Blueberry Cream Cheese Mini Pies

INGREDIENTS 


Streusel
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine Blueberry Filling
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar 1 egg
Crust
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers refrigerated biscuits

DIRECTIONS
1 Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon peel. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Set aside.

2 In 2-quart saucepan, mix 3/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook about 10 minutes or until mixture returns to a boil. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon peel and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add remaining blueberries; stir gently. Set aside.

3 In small bowl, beat cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth; set aside.

4 Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit in half to make 16 rounds. With floured fingers, flatten each to form 4-inch round. Press 1 biscuit round into each of 16 ungreased regular-size muffin cups. Spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling and 2 tablespoons blueberry filling into each biscuit-lined cup. Sprinkle each with about 1 tablespoon streusel (cups will be full).

5 Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Pillsbury.com

Rosemary Focaccia:

6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 envelopes (3/4 ounce) active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F.)

5 1/2 cups bread flour (or more as needed)

3 teaspoons fine salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Lightly oil a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the oil and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, sugar, water, and 2 tablespoons of the oil, stir and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and the fine salt, and mix on low speed until the dough comes together and forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 8 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, continue mixing and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.

Form into a ball and place in the prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet, pressing evenly across the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until it rises until nearly doubled, 30 minutes to 1 hour. With your fingertips, make dimples in the dough at 3-inch intervals. Drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with the rosemary and kosher salt. Bake on the lower oven rack until just golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and using a spatula, lift from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares or other desired shapes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 1 (9 by 13-inch) bread

Classic Lobster Rolls

For the lobster rolls:
1/2 gallon water
1/4 cup kosher salt
4 live lobsters (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 top-loading hot dog buns
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chervil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

For the mayonnaise:
5 large egg yolks
Juice from one lemon, about 3 tablespoons
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
For the mayonnaise:
Combine the egg yolks and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process the mixture for 20 seconds. With the machine running, add both of the olive oils, drop by drop, and then slowly increase to a steady stream as the eggs and oil become emulsified. If the mixture gets very thick, thin it with a teaspoon of ice water. The consistency should be a little thinner than store-bought mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a day.

For the lobster rolls:
To prepare the lobsters, fill a large heavy pot or standard clam steamer pot with the water and the kosher salt. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Place the lobsters in the pot and cover tightly. Boil for 14 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the lobsters and the water into a deep sink or colander. Cover with ice for about 10 minutes. Take the meat out of the shell.

Cut the lobster meat and place in a bowl. Toss with the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Slather the outside of the rolls with the butter and quickly grill on both sides either in a skillet or on an outdoor grill. Fill the grilled rolls with the lobster salad. Combine the herbs, mix well, and sprinkle over the salad. Serve immediately.

This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America.

*Recipe courtesy of Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier from their cookbook, Maine Classic; Running Press, 2011

MALAYSIAN SPATCHCOCKED SPICY GRILLED CHICKEN

Method: Direct Grilling
Serves: 2 to 4
Advance Preparation: 1 to 2 hours for marinating the chicken

Ingredients:

1 chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds)

For the marinade:

1/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or dried)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped
2 shallots, peeled and rough chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and rough chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and rough chopped
2 hot red chilies, like jalapenos or horn peppers, seeded and rough chopped (for spicier chicken, leave the seeds in), or 2 tablespoons Malaysian chili paste
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons diced red or yellow bell pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
fresh calmonsis or lime wedges for squeezing


Directions:
Kelantan is Malaysias northeastern-most provincea lush hinterland famed for its rice paddies, fishing villages, and above it its Thai-influenced cuisine. (Thailand lies just to the north.) Not surprisingly, the local grilling reflects a marked Thai influence in the form of marinades enriched with coconut and chilies. (Of course, youll also taste lemongrass, shallots, and fresh turmericingredients popular throughout the entire Malaysian peninsula.) Theres one technique here you may not previously have seendry-frying the grated coconut to give it a toasted flavor. Ive made the process optional, but the chicken will definitely be richer because of it. Heres how a Kelantan chef working in Kuala Lumpur named Fandi prepares it, and if youve ever found grilled chicken to be bland or mono-dimensional, this one will light up your mouth like an Independence Day sky.


