Apples, cored, and quartered
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Apricot jam

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Crimp seams of puff pastry together with fingertips. Dust both sides of pastry with sugar. Using a rolling pin, roll pastry in each direction to close seams. Using a sharp pizza cutter, cut out rectangles. Place pastry circles on a chilled sheet pan and let cool in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
3. Using a vegetable peeler cut wafer thin apple slices. Put apple slices in lemon-juice-spiked water.
4. Flip pastry circles over on the sheet pans and poke them with a fork to provide an outlet for steam. Put parchment paper on the pan underneath the pastry circles. Sprinkle pastry with sugar and arrange apple slices on top.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Poke the crust; if it feels soft it needs more time in the oven.
6. Microwave some apricot jam for 30 seconds. Dab (don't brush) the jam on the tarts. Cool tarts at least 4 hours and seal in a resealable plastic bag. Serve at room temperature.

Zucchini and Tomato Gratin

I made this for my dad the other night while my mom was in Portland moving my younger sister into college. This is a very light dish that makes great use of summer produce. When eating the gratin, I recommend you pour some of the juice from the bottom on the ban overtop served food. Also - the picture isn't so great. We've been getting a lot of rain here and I had to run outside and take a picture once a) the dish was already partially served and b) there was a 5 minute break in the rain.

Zucchini and Tomato Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 zucchini, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 pounds tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 10 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 or 3 grinds fresh black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Warm the skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Lightly brush the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices around the bottom of the pan, then add a layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle on the chopped parsley. Repeat with another layer of zucchini and another layer of tomatoes, then sprinkle on the basil chiffonade. Add the final layer of zucchini, then the tomatoes.
4. Arrange the onions and garlic around the top of the casserole. Sprinkle on a pinch or two of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle the remaining olive oil around the top and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.

For your viewing pleasure, here are some pictures that I took today when I went to (and shopped at) the Ann Arbor's Farmers Market. The market was fantastic today; farmers are starting sell pumpkins and more apples are appearing.

Cinnamon Rolls

This is a tried and true favorite from one of my favorite (and most abused/covered in food) cookbook: The Tassajara Bread Book. I made these for a couple of reasons. First, my grandpa really likes cinnamon buns - I dropped them off at my grandparents house Friday afternoon and they loved them! Second, I have to keep my co-workers at Bivoauc fat and happy. Third... does they need to me a third? Who doesn't like cinnamon buns? Most of the cinnamon buns turned out well, but the final pan of buns that I put in the oven kinda were a little over cooked. I fell asleep for a hot second... so those were a little over cooked. Oh well - I'm pretty sure people still ate them. If you did get one of the kinda over cooked ones - I swear I'm usually better than that.

But for the actual cinnamon buns, I used a yeasted Norwegian Coffee Cake recipe for the dough.

Cinnamon Buns

Adapted from the Tassajara Bread Book

Ingredients:

For Dough:

• 2 packages of active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 5/8 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

For Cinnamon Bun Filling:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 (ish) tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in liquid and stir in the 1 1/2 cups of white flour, adding a couple of tablespoons of the sugar. Beat well, and set aside to rise (I proof mine in an oven heated to 100 degrees and then shut off).
2. Cream the butter, and then cream in the sugar.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
4. Fold the butter mixture into the yeast sponge along with the salt and cinnamon. Then fold in the flour, one cup at a time, as necessary to form a soft dough. Knead the dough until smooth, using more flour as needed.
5. Let the dough rise until doubled in size.
6. After it has risen, roll it out on a floured board in a rectangle 3/8 inch thick. Brush on melted butter.
7. Sprinkle on the brown sugar and cinnamon.
8. Starting at one edge, roll up the dough fairly tight as you would a carpet. Cut the toll in sections about 1/2 inch thick, and place the sections flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space around them to rise and spread out. Let them rise for 20 minutes.
9. Brush with an egg wash (1 egg beaten together with 2 TBSP of water) and bake at 375 for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Frost with a powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar beaten with milk until desired consistency is reached).

Balsamic Vinegar Pasta with Sautéed Red Onions & "Bacon"

First off, bacon is in quotation marks because I obviously used fake bacon, aka Boca Bacon. But the dish that I was attempting to replicate had real bacon in it. Here is the story behind the dish: When I was in Rome (Italy) about a month and a half ago, my sister had a dish for dinner that she loved, but I wasn't able to try it because it had bacon in it. She thought the combination was so unique and so original... and she begged me to try and replicate it when we got back home. Sadly, I wasn't able/didn't replicate it until the day before she left for college. While I thought the dish was absolutely fantastic, she too thought it was quite good, but not the same as what she ate in Rome. Anyways, here is the recipe, I really recommend you make it, I doubt you've had anything like it before!

