This sorbet is super sweet, with just a hint of the Chambord liquor. My only change would be a little more Chambord, but then again, it’s one of my favorite liquors. 🙂
3 c. fresh raspberries or one 12-16 oz. bag frozen raspberries, pureed
1/4 c. Chambord (raspberry liquor)
2 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
Combine water and sugar in a small sauce pan over high heat. Cook about 5 minutes, until mixture is simmering and sugar dissolves. Should reduce to about 1/2 c. of syrup.
Combine syrup, pureed raspberries, Chambord, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Let cool to room temperature, or place in fridge/freezer to cool.
Transfer mixture to an ice cream mixer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (For my Kitchen Aid mixer, I ran it on speed 1 for about 10 minutes). Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
I was very excited when I saw that Karen of Shortbread chose Ina Garten’s Caesar Club Sandwich for Barefoot Bloggers this month. I have come across this recipe a couple times and have been waiting to try it. I was not disappointed. The sandwich was amazing – easy and flavorful. The dressing tasted way better than any bottled Caesar dressing does (I made mine without the anchovy paste, which I couldn’t find at my grocery store), and the sun-dried tomatoes were a surprising burst of flavor. I prepared everything ahead of time and assembled it shortly before my friends arrived. I have a feeling that my hubby will be adding this to his list of favorite dinners.
Caesar Club Sandwich
From Barefoot Contessa at Home and on Food Network
Ingredients for the Salad Dressing:
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. mayonnaise
Ingredients for the Sandwich:
1 whole chicken breast (bone in, skin on, and split) or leftover rotisserie chicken
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta
1 large ciabatta bread, or other bread with a slightly crunchy crust
2 oz. arugula or spinach, washed and dried
12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
2-3 oz. Parmesan, shaved (I used shredded, since that’s what we keep on hand)
Make the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350F. Rub chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side up, and roast 35-40 minutes, until cooked through. Cook slightly. Slice meat off bone and set aside.
I used left over chicken from an rotisserie chicken I made the night before, and that worked perfectly. This is a great way to use up leftovers!
Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients:
1. Make the Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Or, combine all ingredients in a food processor, processing until smooth.(Refrigerate if not using immediately.)
2. Place pancetta on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, until crispy. Pat off grease with a paper towel and set aside.
3. Slice bread in half horizontally. Place on a baking sheet (cut-side up) or directly on wire oven racks. Toast for 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Assemble the Sandwich
Spread Caesar dressing on both piece of bread. Then layer: arugula / spinach; sun-dried tomatoes; pancetta; chicken; shaved Parmesan (or, if using shredded, sprinkle on top half of bread, so that it will stick to the dressing). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place top on sandwich and cut into pieces. Serve at room temperature.
I found this idea in Fine Cooking (#102, p. 20), in the page on new ways to use seasonal ingredients compliments of editor Lisa Waddle. I was a little doubtful at first and honestly, when I had my first bite, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. The consensus at the part was that although it was sweeter than expected, it was a great spread.
Note: Fine Cooking didn’t list portions, so feel free to use more or less of the below, according to your taste.
Date-Pecan Spread
Inspired by a Lisa Waddle suggestion in Fine Cooking #102
Yields about 1 1/2 cups spread
Ingredients:
1 – 1 1/2 c. chopped dried dates
1/2 – 3/4 c. toasted pecans
zest of 1 orange
dry sherry
Combine first three ingredients in a food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds or so, until the mixture begins to come together.
Gradually add sherry to food processor, pulsing until mixture is combined to desired consistency. Mine was still a bit chunky, but you can also pulse until a smooth paste has been formed.
Serve: with fresh bread as an appetizer. Crackers would also work, but we weren’t impressed with the spread on crostini. This is a great appetizer on its own, or as a compliment to a cheese board (I enjoyed it with brie).
Fine Cooking also suggested adding the spread to a grilled cheese sandwich or turkey panini.
I should start off with a confession – mashed potatoes has always been one of the dishes I couldn’t make. I’d end up with lumpy, bland potato mush instead of the creamy potatoey goodness that mashed potatoes should be. Thanks to Ellie Krieger, I can now make flavorful mashed potatoes! I’ve made this recipe a couple times now, usually throwing in a little extra salt, pepper and chives to taste. In this photo, I added an extra dollop of sour cream and (accidentally) dumped a bunch of extra chives onto the potatoes. Try it – it’s good. 🙂
Mashed Potatoes
Adapted from Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave, also on Food Network
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), washed but unpeeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
1/4 c. low-fat sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (I used dried chives)
kosher salt and black pepper
Boil potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are easily skewered with a fork. Drain and put back in pot.
Add warm chicken broth and mash. Add sour cream, salt and pepper, and chives to taste. Mash/stir a bit more to desired consistency.
Set on the fictional island-country of Nollop (off the South Carolina coast), Ella Minnow Pea is the story of a country that worshiped Nollop, the creator of the pangram, “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.” This sentence uses every letter of the alphabet with the fewest letters repeated, and is affixed to a statue of Nollop. However, when letters begin to fall from the statue, the island’s Council doesn’t know what to do. They eventually conclude that Nollop is speaking to them from beyond – that any letter that falls must be prohibited from speech and written form. Ella Minnow Pea is a comical story, a collection of letters, describing the change in life as letters constantly are stricken from usage, and the quest of a young girl to overturn the Council’s decision.
Recommendation: This book is cute, funny, and well-written. It’s a quick read that I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys and appreciates words and language.
