..........................................................................................
WITCH'S BREW
CINNAMON SIMPLE SYRUP
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
COCKTAIL
2 oz of your favorite bourbon
3/4 oz cinnamon syrup
3/4 oz fresh orange juice
1 tbsp dry red wine
toasted marshmallows for garnish
In a saucepan, bring water & cinnamon to a simmer; cook 10 minutes. Add sugar; stir until dissolved. Let cool completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.
In a shaker with ice, combine bourbon, juice & syrup. Shake until cold. Strain over ice. Hold a spoon upside-down over cocktail & pour wine over top. Serve with toasted marshmallows.
NO-BAKE PUMPKIN PIE TART
Crust:
3/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup pecans
5 large, sliced medjool dates (pits removed)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
Filling:
1 Can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup of whole milk greek yogurt
dollop of coconut cream (off of a coconut milk can)
1 cup of brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp of pumpkin pie spice
CRUST: Place parchment paper in tart tin. Mix all crust ingredients in a blender/food processor until ground and press into the pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ready to fill.
FILLING: Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar & pumpkin pie spice into a large bowl and mix with a hand blender until smooth. Add cream cheese, yogurt & coconut cream & mix for a few more minutes, until creamy. Pour the mixture into your tart crust & smooth out the top. Place in the refrigerator to set for about 45 minutes!
HOT COCONUT MILK PUNCH
3⁄4 cup milk
1⁄4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz. bourbon
grated cinnamon, to garnish
Heat both types of milk, sugar & vanilla in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, whisking, until frothy and steaming. Stir in bourbon, then pour into a coffee mug; garnish with cinnamon.
CHOCOLATE MADELEINES
1/2 cup unsalted butter,
plus 2 tbsp for greasing
3/4 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup AP flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 oz of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 360. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan and brush the Madeleine pan. IMPORTANT, place the pan in the freezer. Allow butter to harden & repeat. Leave in the freezer until ready to fill & bake. In a stand mixer & paddle attachment, beat butter & sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated. Add vanilla & salt. Mix until combined. In a separate mix bowl, sift flour, cocoa & baking powder together. Add dry mixture to the egg mixture with the mixer on low speed. Add the dry mixture slowly. Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler & let it cool slightly. Carefully fold chocolate into the batter, with a spatula, until incorporated. Remove pan from the freezer & spoon enough batter into each shell. The tops should be smooth & level. Place back in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove & bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
COQ AU VIN
3 lbs skin on chicken thighs
2 ½ tsp kosher salt + more if needed
½ tsp ground black pepper + more if needed
3 cups bold & dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
6 oz thick cut bacon, diced into 1/4-inch "lardons"
8 shallots, peeled & quartered
2 large carrot, peeled & diced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp butter, cubed
¼ cup chopped parsley, more for serving
Season chicken with salt & pepper. Combine chicken, wine, bay leaf and thyme. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight. In a large dutch oven, cook bacon until the fat is rendered. Set aside allowing the excess fat to drain on a paper towel. Leave 2 tbsp-ish rendered fat in dutch oven. Pat marinaded chicken until dry with paper towels & keep the marinade, set aside. Heat the dutch oven with fat & add chicken in a single layer and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. You may have to work in batches. Place chicken on a plate. Add shallots, carrots & mushrooms to the dutch oven & season. Sear vegetables until browned, but not burned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic & tomato paste & cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in flour & cook for 30 seconds or so. Add brandy & gently scrape the "bits" off the bottom of the dutch oven. Cook for a few more minutes & then stir in marinade. Add the chicken and bacon back in. "Nestle" in with the vegetables. Cover & gently simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Uncover & simmer for 30 minutes to thicken. Season to taste. Add butter & stir in. Top with parsley.
SAVORY FRENCH GOUGERES
6 Tbsp unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
¾ tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup water
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, room temp
1½ cups Gruyère, grated
½ tsp white pepper
1 large egg yolk
Preheat oven to 400°. Bring butter, salt, nutmeg, and 1 cup water to a boil in saucepan. Stir until all the butter is melted. Remove from heat, add flour & stir. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from the pan & forms a ball. Continue stirring & cooking to cook until a dry film forms on bottom & sides of pan. The dough should no longer be sticky. Go ahead & poke to see! Remove from heat & allow the dough to cool slightly. Mix in 4 eggs, one at a time. Incorporate completely each time. Stir in cheese and pepper. Using a cookie scoop (1"), scoop & place on cookie sheet, lined with parchment, at least 2" apart. Whisk egg yolk & 1 tsp. water in a small bowl & brush rounds with egg wash. Bake gougères until puffed & golden. They should sound hollow when tapped. Typically about 25 minutes.
