Wild Mushrooms & Bourbon Chive Cream in Phyllo Cups

Well as you may know I work at Iowa Wesleyan College and our season started back on August 8th when our athletes came back for the year. Since then life has been kind of busy and I really haven't had a lot of opportunity to cook much at home or blog even if I did cook. Well finally work has given me the opportunity as we had one of those nice dinners at the presidents house tonight. The menu consist  of an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. The appetizer was Wild Mushrooms and Bourbon Chive Cream in Phyllo Cups. The salad a Caesar Salad, the entree was a Seared Atlantic Salmon Fillet with a Honey Soy Glaze accompanied by a Wild Rice Cake and Fresh Asparagus Tips. The dessert was a Chocolate Divine Lava Cake with Fresh Raspberries. Tonight I am posting the appetizer and will attempt to blog the rest during this week. The dinner was for 14 people so the recipes to follow will be for that amount. The first thing we need to do is make Phyllo cups. Phyllo pastry is a paper thin pastry that is used in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine. It has many applications and you should be able to find it in the freezer section at the store. The Phyllo that I am using comes in 1 pound packages and the sheets are 14x18 inches. To make the Phyllo cups you will need some muffin tins, pan spray, a stick of melted butter, a pastry brush and of course Phyllo dough. First thing is to spray the muffin tins with the pan spray. Phyllo is very delicate so take care in handling it. You should cover the sheets you are not using with a damp cloth or film wrap while you are working with the other to make the cups. Peel off 1 sheet at a time and lay it out on a cutting board, brush it with the butter and cut it in squares that are approximately 4x4 inches. I cut my sheets 4x3 giving me 12 squares. This will give you 2 cups using 6 squares for each cup. Stack the squares alternating the corners so that you have 8 points. Once you have the squares stacked pick up the Phyllo and form it into the muffin cup pressing it down inside so to form a cup and flatten out the edges even with the top of the muffin tin. You will need to alternate cups in the muffin tin and usually get 4 or 5 cups in a 12 cup muffin tin. These can be made a day or two ahead and be stored at room temperature in an air tight container. Once you have all the cups made bake the Phyllo cups in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Now that you have the cups made it's time to make the mushroom filling for them. Here's what you will need:

Butter, melted                                                                        1 stick (4 ounce)
Crimini mushrooms,rinsed and sliced                                      3/4 pound
Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, rinsed and sliced           3/4 pound
Shallots, minced                                                                     1/2 pound
Garlic fresh, minced                                                                8 cloves
Salt                                                                                         to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground                                                     to taste
Heavy whipping cream                                                            2-3 cups
Bourbon                                                                                 1/2 pint
Fresh Chives, Chopped                                                           1/2 cup

I made this in a wok but use what ever pan you have that works for you. Melt the butter and add the shallots and garlic, saute until the shallots are translucent and the garlic begins to turn a little golden in color. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender. Add 2 cups of cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cream has thickened. Add the bourbon and simmer another 10 minutes or so until the cream has reduced to a desired thickness. It should cling to and cover the back of a spoon. If you should happen to get it too thick just add a little more cream to get the thickness you desire. Check the flavor and adjust the seasonings as needed. Time to serve. Set your Phyllo cup up in the middle of a plate, you could use a salad size plate or an entree size which ever you prefer or have. Spoon about a 1/4 cup of the mushroom mixture into the Phyllo cup allowing some to go onto the plate also and garnish generously with the fresh chives. If you can't find crimini or shiitake mushrooms you can use any fresh mushroom you like for this dish, it's all good. If you like mushrooms I'm sure you will find this to be a dish that is well worth the effort and that you will really, really enjoy!!! 

Spicy Chicken Quesadilla

Here's another way to use up some left over chicken. We grilled some chicken breast the other night and had a few left over so tonight we will turn that into a quick and easy dinner simply by adding a few tortillas, some shredded cheese and a little Cajun spice. Now you can serve this with some Mexican rice and or refried beans or maybe a lettuce salad or eat it all by itself. Tonight I chose to add a lettuce salad with some garden fresh tomatoes and Ranch dressing. Of course you must have some salsa to go with it and maybe some sour cream or guacamole or all the above. Again the goal is quick and easy so I have chosen what we have in the house. I have probably around 8 or 9 ounces of cooked chicken breast and that should give me enough to make 4 nice quesadillas.
Here's what we will need:

