Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Applebee's Tijuana "Philly" Steak Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 mushroom diced
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
3 oz lean tenderloin steak
1/4 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded low-fat Monterey Jack cheese
1 corn tortilla (8" diameter)
1 tablespoon diced tomato
1 teaspoon diced red onion
1/4 teaspoon finely-chopped fresh cilantro
1 slice turkey bacon, cooked crisply
lettuce, for serving
salsa, for serving

Procedures:
1. In a small saute pan, saute mushroom in 1/2 teaspoon butter; season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove the mushrooms when they are done and save the butter left in the pan.

2. Cut the steak in long, thin strips. (This is more easily done if the steak is very cold.) In a skillet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, fry the beef until done. If there is any fat, drain thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Sprinkle the cheese in the center of the tortilla; top with tomato, onion, cooked mushroom, and cilantro. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle over the top. Arrange the steak on top.

4. Bring the sides of the tortilla up and fold in burrito style. Butter the top and bottom of the tortilla with the mushroom butter left in the pan.

5. Grill over medium heat, making sure the pan is nice and hot. Grill for two minutes on each side.

6. To serve, slice the tortilla in half diagonally. Serve with lettuce and salsa.

Serves 1

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Olive Garden Tortelloni Bolognese

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
6 oz Italian sausage, skinned
1 cup red wine
18 oz can crushed tomatoes, chopped (ground)
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 lbs Tortelloni
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Procedures:
1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Deglaze pan with wine; let reduce. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer for about 1 hour.

3. Toss hot, drained pasta in sauce. Top with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Bahama Breeze Tostones with Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Tostones, pre-made, thawed (9 oz wt portion)
Salt
1 Adobo Chicken (8 oz wt portion)
3- 2oz spoodles of shredded Quesadilla Cheese Mix,
1- 2 oz spoodle of Tomato Salsa
1 tsp of chopped Parsley

Procedures:
1. Place tostones in fry basket; submerge and fry at 350?F for 1 1/2 minutes.
2. While tostones are frying, microwave chicken portion for 50 seconds.
3. Remove tostones from deep fryer; drain on papyrus plate; lightly season with salt.
4. Cover surface of metal appetizer plate with even layer of tostones.
5. Top tostones evenly with hot chicken; sprinkle cheese evenly over entire surface of tostones.
6. Place in cheese melter until cheese is melted, being careful not to burn edges of tostones.
7. Sprinkle evenly with drained tomato salsa then chopped parsley.
8. Place metal plate on 12" plate.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Bonefish Bang Bang Shrimp

Ingredients:
1 lb Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Corn Starch
shredded cabbage (optional)
scallions (optional)
1 TBSP or to Taste Dinni's Select Spicy Shrimp Sauce

Procedures:
Soak shrimp in bowl with milk.

In a bowl put panko bread crumbs and another bowl put corn starch.

Dredge the shrimp in the corn starch, then again in the milk and finally in the panko bread crumbs & set aside.

Heat a large skillet to 300 degrees F. Drop shrimp in and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil. Drain fried shrimp on paper towels.

In a large bowl combine fried shrimp with sauce until evenly coated. Pile on a bed of shredded cabbage and garnish with scallions.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Red Lobster Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients:
* 4 ea 5-6 oz Tilapia Fillets
* Non-stick Cooking Spray
* 1/2 lb. Linguini, cooked

Parmesan Crust:
* 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (Japanese style breadcrumbs that are usually found in the ethnic items section of your supermarket)
* 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, pre-shredded

Parmesan Base:
* 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, pre-shredded
* 1 Tbsp. Parsley, dried
* 10 oz Prepared Refrigerated Alfredo Sauce

Parmesan Cream Sauce:
1. 2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, Chopped
2. 1/4 cup Chablis or Chardonnay Wine, optional
3. 1/4 cup Half and Half

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Spray a 9X13 baking dish with Non-stick Cooking Spray. Place the 4 Tilapia fillets in the dish and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix the Panko bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to make the crust for the topping. Set aside.

4. To assemble the Parmesan Base, place 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp. parsley and the prepared Alfredo sauce in a medium bowl and stir well. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture (reserving the rest to make the Parmesan Cream Sauce) and brush onto the 4 pieces of Tilapia, making a thick, even covering on the fish. Evenly sprinkle
the Parmesan Crust on top of the fish. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until fish reaches 140-150 degrees and the crust is golden brown.