Balsamic Vinegar Pasta with Sautéed Red Onions & "Bacon"

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of dry, straight pasta (I had to use penne because that's all I had in my pantry, I wouldn't use it again)
• 1 small red onion
• 6 strips of Boca Bacon, broken into pieces
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP butter
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• Approx 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and put back into pot.
2. Cut red onion into thin slices then cut those slices in half. Heat up olive oil in a frying pan, add red onions and saute until translucent. At the same time, cook the Boca Bacon in your preferred way. I personally liked cooking it in the skillet.
3. Break up cooked Boca Bacon pieces and stir in with the red onions. Add about 2 TBSP of balsamic vinegar and minced garlic; cook for about 2 more minutes so the balsamic vinegar's flavor has some time to infuse into the onions. Add kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper to taste.
4. Stir onion/Boca Bacon mixture into pasta. Stir in the remainder of the balsamic vinegar and serve immediately while it's hot!
5. Sit outside and Enjoy!

Key Lime CAKE!

Remember those Key Lime Cupcakes I made a few weeks back? Well - I made them into a cake! If you wanted to make the cake, use the first key lime cupcake recipe , but double the recipe. I also used the same frosting recipe, but I used a little more powdered sugar so the frosting would be stiffer. The cake I made was 4 layers (it could/should have been five layers, but I didn't want to stay up any later baking), so I made a batch of "mini-muffin" cupcakes. Here are the pictures of the cake and the reaction from the birthday girl, my grandma! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

Double Dark Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

I have been challenged... Challenged by Lester Graham to a BISCOTTI BAKE-OFF! Don't know who Lester Graham is? Don't know why I was challenged? Well, I'll tell you. On Wednesday, I had my first day as the Production Assistant/Intern for The Environment Report, a syndicated public radio show that airs on public radio stations (including NPR) daily at 5:45 (I really recommend you tune in). Lester, who is the Host/Senior Editor saw my food blog, saw that I can make biscotti, and said that he is the master of biscotti baking. Never turning down the opportunity for a challenge, I bet Lester that I could bake a better biscotti than him, thus leading to the Environment Report Biscotti Bake-Off of 2009. Tomorrow morning around 10 am, the battle will commence and a winner should be announced by afternoon. Stay tuned for results...

Double Dark Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Adapted from Gourmet, December 1994

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa powder)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter and flour a large baking sheet.
2. In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined well. Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Fold in/mush in with hands the walnuts and chocolate chips.
3. On prepared baking sheet with floured hands form dough into two slightly flattened logs, each 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Bake logs 35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool biscotti on baking sheet 5 minutes.
4. On a cutting board cut biscotti diagonally into 3/4-inch slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip over the biscotti pieces and cook again for 10 minutes, until crispy. Cool biscotti on a rack

Grilled Pizza

Pizza's on the Grill

Pizza's being prepped with toppings

Teaching Caroline how to stretch out pizza dough

Plate of toppings

First go around on the grill

I have been wanting to make grilled pizza for a long time now - whenever I see pictures the pizza just looks so delectable. As my sister is leaving for college on Tuesday (all the way across the country in Oregon), I need to teach her to cook as soon, and as fast as possible. I taught her how to properly stretch out pizza dough (as I will never be graceful enough to throw it in the air) and how to grill it. I must say... I don't think I will ever go back to just plain oven cooked pizza again. This pizza had an amazingly deep flavor and the crust was both crunchy and soft at the same time. My pizza has pesto, fresh tomatoes, onions, pine nuts, mozzarella, and parmesan on it - I recommend this combination, but the addition of blue cheese would also work very well. If you don't feel like cooking on a hot day - just heat up your grill and make some pizza!

(See older post for pesto recipe)

Thin Crust Pizza Dough + Grilling Instructions

Adapted from Frolicking Foodies

• 500 g strong white flour (I used King Arthur Bread Flour, and must weigh the flour - it really makes a huge difference)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 TBSP sugar
• 1 package yeast
• 2 TBSP oil (I try and use oil reserved from sun-dried tomatoes or similar)
• 300 ml lukewarm water (not too hot or the yeast will not perform - trust me here!)

1. Mix the sugar, yeast, oil and water together in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes to bubble up. Weigh out the salt and flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, make a well and then add the watery mixture. Incorporate by bringing the flour into the well of water, gradually. Knead the dough until it is very smooth and very elastic - it will be quite sticky, so I would recommend adding a little flour to your kneading surface.
2. Oil the same (cleaned) bowl with a little bit of olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and wait until doubled in sized. I personally hot box mine in the oven (aka, I heat the oven up to 100 degrees, turn it off, and place the bowl inside there to rise), it takes a lot less time.
3. Portion your pizza dough into four (maximum six) even balls. Heat your grill to a medium-high heat, then stretch your dough balls out thin and place them on your grill. Cook on one side until it’s crispy and a little golden, then take off the grill.
4. Once you’ve done them all, dress the sides that have already touched the grill with your sauce and desired toppings. Place the uncooked side back on the grill and cover for a few minutes, until the bottom is really crispy and your cheese is melted through. Serve immediately, maybe with a beer and a simple green salad.