Creamy Polenta

Here’s a fairly basic recipe for polenta (with a little parmesan). :) Pictured…I had a handful of mushrooms I sautéed, sliced very thin, and added to the mix, topped it with Italian parsley and a little basil (chiffonade), and some extra grated parmesan. Delicious!

Ingredients

2 C chicken broth (more if needed)

1 C milk

2 Tbls butter

1 tsp salt

1 C polenta

½ C grated parmesan (or similar)

Directions

Bring broth, milk and butter to boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt, and sprinkle in polenta while whisking. Whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes to prevent lumps. Simmer for about 40 minutes, partially covered, stirring about every 10 minutes. Polenta should be thick, but smooth and creamy (use a little additional broth if needed to maintain creamy consistency while cooking).  Add grated parmesan, stirring until melted and thoroughly combined.

Sautéed Eggplant

Ingredients

1½ to 2 lbs eggplant, preferably small

salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn (or more, to taste)

Optional seasoning: additional garlic, thyme, coriander, cayenne, parsley …it’s really up to you! :)

Directions

Slice eggplant into ½ inch thick slices; halve or quarter the slices (depending on how big the eggplant is; I usually quarter the slices). If time allows, sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt and let rest in a colander for up to 1 hour; rinse and pat dry.

Put the olive oil and garlic in a large, sauté pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add eggplant slices. Toss (or stir) almost constantly until the eggplant begins to release some of the oil it has absorbed (5-10 minutes). Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is very tender and browned around the edges (usually between 20-35 minutes) – it varies quite a bit depending on how ripe/firm the eggplant is, how thick the slices are, etc.

In the final minutes of cooking, salt and pepper to taste, stir in the basil, and add any additional seasonings desired.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

This is a very rich and creamy ice cream all on its own, but would probably be delicious with apple pie!

 Ingredients
1 C sugar

1¼ C heavy cream

½ tsp kosher or sea salt

½ tsp vanilla

2 C half & half

¼ C brown sugar

3 eggs

Directions

Heat sugar in a dry skillet over medium heat (slowly), stirring frequently until sugar starts to melt. Continue stirring and/or swirling the skillet so sugar melts evenly into a dark amber color. (You don't want to burn the sugar!)

Add cream to sugar (watch out, it spatters a bit!) and continue stirring over medium heat until sugar melts again and the two are smoothly blended. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and salt. Transfer to a bowl (if desired) and cool to room temperature.

While it's cooling... Whisk eggs in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine brown sugar and half & half in a heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil. Temper the eggs by pouring half of the half & half mixture into the bowl of whisked eggs, whisking constantly; return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until custard coats the back of a spoon (about 170°); do not boil. Pour custard through a fine mesh sieve, then add cooled caramel.

Chill custard at least 4 hours, until very cold. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, then transfer to an airtight container to freeze to desired consistency.

Apple (or Apple-Berry) Cobbler

MHS: Introduction to Foods and Nutrition*

Ingredients:

Topping:

¾ C sugar
1½  C flour
1½  tsp baking powder
¾  tsp salt
½ C cold butter, diced
¼ C + 2 Tbls warm milk

Fruit Filling (For apple-berry cobbler, substitute blackberries or blueberries for up to half the apples.):

1 Tbls cornstarch**

¼  C cold water
1 C sugar
¾  tsp cinnamon
½  tsp nutmeg
1½  Tbls lemon juice
6 C diced apple

    ** increase cornstarch to 2 Tbls if using berries or other very juicy fruit

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Prepare Topping: In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut-in butter, blend until mixture is coarsely mixed and crumbly; add warm milk and stir until mixture just forms a dough. Set aside.

Fruit Filling: In a large saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice; combine gently. Bring mixture to a slow boil over medium heat. Add apples. Return to a boil, stirring gently, cook 1 minute. Add berries; stirring very gently, cook 1 minute longer.

Pour fruit mixture into 9x13” baking dish. Drop dough topping by spoonfuls over top of fruit filling. Bake 20-25 minutes at 400°.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

 

* This recipe is one used in the introductory culinary course I teach.

(Fruits)

Cinnamon-Sugar Muffin Puffs

MHS: Introduction to Foods and Nutrition*

Ingredients:

Muffin batter:

1 egg

¾ C milk

½ C vegetable oil

2 C all purpose flour

1/3 C sugar

1 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

Topping:

½ C butter, melted

½ C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°.

Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups (use shortening or coat with non-stick cooking spray).

Gently mix or sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Add milk and oil to egg, and stir to mix.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour egg mixture into well; mix just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy).

Fill muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Immediately remove from pan.

While still very warm, dip muffin tops in ½ C melted butter; then roll tops in mixed sugar and cinnamon.

* This recipe is one used in the introductory culinary course I teach.

(Grains: quick breads)

Strawberry Shortcake

It's June. Local strawberries are in season! These (pictured) are picked from my own garden. :)

Ingredients

¾ lb strawberries, stemmed and quartered (or sliced)

4 Tbls sugar

1 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¹/₈ tsp baking soda

scant ½ tsp salt

¾ C heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

Mix strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar and refrigerate while juices develop, at least 30 minutes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Divide dough into 3 or 4 portions; drop each portion of dough by large scoops onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown on tops.

Remove shortcakes from baking sheet and place on a rack to cool slightly. Split each piece in half horizontally.

Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve. If desired, garnish with a dollop more whipped cream and mint sprigs. In the photo, some mint leaves were minced and added to the berries with the sugar in the first step. It's not leaves from the strawberry stems. :)

Whipped Cream:

1 C  heavy cream

3 Tbls  powdered sugar

½ tsp  vanilla

Combine ingredients in mixer bowl and beat until thick.