10 inch flour tortillas                                                    4 each
Chicken breast, cooked and diced small                       8-9 ounces
Cajun Spice                                                                to taste
Co-jack cheese, shredded                                           10-12 ounces
Butter or salad oil                                                        little to cook with

Heat a large skillet with medium high heat, add a small amount of butter or oil to skillet and place the tortilla in skillet also. Spin the tortilla around some to help spread the oil evenly. (You could use pan spray for this also if you prefer.) Add about 2 ounces of diced chicken to the skillet around the outside of the tortilla and sprinkle generously with Cajun spice. Spread 2-3 ounces of the shredded cheese evenly over the tortilla. When the chicken is hot move it over to the tortilla also distributing it evenly. Once the cheese has begun to melt well you can fold the tortilla in half. Cook until everything inside is good and hot and the tortilla is golden brown and crisp. Remove from pan and cut in four wedges. Repeat these steps until all quesadillas are made. If you have some left over steak it works great for this also. Add your favorite sides and you have a quick and easy dinner that all will enjoy!!!  

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

Garden fresh tomatoes make this sauce a treat you won't soon forget. It's the time of year when tomatoes are abundant and this recipe will help you to clear some of those tomatoes off the kitchen counter. I used about 15 medium sized tomatoes for this sauce and it yielded me about 3 quarts of tomatoes after I peeled and chopped them. Now you don't have to peel them but doing so makes for a much nicer sauce. It's really pretty easy and goes quick if you do it right. First thing put a 6 quart pan about 2/3 full of water on and bring it to a boil. You will also need a 4 quart bowl about 2/3 full of ice water to shock the tomatoes when they come out of the hot water. While you are waiting for the water to boil you need to prep the tomatoes. Start by taking a paring knife and cutting out the core, turn the tomato over and score or cut an X in the bottom. If you have any bad spots cut them out now also. Once you have this done and the water is boiling it's time to peel the tomatoes. Put about 1/2 of the tomatoes in the boiling water and leave them for 30-60 seconds. It really doesn't take long and you should be able to see the skin start to pull away. Remove the tomatoes and place them in the ice water, once you have them all in pick them up one at a time and peel the skin off. It should pull right off, if not they need to go back in the hot water for a little longer. Once you have the first batch done repeat the steps to finish the remaining tomatoes. Now you need to chop the tomatoes. I like to dice them kind of small but you can chop them what ever size you might like. You could also put them in a food processor and pulse it to get a coarse product or if you like you can process the heck out of them for a smooth sauce. Keep in mind though that this sauce will be kind of thin and the finer the tomatoes the longer you may have to cook it to get any kind of thickness. Dump the water out of your bowl and use it to store the tomatoes as you chop them. I did just a couple of tomatoes at a time and then scraped them off into the bowl so I wouldn't lose any of the juice. Now your tomatoes are ready, lets see what else we will need:

Olive oil                                                                                1/4 cup
Fresh garlic, minced                                                              5 cloves
Yellow onion, diced small                                                      1/2 medium
Fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced                                          3 quarts
Sea salt                                                                                 1 Tbsp or to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground                                                    to taste (lots)
Fresh parsley, chopped fine                                                   1/2 cup
Fresh Sweet Basil leaves, chopped coarse                              1 cup

Heat the olive oil in a 6 quart sauce pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned. Add the tomatoes, sea salt and black pepper (I used about 50 turns of the pepper mill) and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20- 30 minutes. At the same time you should be heating water to cook your pasta. I chose a whole wheat pasta but you can use whatever you prefer. One pound of pasta will be plenty although the whole wheat pasta comes in a 13 or 14 ounce package.  I guess they figure if you are going to eat healthy you don't need as much. Anyway, while your sauce is simmering get that pasta cooked and drain but don't rinse it. Leave that starch in and it will help the sauce. Also I chose to serve some grilled chicken with my pasta. Now would be a good time to get that cooking. I seasoned mine up with plenty of garlic powder, some fresh ground black pepper and a little sea salt...off to the grill. We also chose to have some grilled sweet corn and I put it on the grill at the same time as the chicken. Now about 20 minutes later and a few trips back and forth from the house to the grill the corn and chicken are done so pull it and back into the house we go. Add the pasta , parsley and sweet basil to the sauce and mix it all in well. Let it heat a little while you get everything else to the table, slice up a loaf of some nice whole grain Italian bread and once again you have a nice hot summer dinner the whole family will enjoy!!!

