Reuben Pizza

Ingredients
Dough
3 c rye flour
2 c white flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 T olive oil
1/2 c molasses
2 pkgs. yeast (4 1/2 t bulk dry yeast)
1 1/2 c warm water
1 t light brown sugar

I added:
2 T expresso powder (for color)

Toppings
3 c shredded swiss cheese
1 c shredded corned beef
Thousand Island Dressing
Sauerkraut Latkes (here)

Instructions
1. Dissolve the yeast with the sugar in 1/2 c of warm water. Set aside for at least 5 minutes. 
2. Dissolve expresso powder in remaining 1 c of warm water.
3. Sift the rye flour and 1 1/2 cups of the white flour together with the salt in a large bowl. 
4. Add the olive oil, the molasses, 1 cup of warm water and the yeast mixture. Mix the ingredients together with your hands or in a mixer with dough hook. Knead for 10 minutes. Add more white flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
5. Coat the interior of a bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and then turn it over so the top is coated as well. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
6. Roll out the dough onto a lightly oiled jelly roll pan or onto two pizza pans.
7. Sprinkle a light coating of shredded swiss cheese.
8. Add broken up Sauerkraut Latkes evenly over the surface.
9. Add shredded Corned Beef evenly over the surface.
10. Sprinkle a generous layer of shredded swiss cheese over all.
11. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
12. Remove from oven and drizzle top with Thousand Island Dressing.

Makes two large round pizzas (16"+)

Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color (I look for the first hint of smoke and remove the pan from the heat immediately) -- about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.

Based on a recipe I found at http://m.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/salted-caramel-sauce.html

Blackberry Panna Cotta topped with White Chocolate Cream Mousse

Ingredients:

Blackberry Panna Cotta

2 c blackberries simple syrup
3 c heavy cream
2 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 c white sugar

White Chocolate Mousse

8 oz good white chocolate broken up
1/2 c heavy cream for ganache
3 c heavy cream for whipping

Instructions.
Day 1 - make Panna Cotta.

1. Put blackberry syrup in a large saucepan on low heat.
2. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
3. When gelatin is all wet an wrinkly, begin to whisk.
4. Add sugar and whisk until all is dissolved.
5. Add cream and vanilla and heat gently. DO NOT BOIL or even simmer. When warm and all well combined, remove from heat.
6. Pour into 12-14 - 6 oz cups or ramekins (about 1/3 to 1/2 full.)
7. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2 - make White Chocolate Cream Mousse

1. In a large microwave safe bowl combine chocolate pieces and 1/2 c heavy cream.
2. Microwave in high for 30 seconds at a time, whisking between until chocolate is melted and combined with cream. 
3. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl (or power mixer bowl with a whisk attachment) pour 3 c COLD heavy cream. 
5. Whisk by hand or with mixer at medium speed for several minutes until cream forms soft peaks. (Do not over mix or you will make butter!)
6. Put about 1/2 of whipped cream into the chocolate-cream mixture and whisk gently to combine. 
7. Add chocolate & cream mixture back into whipped cream bowl and whisk gently to combine. Do not over mix.

Assembly

Portion cream onto tops of cups or ramekins of Panna Cotta.

Chill for two hours before serving.

Cranberry barbeque chicken dip

Ingredients:
1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 bottle chili sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T coarse brown mustard
1 t red pepper flakes
1 T cider vinegar
4 c cooked chicken, shredded
2 pkg Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Small bunch of green onions cut up for garnish.

2 - 8" diameter oven safe serving bowls or a single 9x13 glass casserole dish

Instructions.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Lightly oil dishes with olive oil. Evenly divide Neufchatel cheese between the dishes and press out evenly on the bottom (put some oil on your fingers to make this easy.) Cover with a light layer of shredded Monterey jack. Set aside.

Put cranberry sauce, chili sauce, worschesher sauce, mustard, red pepper, and vinegar in a food processor. Pulse to combine. You want the cranberries to still have some texture, so don't puree.

Put chicken in a large bowl. Spoon about 1/2 cup of barbeque sauce over it and stir well. Keep adding a few spoonfuls until all of the chicken is coated and the mixture holds together. Add a bit more sauce along with about 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack and mix just until combined.

Spoon an even layer of chicken mixture into the casserole dishes. Level with the back of a spoon.

Coat with the remaining shredded Monterey jack cheese.

Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove and top with green onions.

Serve immediately with snack crackers.

Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers (roasted, skinned and diced)
• 1.5 cups (one 15 oz. can) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if canned (equals 1/2 c dry beans soaked overnight and cooked for 45-90 minutes)
• 2-3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup raw tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or less if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions.

• 1. If you are anal, skin the chickpeas. It will take a while. You might start to curse, or give up altogether.
  2. Roast red peppers directly over burner on stove until blackened on all sides. Put in a paper bag for 10 minutes. Peel off skin, dice into 1/8" pieces
  3. In a food processor, blend the garbanzo beans and garlic cloves very well. Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt, broth and oil and process until fully emulsified and creamy. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to ten days. For best results, allow to warm to room temperature before serving.
  4. Add 1/2 of the peppers to the food processor and blend (peppers should still be visible.)
  5. Serve hummus in a bowl and garnish on top with the other 1/2 of the peppers.