ANYTIME CHORIZO & TOMATO JAM BURGER
TOMATO JAM:
2 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 lemon juiced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/3 tsp cayenne
1 tsp kosher salt
BURGER:
1/2 lb. ground chorizo
ASSEMBLY:
2 tbsp tomato jam
1 burger patty, grilled
2 tbsp cheese
1 brioche bun
3 strips bacon, cooked & crispy
1 egg, fried (or sunny side up)
1/4 avocado (sliced & optional
Add the tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne & salt to a large sauce pot and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer & stir (often). Do this until the mixture reduces & thickens; about 1 hour. Set aside & heat up your grill, grill pan or cast iron to medium-high heat. Grill until cooked through. Turn off hear & add cheese. Gather your other ingredients. Starting with the bun, burger & cheese, pile on until your heart's content!
OLIVE OIL PISTACHIO CAKE
3/4 cup high quality Olive Oil
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup finely ground pistachios
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1 3/4 cups AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Rosemary simple syrup
chopped pistachios, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally grease a large bundt pan. Whisk olive oil, sugar & eggs until fluffy, 1 minute. Stir in pistachios, cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. In a different bowl, mix together flour, baking powder & salt. Fold the mixture into the wet ingredients. Pour into bundt pan & bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool before inverting & placing on a cooling rack. For the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice & syrup. Pour over cake and top with chopped pistachios.
BUDDHA BOWL
Broccoli
1 head broccoli
3 cloves garlic, minced
Heavy drizzle of coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
The Chickpeas
1 15 oz can chickpeas
light drizzle of coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp black pepper
The Rest of the Bowl
kale
pepita seeds
beet hummus*
purple cabbage, sliced thinly
1 avocado, sliced
Preheat your oven to 425. If you have a convection oven, use that setting and set to 400. Prep the broccoli by cutting into bite-sized florets. Toss with the oil, garlic and spices. Lay out on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. To prepare the chickpeas, rinse and drain the can of chickpeas. Pat until they are completely dry. Discard any loose skins. Toss the chickpeas with the oil, salt, and spices, and lay out on another baking sheeting lined with parchment paper. Put both the chickpeas and broccoli into the oven on separate racks. Take out the broccoli after 15 minutes, then take out the chickpeas after 20 minutes. To assemble the bowls, add on a layer of kale. Add on the broccoli, chickpeas, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and cabbage. Add on some beet hummus. Serve with pita chips!
BEET HUMMUS
1 (8 oz ) package steamed beets, quartered
1/2 of 15-oz. can cooked chickpeas, drained, rinsed & patted dry
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tahini
1 lime zested
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes total. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve in a Buddha Bowl or with veggies or chips! Seal and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
MAHI MAHI BANH MI
MAHI MAHI
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp water
1 serrano chili, sliced thinly
pinch of pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 lb Mahi Mahi, skin off
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp red curry paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup panko
SPICY MAYO
1/2 cup mayo
1-2 tablespoons Sriracha
ASSEMBLY
1 french baguette toasted + cut into fourths
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tablespoons chile oil
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup pickled carrots**
1 cup pickled daikon**
1 cucumber, sliced
4 eggs, fried
Marinate your fresh Mahi Mahi 4 hours to overnight with all the ingredients, except oil & panko. Add oil to large fry pan and heat slowly to medium. Test to make sure the oil is hot and ready. Dredge your mahi mahi in panko and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until cooked through and golden. Set aside.
To make the Spicy Mayo, mix together ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be done with your marinade the night prior.
To assemble: Half the baguettes lengthwise and spread a little (or a lot) of the spicy mayo over the bottom of each baguette. Divide the mahi mahi among the baguettes and then top with a drizzle of soy sauce and chile oil. Add fresh cilantro, pickled carrots, pickled daikon and cucumber slices. Finish with a fried egg.
**See L & L Cooking FB Facebook for quick pickling recipe
SHRIMP SUMMER ROLLS
ROLLS
4 oz rice rice vermicelli noodles
10 oz peeled and deveined shrimp, halved lengthwise
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves, pulled off stems
1 cup carrot, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1 cup cucumber, cut into matchstick-size pieces
2 leaves fresh lettuce, sliced
12 8'-9' rice paper rounds
SAUCE
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
Put noodles in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over to cover; let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool; drain and set aside. Fill a large plate with sides with warm water. Working with 1 rice paper round at a time, soak rice paper in water until just very pliable about 15-25 seconds. Transfer to a cutting board. Arrange 3 shrimp halves across center of round. Top with some leaves of each herb, cucumber, and carrot. Arrange a small handful of noodles over. Place 1 lettuce leaf over folded to fit. Fold bottom of rice paper over filling, then fold in ends. Repeat 11 more times.
SAUCE : Mix all ingredients together ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to dip!