Penne Pasta and Chicken Prima Vera

Large chunks of tender chicken breast, penne pasta, fresh vegetables, Parmesan cheese and creamy Alfredo sauce make this a dish that is sure to keep everyone happy. I like to bake or grill the chicken breast and then cut it up and add it to the pasta at the end. Doing this insures that your chicken will be nice and tender as opposed to cutting it up raw and cooking it in the pan.
I also like to stir-fry the vegetables in a wok and then complete the dish in the wok adding the sauce, pasta and chicken. As you can see in the picture below this recipe will fill the wok to the top so there will be plenty for guests or leftovers. You can easily feed 8-10 people with this, especially if you add a nice green salad and some garlic bread or Parmesan toast.

Start out with about 2 pounds of chicken breast, rinse it well with cold water, put it on a sheet pan and season both sides generously with fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder and a little sea salt if you like. Bake the chicken in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. The chicken should be firm to the touch and again if you're not sure that it's done cut a little slit in it and take a look, no pink, it's done. Once you get the chicken in the oven put on a pan of water for the pasta and follow the directions on the box. They are usually pretty accurate. Here's what we will need to complete the dish:

Chicken Breast, cook, cool and chunk                         2 pounds
Penne Pasta                                                                1 pound box
Olive Oil                                                                     1/4 cup
Fresh Carrots, peel, halve and cut on bias thin              2 medium
Red Bell Pepper, seed and cut in strips                        1 each
Yellow Onion, julienne                                                 1/2 medium
Fresh Broccoli, cut bite size buds                                1 bunch
Alfredo Sauce                                                             3-16 ounce jars
Parmesan Cheese                                                        1/2 cup
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                          to taste (plenty)
Garlic Powder                                                             1 Tbsp or to taste
Cajun Spice                                                                 to taste
Fresh Chives, chopped                                                1/4 cup

Okay, so the chicken is in the oven and we have the water on for the pasta. Start cutting the vegetables, I would cut them in the order listed as the broccoli will make the biggest mess and should be cut last. Reserve the vegetables until ready to cook. When the water comes to a boil start the pasta. Once it is going good heat up your wok and add the olive oil, toss in the vegetables and give them a stir. cook the veggies until they are hot but still crisp and add the Alfredo sauce, use about 1/4 cup of water in each jar of sauce and shake it up good to get all the sauce and add it also. You might be thinking, bottled sauce? What's up with that? Well if you want to make sauce I could definitely give you a good recipe or you could get one elsewhere online but to keep it simple and quick I have chosen to use a prepared sauce. I usually buy what ever cost the least and season it up to suit my needs. Maybe sometime this winter I can prepare an Alfredo from scratch and post it. It's really not difficult but does involve more time and preparation than opening a jar. Any way the sauce is in and the pasta is probably getting close. I would guess your chicken should be done by now and cooling a bit so you can chunk it up. Stir the sauce a bit and turn the heat down so it doesn't scorch. Add your seasonings, the Cajun spice is really something optional, I like to add some to give the dish a little zip, you can add a little or a lot it's up to you. When the pasta is done drain it and add to the sauce, add the chicken and bring it all up to heat so you have a good simmer. Add the Parmesan and fresh chives, mix well and serve. Again add a nice green salad and some good bread to this dish and you have a meal that all will enjoy!!!

Grilled Cajun Pork Chops with Tomato Chive Relish

Boneless pork chops coated with plenty of Cajun Spice make this dish a real treat. If you like it spicy hot you will love this. Add a cool fresh garden tomato relish and you have a combination of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. You can sear this up in a pan or since it is summer my choice is to fire up that grill and get that great flavor from cooking with charcoal. First thing you want to do is make the relish so it has a little time for the flavors to grow together. For this you will need the following:

Fresh Tomato, dice small                                                   1 large
Red Onion, dice small                                                        2 Tbsp
Green Bell Pepper, dice small                                             2 Tbsp
Fresh Garlic, minced                                                          1 clove
Fresh Chives, chopped                                                      1 Tbsp
Olive Oil                                                                            1 Tbsp
Lime Juice                                                                         2 Tbsp
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                                to taste
Sea Salt ( optional )                                                            pinch

Mix all ingredients and chill until time to serve. This will make 4-5 servings and doubles easily if you need more.