5. Meanwhile while the fish is baking, make the Parmesan Cream sauce. Place the remaining Parmesan Base in a medium sauce pan, add the fresh Basil, Wine, and Half and Half and heat over medium heat until the sauce is simmering, stirring often.

6. Toss the Parmesan Cream Sauce and the Linguini together and serve with the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Carrabba's Spicy Sausage Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced onion
3/4 cup grated and minced carrot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound uncooked hot Italian sausage
2 ounces diced ham (about 1/2 cup, cut from a ham steak)
7 cups water
5 cups chicken broth
1 pound dry lentils
1 medium tomato, diced
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Procedures:
1. Heat up olive oil in a Dutch oven or large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic. Remove sausage from casing, and add it to the pan. Saute for 8 minutes, stirring often. Break up the sausage into bite-size bits as it cooks. Add ham, and cook for an additional minute.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

3. Serve 1 cup for a "cup" portion, or serve 2 cups for a "bowl" serving.

Makes 12 to 13 cups.

Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
Oriental Dressing:
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Salad:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
2-4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup red cabbage
1 cup Napa cabbage
1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1/3 cup chow mein noodles

Procedures:
Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat. You want the temperature of the oil to be around 350 degrees.

Blend together all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl with an electric mixer. Put dressing in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salad.

In a small, shallow bowl beat egg, add milk, and mix well.

In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.

Cut chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each strip of chicken first into egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely.

Fry each chicken finger for 5 minutes or until coating has darkened to brown.

Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots.

Sprinkle sliced green onion on top of the lettuce.Sprinkle almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.

Cut the chicken into small bite-size chunks. Place the chicken onto the salad forming a pile in the middle. Serve with salad dressing on the side.

Serves 1-2

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Margarita Mix liquid
1/4 cup tequila
1 Tbs minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Procedures:

Pour margarita mix, tequila and garlic over chicken breast and let marinate for 2 hours in refrigerator. When ready to prepare drain and dust with black pepper to taste.

Grilling works best, but you can also use an iron skillet and bring to medium high temperature.

Spray an oil coating into pan and braise chicken breast until done on each side.

Serve chicken breast on top of black beans and serve with your favorite Mexican rice and a generous helping of salsa.

Serves 4

Daniel Restaurant New York's Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

Ingredients:
3 bottles dry red wine
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and crushed black peppercorns
Flour, for dredging
8 large shallots, peeled, trimmed, split, rinsed and dried
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 ribs of celery, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium-sized leek (white and light-green parts), coarsely chopped, washed and dried
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves and 2 thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 quarts unsalted beef broth
Freshly ground white pepper

Procedures:
1. Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat. When the wine is hot, carefully set it aflame. Let the flames die out, then increase the heat so that the wine boils; allow it to boil until it cooks down by half. Remove from the heat.

2. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F.

3. Warm the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and the crushed pepper. Dust half of the ribs with about 1 tablespoon flour. Then, when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well-browned. Transfer the ribs to a plate. Repeat
with remaining ribs. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot, lower the heat under the pot to medium and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add the wine, ribs and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and place in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours or until the ribs are very tender. Every 30 minutes, skim and discard fat from the surface. (It's best to make the recipe to this point, cool and chill the ribs and broth in the pan overnight; scrape off the fat the next day. Rewarm before continuing.)

5. Carefully transfer the meat to a platter; keep warm. Boil the pan liquid until it has reduced to 1 quart. Season with salt and white pepper and pass through a fine strainer; discard the solids. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve.

Tip: the ribs and sauce can be combined and kept covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently, basting frequently, on top of the stove or in a 350°F oven.

Serves 8

Red Lobster Lemon Basil Snapper

Ingredients:
4 each 5-6 oz. skinned salmon fillet
24 each 26-30 count peeled shrimp
4 each Bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 10-15 minutes)
8 each Fresh pineapple half moons (super sweet variety)
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet chili sauce

Procedures:
1. Brush both sides of salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. After soaking the skewers, slide 6 shrimp onto each skewer, leaving room on either end. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the fresh pineapple into slices approximately half inch in diameter and then cut in half. Brush both sides with olive oil.
4. On a medium heated grill, place the salmon flesh side down. Grill approximately 6-7 minutes per side or until the fish reaches 150 degrees.
5. Grill shrimp approximately 3-4 minutes per side or until 150 degrees.
6. Grill pineapple for 2-3 minutes per side or until there is good carmelization.
7. Brush all items generously with the sweet chili sauce.
8. To serve, place the pineapple at the top of each plate and crisscross. Top the pineapple with a scoop of your favorite rice. Crisscross the salmon and the shrimp skewer on top of the rice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with your favorite vegetable.