Spanokopita Swirls with Skordalia

Spanokopita
Ingredients:
1 pkg puff pastry
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 oz feta cheese
4 oz cream cheese (Neufchatel) (room temperature)
1 1/2 c fine chiffonade fresh Spinach
Parmesan cheese for rolling

Instructions Preheat oven to 375 F

Line two baking sheets with foil & parchment on top.

Saute onion in olive oil until clear and just starting to caramelize.  Remove from heat and cool.

Blend cream cheese and feta in a food processor.  Add onion. Set aside.

Coat rolling surface with a light layer of Parmesan cheese.  Layout a sheet of puff pastry dough. Coat lightly to prevent rolling pin from sticking and roll until even - 1/8" - 3/16" thick.

Spread 1/2 of cheese mixture evenly, leaving 1/2" at one edge for sealing later.

Spread 1/2 of spinach evenly, again leaving 1/2" at one edge for sealing.

Start rolling from edge opposite the 1/2" uncoated edge.  Keep the roll tight and even.
Roll until the 1/2" edge is left.  Wet that 1/2" edge with water and finish rolling, sealing the roll.

Repeat for other sheet of pastry.

Place both rolls in the freezer on a tray with the seam edge down for 10-20 minutes.

Remove from freezer and slide into 1/2" thick disks with a serrated knife and place on covered baking sheets.

Bake for 10-20 minutes until pastry puffs and browns.

Skordalia
Ingredients:
4-5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
6-10 cloves of garlic, pressed with a garlic press
1 c olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice


Instructions.
Boil potatoes in water until tender, drain.

Mash with a potato masher or ricer to a coarse texture.

Blend in garlic.

Put mixture in a food processor.  Pulse, slowly adding olive oil and lemon juice.  Mixture should remain coarse, but be well homogenized by pulsing.

Serve warm in a bowl with Spanokopita.

Can be served as a potato side dish as well.

Bleu Cheese & Pear Puff Pastry Bites

Ingredients

1 lg red onion - sliced into quarters then thin sliced
2 lg Red d'Anjou pears - peeled, cored and diced into 1/4" cubes
1 pkg puff pastry
1 1/2 T fresh thyme leaves
2 T olive oil
4 oz bleu cheese, crumbled
1/2 c + 1/2 c apple wine (I prefer Springgate Vineyard's Golden Apple Wine)

Heat skillet and add olive oil.  Saute onions until browned.  Add thyme and saute until fragrant.

Deglaze with 1/2 c apple wine making sure to scrape browned onion layer from pan.

Add diced pears and blend, heating.

Add other 1/2 c apple wine and gently heat the entire mixture for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare two baking sheets adding a layer of parchment paper.

Gently roll out puff pastry per the package instructions.  Cut with a 1 1/2" diameter cutter or suitable cup or glass.  This should yield about 48 circles.  Place circles onto baking sheets.

Put about 1 t of pear/onion mixture on each circle.  Follow by a bit of the crumbled bleu cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puff pastry is cooked through.

Serve and enjoy!

Robin Egg & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

4 3/4 c white flour
2 t baking soda
2 t salt
4 sticks softened unsalted butter
3 c brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
4 lg eggs
4 c broken Robin Egg (malted milk) candies pieces
2 c white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375° F. Add parchment paper to at least two baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Gradually beat in flour mixture. 

Gently fold in candie and white chocolate chips by hand

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets

Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown. Do not over bake.

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Cardamom-Ginger Crunch

Ingredients
2 c (1 lb) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1 c sugar
3 c flour, sifted
11 t ground ginger
3½ t ground cardamom
2 t baking powder
2 t kosher salt
1½ c confectioners' sugar
3 T golden syrup or dark corn syrup

Heat oven to 375°. 

Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish

Instructions

Put 18 tbsp. butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a handheld mixer on medium until fluffy. Add flour, 3 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. ground cardamom, baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt; mix until incorporated but still crumbly. Transfer mixture to reserved dish; press flat with your hands. Bake until shortbread is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

In a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining butter, ginger, cardamom, and salt and the confectioners' sugar and syrup. Bring to a boil and pour over shortbread; cool. Cut into 2" rectangles.

http://www.saveur.com

Lemon Curd filled Gingerbread Cups

Gingerbread Cups

1 3/4 c flour

1/2 c    dark brown sugar

1 t        baking powder

1 stick  chilled butter, diced

get recipes @ goboldwithbutter.com

1 T       molasses

1 t        vanilla

1 T       ginger

1 t        cinnamon

1/4 t     allspice

1/2 t     salt

1 T       water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease two or more mini-muffin tins with oil.

1.      In a food processor, add all dry ingredients and diced butter. Pulse until crumbly.

2.      While processing, add vanilla, molasses, and water.

3.      When creamy, stop.

4.      On a piece of wax paper, floured, dump out your mixture and form into a rectangle. Sprinkle more flour and fold paper over. Freeze for an hour or more.

5.      When ready to use, roll out dough to 1/8" thick.  Cut into 2 1/2" dia circles.

6.    Place a circle on each mini-muffin cup and press dough down into corners.  Use a knife to trim excess from top.

7.    Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges brown.  Cool on rack.

From Just a Pinch Recipes
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Lemon Curd

3 lemons

1 1/2 c sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

4 extra-large eggs

1/2 c lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)

1/8 t kosher salt

Directions

1.      Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

2.      Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

3.      Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

4. Serve by placing 1 teaspoon (+/-) filling in each Gingerbread cup.

From Food Network’s Ina Garten