Now for this I used boneless pork chops but you can use any type of pork chop you might prefer. It's really a pretty simple process, get the grill good and hot, season up your pork real well with your favorite Cajun Spice and head for the grill. I'm pretty generous with the spice as I like it hot. If it doesn't at least bring a little sweat to the brow it's just not sufficient. We all have a preference so spice your chops the way you like, lots or just a little. The chops I use are about 5-6 ounces and will take between 10 to 15 minutes depending on how hot the grill is. Get them on, get some nice color, probably 5 or 6 minutes, turn them over and finish them, probably another 6 minutes or so. Pork will firm up as it cooks and they say now that you don't have to kill it for it to be safe to eat. Cook to medium to medium well and you have a pork chop that is still juicy and full of flavor. Pair this up with some brown rice or your favorite potato and a nice green vegetable, add the tomato chive relish and you have another great summer meal that all will enjoy!!!

Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Salad

There's just nothing better than garden fresh tomatoes and it's that time of year when they should be plentiful. Here's a quick and easy salad that will surely please all the tomato lovers in your family and help to get some of those tomatoes off the kitchen counter. All you need is a little fresh basil, fresh garlic, thinly sliced red onions, fresh ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil and of course fresh tomatoes right out of the garden. In the picture above you see some nice fresh sliced tomatoes with some red onions and a nice sprig of fresh basil. This is good and may be enough for you but if you want to dress it up a little I suggest you try this. Mince up a clove or two of garlic, cut some basil in strips ( just leaves, no stems ), slice some red onion and the tomatoes and arrange them on individual salad plates. Sprinkle with the basil, garlic, and fresh ground black pepper. Now drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on it and you have a nice refreshing tomato salad that's loaded with flavor for all to enjoy!!!

  

Stromboli

Stromboli is one of my all time favorites. One of the great things about Stromboli is that you can put just about anything you like in it. This is a quick and easy Stromboli that we will use prepared ingredients for. I could give you recipes for dough and sauce and such but these things take time and it seems that time is always short so if you can speed up the process and have a good product...why not?  The dough for Stromboli is a basic pizza dough but today we are going to use a frozen bread dough. The best thing to do is plan ahead and pull the bread dough the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then when you are ready your dough will be ready too. One loaf will make 4 individual Stromboli and that's the recipe we will do today. Here's what you will need:

Frozen bread dough                                                           1 loaf
Pizza sauce                                                                        3/4 cup
Canadian bacon, cut in strips                                              5 ounces
Pepperoni, cut in strips                                                       2 ounces
Colby-Jack Cheese                                                             6 ounces
Red or yellow bell pepper, cut in strips                                1 each
Yellow onion, cut in strips                                                   1/2 cup


Lets start with the dough, cut the loaf in 4 equal pieces and on a clean dry work surface with a little flour start flattening them out one at a time with the heel of your palm. After you get them kind of flat you can pick up the dough and start stretching it, turning it in a circular motion so as to keep it even and somewhat round. If it gets sticky just add a little more flour. And if your brave enough you can even give it a spinning toss in the air. Careful don't drop it on the floor! Anyway stretch them out to about 8 inches in diameter, dust a cookie sheet with a little flour and lay them out on it. Cover them with a clean dish cloth and let them sit for about an hour. They will rise a little and should get a little puffy. Now lets cut the pepper and onion and saute it in a little olive oil or butter. Cook until just crisp tender, remove from heat and reserve for later. Next cut the meats into strips, you could leave it whole but cutting it makes it easier to eat.
After the dough rises a little it's time to build the Stromboli. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with pan spray, uncover the dough  and start with the sauce. I used about 3 Tbsp per crust and you want to place it in the middle of your dough. Split the rest of the ingredients evenly between the 4 crusts. You will want to layer it. I did Canadian bacon, about half the cheese, pepperoni, peppers and onions and the other half of the cheese. Now fold in the ends, pull one side of the dough up and over the top, tuck it in a little and roll the Stromboli so that the seam will be on the bottom. Move it to the sprayed pan and do the others. Kind of looks like a burrito. Cut a couple of slits in the top of the dough, brush lightly with olive oil and it's ready to bake. These took about 17 minutes for me. I set my timer for 12 minutes, when it went off I turned the pan and set the timer for another 5 minutes. They came out hot and a nice golden brown. You can use what ever type of meat and cheese in these that you would prefer. You could even make them a vegetarian dish if you like. What ever your choices may be I'm sure this is something that you will find very satisfying. Serve it up with a nice green salad and a little sauce on the side and you're going to make everyone happy. Enjoy!!!