Mixed Berry Blondie

Mixed Berry Blondie

Ingredients

12oz White Chocolate

4oz Dark Chocolate

2 Cups Sugar

1 1/2 Cups AP Flour

2 Sticks of Butter

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2Cup Blackberries

1/2Cup Raspberries

1/2Cup Blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13x9in. pan
2. Melt the butter and white chocolate on low heat; mix until fully blended then let cool
3. In a large bowl mix eggs, sugar and vanilla till blended
4. Add White Chocolate mixture to Egg mixture then mix; Add flour and mix thoroughly
5. Spread the berries on the bottom of the greased pans and pour batter on top
6. Sprinkle Dark Chocolate Chips/Chunks on top of batter
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes; then let rest for 1 hour

Vodka-Infused Craisins and Orange Oatmeal Cookie

Ingredients

3/4Cup white sugar

1/4Cup brown sugar

1 3/4Cup oatmeal

1 1/2Sticks butter

2 eggs

1 1/2Cups AP flour

1 Cup Craisins

3/4Cup of vodka

1tsp Orange extract

1tsp Baking soda(BS)

1. Pre-Heat oven at 350F
2. Reconstitute craisins in vodka for 30 minutes
3. While craisins are soaking cream together the butter and sugars
4. Add eggs and orange extract
5. Mix together AP flour and BS then add to mixture
6. Add oatmeal
7. Drain craisins and then fold into cookie dough
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

3/4cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4cup white sugar

2 sticks of butter
2 eggs

1tbsp vanilla

1 1/2cup AP Flour

1tsp BS (Baking Soda)

1/2tsp salt

3 overflowing cups of oatmeal (quick or old fashioned oats)

Chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven at 350F
2. Cream together butter and sugars
3. Add eggs and vanilla; mix thoroughly 
4. Combine flour with BS and salt; Slowly add and incorporate flour mixture into batter
5. Add oats and mix well (I mix it in with my hands)
6. Put about a 1/4cup of dough for each cookie on an un-greased cookie sheet
7. Place chocolate chips on top
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes (or until you see a light golden brown edge under the cookie without picking it up)
9. Let cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet; Remove to wire rack
10. Allow to fully cool or enjoy a warm cookie with a cold glass of milk and enjoy

Polenta Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

6 three inch polenta rounds

6 thin slices of pancetta

6 thin slices of fresh mozzarella

6 eggs

Arugula

Basil Hollandaise

Step 1 - POLENTA

Ingredients

6cups water

1tbsp salt

2cups yellow cornmeal

3tbsp butter

1. Bring water to boil and add salt
2. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal
3. Reduce heat to low and cool until the mixture thickens and becomes tender, whisking often, about 10-15 minutes
4. Turn off heat and mix in butter until its melted
5. On a baking sheet put wax paper and spray it with non-stick spray
6. Pour mixture on and spread until its even; let cool in fridge for 15-30 minutes

Step 2 - Basil Hollandaise

Ingredients

3 egg yolks

1 1/2tablespoon lemon juice

1/2teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon basil

10 tablespoons salted butter

Slowly melt butter; DO NOT LET IT BOIL

In a food processor or blender add egg yolks, 1 1/2tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2tsp salt; Pulse for 20-30 seconds(Friction from blades will slightly heat yolks and add air)

Once yolks have lightened add basil and melted butter while holding pulse on the processor till incorporated

Taste and add more lemon or salt if needed; If you want it thinner add a little warm water

Store in a warm spot (on or around the stove); Use within about an hour

Makes around 1 cup of hollandaise 

Step 3 - Poached Eggs

Boil 6 cups of water with 1/3cup white vinegar, poach eggs until whites are cooked and take out with a slotted spoon, let rest on a paper towel, then lightly salt

Step 4 - Crispy Food

Crisp Pancetta slices; add 2tbsp of butter to drippings then brown polenta rounds

Step 5 - Gooey Cheese

Put mozzarella slices on polenta rounds and microwave for 3-8seconds until cheese is slightly melted

Step 6 - Plate

Time to plate from bottom to top

Polenta-> Mozzarella-> Pancetta-> Arugula-> Poached Egg-> Hollaindaise

Step 7 - Eat

Enjoy

Crab Pasta Salad

Dill dressing:

1tbsp dijon mustard

3tbsp mayonaisse 

1/2tsp lemon zest

3tsp lemon juice

1tsp kosher salt

1/8tsp white pepper

1/8tsp dill

Cilantro dressing:

1tbsp dijon mustard

3tbsp mayonaisse

1/2tsp lemon zest

3tsp lemon juice

1tsp kosher salt

1/8tsp white pepper

1tsp cilantro

Salad:

1/2lb pasta

6oz can of crab meat(4.5oz dry weight)