Serves 6

Monday, June 06, 2011

Nobu Restaurant's Black Cod With Miso

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
2 cups white miso paste
1 1/4 cup sugar
4 black cod (sablefish) fillets with skin, each about 8 ounces
Japanese pickled ginger, for garnish

Procedures:
Bring the sake and mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil 20 seconds. Reduce heat to low and stir in miso paste with a wooden spoon. When miso has dissolved, increase the heat to medium and stir in the sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. This mixture is key to the recipe.

Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Place in a nonreactive dish, pour on the cooled miso mixture, and turn the fish to coat it completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 days. The marinating is another key.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Preheat a grill, grill pan, or broiler.

Remove the fish from the marinade, lightly wiping off any excess. Place the fish on the grill or under the broiler with the skin toward the heat, and sear until the skin is just browned. Transfer to a baking dish, skin side up, and back about 10 minutes, until just cooked through.

Arrange on dinner plates and garnish with ginger.

Serves 4

Red Lobster Basil Shrimp Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:
4 zucchini (2- to 3-inch diameter)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined
(cut shrimp if they are larger than a quarter)
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash the zucchini and trim off the ends. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Be sure to leave some by the ends to create a boat-like shape.

Saute onions in butter until clear, add tomatoes and simmer until soft.

In a mixing bowl combine tomato and onion mixture, shrimp, basil, salt and pepper and half of the bread crumbs. Fill the zucchini boats with the mixture. Place boats in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs and drizzle with butter. Bake for 15 minutes or until shrimp are pink and clear.

Yields 8 servings.

PF Chang's Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:
Sauce
2 tsp veg oil
1/2 tsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. dark brown sugar

Meat
1 c. vegetable oil (I would use less oil)
1 pound flank steak
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 large green onions

Procedures:
1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp. veg oil in med saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get a major splatter when adding liquids. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to med
and boil the sauce for 2-3 min. or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

2. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Tilt the blade of you knife at about a 45 deg angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.

3. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece. Let the beef sit for about 10 min. so that the cornstarch sticks.

4. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok or skillet. Add the beef to the oil and saute for just 2 min. or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly. After a couple mins, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one min while stirring, then add all the green onions. Cook for 1 more min., then remove the beef and onions with slotted spoon to serving plate. Leave excess sauce behind in the pan.

Serve over jasmine rice.

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Cheesecake Factory’s Avocado Eggrolls

Ingredients:
Egg Rolls
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, & diced
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onions
1/2 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 dash salt
4 egg roll wraps (can also use won ton wraps)
1 egg, beaten
Oil for deep-frying

Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp
1/2 cup honey (I use slightly less)
1 pinch turmeric
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Procedures:
Dipping Sauce
1. Combine vinegars, honey, tamarind in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until tamarind is dissolved completely.
2. Microwave for 1 minute.
3. Using a blender, Puree tamarind mixture, cashews, cilantro, garlic, onions, sugar, pepper, and cumin.
4. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in oil.
5. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Egg Rolls
1. Stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and salt.
2. Distribute filling evenly on the center of each egg roll wrapper.
3. Fold one corner up, 1/4 of the way over the filling.
4. Brush the remaining corners and edges with beaten egg, roll up the left and right side, then fold top corner over all and press to seal.
5. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
6. Deep-fry the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, or until browned.
7. Drain on paper towels.
8. Slice egg rolls diagonally in half and serve with the prepared dipping sauce.

Spice Market's Black-Pepper Shrimp and "Sun-Dried" Pineapple

Ingredients:
Black-Pepper Sauce
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
8 scallions, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
1 1/2 tablespoons fermented black beans, rinsed, squeezed, and chopped
1/2 cup sweet soy (kicap manis)
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 3/4 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Skewers
24 large shrimp, deveined, tails left on
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup pea shoots, chopped (watercress can be substituted)
1 cup jícama, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Procedures:

Black-Pepper Sauce
Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet, add the garlic, ginger, and scallion, and saute until golden. Add the pepper, and cook until it becomes fragrant, then add the remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a blender, and puree until the sauce becomes medium smooth.

Skewers
Heat one side of the grill to medium. Cook pineapple on the cool part of the grill until it is lightly caramelized.

