Chocolate Toffee Sea Salt Pretzel Bark

Chocolate Toffee Sea Salt Pretzel Bark

(taken from www.melskitchencafe.com)

Yield: 1 large half sheet pan full

8 oz. mini pretzel twists
1 c. butter
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. chopped pecans
 sea salt

Preheat oven to 375º.

Line half sheet pan with foil.

Crumble pretzels and spread on the sheet pan.

Combine butter and sugar stirring over heat to blend evenly.  Bring to a boil over medium heat. Keep the heat low but still bubbling and cook until it reaches 255º on a candy thermometer.  Do not stir during this time (about 6 to 8 minutes).

Pour hot toffee over pretzel pieces.  Put in oven for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  After 5 minutes spread.  Add sea salt and pecans.

After cooling, place in refrig.  Break apart and freeze.

Egg Foo Young (with Shrimp)

4 eggs
8 ounces fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 cup small cooked shrimp
1/4 t. garlic powder
2 T. vegetable oil

4 cups chicken stock
1/2 t. pepper
1T. corn syrup
1T. oyster sauce
3T soy sauce
1 t. dried ginger

1/2 c. cold water
5 T. corn starch

Beat together the eggs, sprouts, green onion, shrimp and garlic powder until well combined.  Heat oil over medium heat and scoop about 1/2 cup of the mixture into the skillet to form a patty.  Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.  Set patties aside.

Whisk together the stock, pepper, oyster sauce, soy, corn syrup and ginger and bring to a boil .  Add corn starch to cold water and stir or shake until all lumps are gone.  Add to boiling sauce and simmer for five minutes. Spoon over patties.

Guacamole

1 c. finely chopped, seeded tomatoes
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. olive oil
s and p
3 avocados, mashed

Mix and store with avocado seed in refrig.

Portillo Chopped Salad

Portillo Chopped Salad

 Yield: 10 servings

4 cups cooked Ditalini pasta
1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
2-1/2 cups chopped red cabbage
2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup sliced green onions
4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese (about 1 cup)
2 cups cooked and diced chicken
I also add genoa salami instead of bacon, about a cup of salami or a bunch of crumbled bacon


Sweet Italian Dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil I

Cook Ditalini pasta according to package instructions. Make sure you salt the pasta water while cooking to give it some flavor. Drain and cool. Set aside

For the Dressing: Place vinegar, garlic, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle olive oil through the blender top or feed tube until dressing is combined and emulsified. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you make the dressing ahead of time and add a little bit to the cooled pasta and let it soak it up in the fridge for some time it adds a whole lot of flavor.

Texas Cake

Texas Cake

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. sour cream

2 eggs

1 c. water

1 c. butter 

5 T. unsweetened cocoa

Grease and flour jellyroll pan.  Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine flour, sugar, soda and salt.  Beat in eggs and sour cream.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add water and 5 T cocoa and bring  to a boil.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  

Stir into egg mixture until blended.  Pour into pan and bake for 20 min. or until toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Spread frosting on warm cake.

Frosting

1/2 c. butter, melted in a large saucepan

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

1/3 c. milk

1 lb. pkg. powdered sugar

1/4 t. salt

Stir in cocoa, milk and vanilla to butter.  Remove from heat.  Beat sugar and salt in until smooth.

Walking Taco

Walking Taco

Cook hamburger and add taco seasoning.  Gently smash chips while bag is still closed.  Cut off top of bag.  Add meat, cheese, lettuce, picante sauce, sour cream or whatever you like.   Serve with plastic forks.

No clean up whatsoever.

Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart

 Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart

1 small head of cauliflower florets, about 1”
2 ½ T. olive oil, divided
1 T. truffle oil (I didn’t use it)
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
2 large eggs
1 T. Dijon mustard
1- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
½ c. whipping cream
1/4 t. white pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg (I used fresh)
1 c. grated gruyere cheese
¾ c. grated parmesan

Position rack in center of oven and pre heat to 425º. Toss cauliflower with 1T. oil in large bowl. On a half sheet pan place florets, spreading out. Sprinkle with s and p. Roast 15 min, then turn and finish cooking for 25 more minutes. Cool and then thinly slice. Reduce oven to 350º.


Press piecrust into a 9” pie tin (I used ceramic). Line the crust with foil and pie weights (I use garbanzos that have been cooked a long time ago; I use them over and over). Bake for 20 min and remove foil and weights. Bake until crust is golden, about 5 to 8 minutes. Heat remaining 1½ T. oil over medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle with s and p. Cook until deep brown, stirring a bit (about 40 minutes). Cool slightly.

Brush bottom and sides of crust with mustard. Spread the onions in crust and cauliflower evenly over onions. Whisk eggs mascarpone, cream pepper and nutmeg. Stir in gruyere. Pour over filling in tart pan. Sprinkle top with parmesan. Bake until tart is golden and center is set, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

You can make the piecrust and cauliflower and onions the day before. Store the crust at room temp and the vegetables chilled.