1. Spatchcock the chicken, (plenty of examples on youtube.)Basically you are butterflying a chicken. Make 2 deep slashes to the bone in each leg and thigh. Fold the wingtips back behind the wings. Place the bird in a non-reactive baking dish just large enough to hold it.

2. Make the marinade. Place the dried shredded coconut in a dry cast iron or stainless steel skillet (not nonstick) and cook it over medium heat until browned and fragrant, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching. Transfer the coconut to a bowl to cool.

3. Place the garlic, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, chilies, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and salt in a heavy mortar and pound to a paste with a pestle. Pound in the toasted coconut and about 3/4 cup cool waterenough to obtain a thick but pourable paste. Alternatively, puree the marinade ingredients in a food processor. Again, add water as needed to obtain a thick but pourable paste. Spoon this mixture over the chicken, forcing it into the slits in the legs, turning the bird to coat well on both sides. Marinate the chicken for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

4. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium. Brush and oil the grill grate.

5. Drain the chicken and arrange it on the grill grate bone side down. Grill until golden brown and cooked though, 15 to 20 minutes per side, turning half way through. Move the chicken as needed to dodge any flare-ups. To check for doneness: use an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh but not touching the bone: the temperature should be about 170 degrees. Alternatively, make a cut in the chicken meat where the thigh connects to the body: there should be no traces of red at the bone.

6. To serve, transfer the chicken, skin side up, to a platter. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and diced bell pepper (if using). Serve with calamansis or lime wedges for squeezing and Malaysian Peanut Sauce if desired.

Note: you can also indirect grill the chickena processes which, although, not traditionally Malaysia, has the advantage of eliminating all risk of flare-ups. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. Place the chicken skin side up in the center of the grate over the drip pan. Indirect grill the chicken until browned and cooked through, 40 to 60 minutes


Source: the Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen

Corn Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes
• Salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 cups corn, from about 2 ears of corn, or 2 cups frozen and thawed kernels
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well, then cool slightly. Return the potatoes to the pot and, using a masher, mash the potatoes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and corn and saute about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cream and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes longer.

Add the sauteed corn to the mashed potatoes and stir to combine until the liquid is fully absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately

From: Mexican Made Easy - Foodnetwork.com

Thai Style Pesto with Rice Pasta

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound rice pasta, penne or wide noodles
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 5 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted, divided
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 large cloves garlic, pasted
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 Fresno chile, seeded
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
• Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente.

Place the basil, 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, tamari, garlic, lime juice, and chile into a food processor. Pulse into a paste. Drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil. Pour the pesto into a large bowl and add a splash of starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce, and toss to combine. Drizzle with sesame oil, garnish with scallions and the remaining 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds.

Thai Green Chile Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 Fresno chile, chopped
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated or minced
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• A handful fresh cilantro leaves
• A handful fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/3 palmful
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/3 palmful
• 2 tablespoons tamari or 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 limes, juiced
• Kosher salt (if not using fish sauce)
• 2 tablespoons high-temperature cooking oil
• 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced chicken
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large head iceberg lettuce, well chilled, cored, quartered, and very thinly shredded

Directions

Peel the tough outer layers of the lemongrass to expose the inner pale yellow layer. Trim 2-inches from the bottom, cutting away the bulb. Slice until the tops become tough. Add the pieces to a small pot over medium heat and add the stock and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce by half. Strain, reserving liquid.

Into a food processor add the cooked lemongrass, chilies, shallot, garlic, ginger, sugar, cilantro, mint, cumin, coriander, tamari, pepper, lime juice, and salt (if not using the fish sauce). Process into a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan over high heat; add the chicken and brown. Remove to a plate. Add a drizzle more oil and stir-fry the bell peppers and onions for 2 minutes. Stir in the paste for 1 minute, and then add the reserved liquid and stir. Return the chicken to the pan. Serve stir-fry on a bed of shredded lettuce.

Note: Can use any protein - chicken, beef, pork or shrimp

Source: Rachael Ray