Remove, and assemble the skewers, alternating 2 pieces of shrimp and 3 of pineapple. Place over the coals, and grill until the shrimp start to turn pink. Brush both sides of the skewers liberally with the black-pepper sauce, and return to the grill to finish cooking. Toss the pea shoots and jícama together, and serve
with the shrimp skewers.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Shrimp Dumplings

Ingredients:
Mix:
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, washed and dried
2 tablespoons minced fine carrot
2 tablespoons minced fine green onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 package wonton wrappers

Sauce:
1 cup soy sauce
1 ounce white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chile paste
1 ounce granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
Sesame oil to taste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves

Procedures:
Take 1/2 pound of the shrimp and mince fine in a food processor. Take the other 1/2 pound and small dice.

Combine remaining ingredients. With a small spoon, place approximately 1/2 ounce of the mixture into the skin. Moisten the outside edge. Fold corner to corner (opposite) and seal. The top should look like a cross. Place on a plate covered in refrigerator until ready to serve. Combine sauce ingredients and mix very well.
Prepare garnishes.

For service: Have a soup pot filled with water. Bring to a boil, then down to a
slight boil. Line the bottom of a Chinese steamer with a light coat of vegetable oil or a nonstick spray. Place dumplings in steamer. Cover and steam for 7 to 10 minutes. Dumplings should be firm with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Either serve in steamer or remove to serving plate. Place 2 ounces of sauce in a small dish or bowl.

Servings: 4

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Pizzeria Uno Classic Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients:
Pan Dough
1 cup warm water 110* to 115* F
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal, coarsely ground
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Pizza Topping
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
One 15-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 pound mozzarella, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
4 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

Required Equipment
15-inch deep dish pizza pan

Procedures:
1. Proof the yeast in the warm water until it foams, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour, the cornmeal, salt, and the vegetable oil. Stir to combine everything.

2. Continue adding the flour a half cup at a time, stirring after every addition, until the flour is used up. The dough should form a soft ball and come away from the sides of the bowl.

3. Flour a work surface and begin to knead the dough until it reaches elasticity and is no longer very sticky, about 10 to 12 minutes. Put the ball of dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease all sides and cover with a damp towel. Set the bowl in an area free of drafts. Let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Punch the dough down and briefly knead on a floured surface, about 2 minutes. Press the dough into a greased pizza pan until it comes up the 2-inch sides of the pan and is even on the bottom. Cover and let rise for about 20 minutes.

5. Prepare the topping: Saute the sausage until it is cooked through, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain off the fat and set it aside. Strain the tomatoes and roughly chop them.

6. Preheat the oven to 500*F. When the dough has completed the second rising, layer the sliced mozzarella over the bottom of the dough, followed by the sausage and then the garlic. Finish with the chopped tomatoes and basil, and sprinkle with the grated Romano cheese.

7. Bake for 15 minutes at 500*F, then turn down the oven temperature to 400*F and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes. One way to check the cooking time is to lift up a section of the crust and check the color. The crust should be a dark golden brown and be slightly crispy. When ready to serve, cut into slices and serve hot.

Serves 8

Panera Bread Pudding with Apples, Pecans and Raisins

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 loaf Cinnamon Raisin White Bread torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecan halves
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or rum
8 small baking apples (about 2 pounds) such as Fuji, Gala or Granny
Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple, quince, or blackberry jam or jelly

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well coated.
4. Add the sugar, pecans, orange zest and juice, cider, and vanilla extract.
5. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until a sauce begins to form.
6. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer the bread mixture with the apples and dot the top with the jam or jelly.
7. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serves 4

Panera Bread Five Onion Soup with Scallion and Gruyere Croutons

Ingredients:
3 large yellow onions, halved and sliced (pole to pole)
3 red onions, halved and sliced
6 shallots, halved and sliced
3 leeks (white parts only), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
3 cups scallions (greens reserved for croutons), sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 750ml bottle red wine
1 small bunch thyme (12 sprigs) cut into 4" lengths
6 quarts beef stock, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch coins
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

Procedures:
In a 12-quart stockpot, saute the onions, shallots, leeks, scallion whites, garlic and a heavy pinch of salt in 2 tablespoons oil until the onions begin to caramelize. Deglaze with red wine. Add the thyme and stock to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least 1 hour. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to broil. Toss the bread coins with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and place flat on a sheet pan. Toss the scallion greens with the Gruyere, and top each coin with the mixture. Bake on a rack in the middle of the oven for 3 minutes and then transfer to the broiler to lightly
brown the tops. The cheese should be bubbly. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons.

Serves 6-8

Blog Archive