1.  Make dressing by mixing all ingredients listed
2. Boil water and add 1 tbsp salt 
3. Prepare ice bath
4. Add pasta and boil till al dente
5. When done shock pasta in ice bath
6. Drain pasta and lightly dry
7. Toss dressing and pasta; Fold in crab meat then serve

"Bread" Pudding

For this recipe I use my Banana Walnut Muffin Cake as the bread element

http://home-cooked.blogspot.com/2012/05/banana-walnut-muffin-cake.html
Wait five days after baking Muffin Cake so its a little dry and absorbs the custard

        

          Ingredients

• 3cups of cubed muffin cake (2 cupcakes= 1 cup)
• 5eggs(beaten)
• 2 cups of milk (whole or half and half it’s not supposed to be healthy)
• 3tsps of Bourbon vanilla extract
• 1/2cup brown sugar
• 1/4cup Walnuts(optional) 
• 1 cup of white sugar (granulated)
• 1/4cup butter (half a stick)

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Grease a 9 inch round pan
3. Mix eggs, milk, and white sugar in a bowl; add bourbon vanilla; pour over cubes and let sit for 20 minutes
4. In another bowl mix brown sugar and butter; then add walnuts
5. Pour pudding mixture into greased pan
6. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top of the pudding
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes
8. Let rest for 10-20 minutes
9. Serve hot or cold with a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream or both

Banana Walnut Muffin Cake

Ingredients

1/2cup white sugar

1/2cup brown sugar

2 sticks butter

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2cups AP flour

2tsp BP

1/2cup milk

3 regular sized bananas(mashed)

1cup chopped walnuts

3tsp cinnamon

1tsp white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. Cream together the butter and sugar
3. Beat in eggs one at a time; add vanilla
4. In separate bowl thoroughly mix the AP flour and BP then add to creamed mixture
5. In another bowl mash the bananas; add cinnamon, walnuts and 1tsp of white sugar; mix together then add to creamed mixtures
6. Fold in the half cup of milk
7. Prepare a cupcake tin with non-stick spray
8. Scoop batter into pan till it reaches the top
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes
10. It will be done when it springs back when touched

This is also the recipe that I use for the base of my bread pudding

Which is a 5 day process of not touching these

Trust me it's harder then you think

Broiled Tilapia with a Yam and Potato puree

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes (for multi-taskers) 20-25 minutes (for non-multi-taskers)

Fish:

1 pound of tilipia fillets

Salt and pepper mix

Sesame oil

Puree:

1 cup yam or sweet potato (cut into 1/2inch cubes)

1 cup russet potato (cut into 1/2inch cubes)

1 cup red onion (chopped into 1/2inch pieces)

1 clove garlic

2tbsp butter

2tbsp olive oil

1/4cup of milk

Salt and pepper mix

Seasoning mix:

Equal parts kosher salt, white and black pepper

It may seem daunting but it cooks pretty quickly once it gets started

Do all your “mise en place” pardon my french, I mean prep work

Before you begin cooking turn oven on to low broil

Now let us begin with the puree

1. In a large frying pan on medium heat put 2tbsp olive oil and 2tbsp butter(yes BUTTER!) 
2. When oil is hot put in the red onion, potatoes and garlic; thoroughly mix to coat in oil; cook for 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender
3. Add the seasoning mix
4. , then stir in 1/4 cup of milk and warm it through
5. Then blend with emulsion blender or food processor til smooth

Onto the fish

1. Cover baking sheet in foil; place wire rack on top of foil
2. Lay fillets on wire rack and lightly brush with sesame oil; then season liberally with seasoning mix
3. Place in oven to broil for 5 minutes; then turn oven down to 350F for 3 minutes
4. Take out and let rest for 5 minutes

Now its times to eat your extravagantly simple meal

Almond cake with chocolate ganache

        Almond Cake

 Ingredients

• 3/4cup white sugar
• 1/4cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4sticks of salted butter
• 2 medium eggs
• 2tsp almond extract
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2cups all purpose(“AP”) flour
• 2tsp baking powder(“BP”) 
• 1/2cup milk
• 1/2-1cup of slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Place liners in cupcake pan
3. Cream sugar and butter
4. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, add extracts
5. Combine and sift AP flour and BP then add to creamed mixture
6. Slowly mix in milk
7. Scoop/pour batter into prepared pan about 3/4-7/8 of the paper liner
8. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in cupcake pan
9. Cake is done when it springs back when touched
10. Let cake cool for 15-30minutes
11. Then dip, twist, lift and flip from the ganache
12. Sprinkle slivered almonds over top
13. Let cupcakes rest until ganache sets
14. Enjoy :D 

Almond Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache
Benjamin Lalk

      Chocolate ganache

• 1/4cup dark chocolate
• 1/2cup warm milk
• 1/8-1/4cup powdered sugar (varies on how sweet you like things)

1. Put chocolate in a small bowl with the powdered sugar
2. Add warm milk a little at a time while whisking until fairly loose at room temperature