Reuben Bake

 

1 can crescent roll dough

1/2 lb sliced corned beef

1/2 lb sliced Swiss cheese

1 cup drained and squeezed dry sauerkraut

1/2 c Russian or Thousand Island dressing or homemade recipe from Reuben Bowls

2 T Dijon mustard

1 T butter, melted

1 tsp caraway seeds

Fresh parsley and chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking dish or deep pie dish (or line with parchment

Unroll the dough and press it into the dish.

Layer the ingredients in this order: Dijon mustard, corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Drizzle with dressing. Make one or two layers and then top with the dough, sealing the edges.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden.

Slice when cooled a bit, garnish with fresh parsley and chopped chives and serve warm.

Adapted from Olivia's Mediterranean Kitchen

Autumn Salad: Orso, Butternut Squash and Fruit

Orzo salad:

1 pound orzo

20 oz. butternut squash, chopped

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

2 T olive oil

Salt and pepper

I honey crisp apple, chopped

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. pecans

Dressing:

1/2 c. olive oil

1/8 c. apple cider vinegar

1/8 c. red apple balsamic vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

1 T. dijon mustard

1 T. honey

Salt and pepper

Add butternut squash and bacon to parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to coat and roast in a 425 oven for 25-30 minutes.

Cook the orzo to al dente in salted water. Do not overcook. Drain.

Combine all ingredients for the dressing and whisk vigorously.

In a large bowl, add the orzo, squash and bacon, apple, cranberries and pecans. 

Add all together with dressing, toss and combine.

Serve warm or cold. 

 From Daniela Dish dot com.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Cheese, Cranberries and Nuts

2 medium sweet potatoes sliced into rounds about 1/2 inch and brushed with oil and seasoning
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

A 6-8 ounce log or round of brie or goat cheese, sliced

1/2 cup whole and chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2-3 T hot honey for drizzle

Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

Roast the sweet potato rounds in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes on parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Place a round of cheese on each round and return to the oven for 2-3 min. until the cheese is soft. Top with dried cranberries, chopped nuts. Garnish with rosemary and a whole nut, drizzle each with hot honey, and serve warm.

Sweet Potato Rosti and Spinach/Feta Quiche

 

From Olivia's Mediterranean Kitchen

For the Sweet Potato Rosti Crust 

2 large sweet potatoes (about 1-1/3 pounds) peeled and coarsely grated with water squeezed out

1 large egg

1/4 c flour

2 T olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

For the Spinach and Feta Filling

5 large eggs

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup fresh spinach and chopped

1 sliced shallot

2 t garlic, minced

1 cup cream

1 T fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish

1/4 c. walnuts, chopped

2 T honey

Fresh thyme sprigs

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Use parchment lined quiche or tart pans. 

In a large bowl, combine the grated sweet potato, egg, flour, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Shape and bake by pressing the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden and base has begun to crisp.

Saute the vegetables: Heat 1 T oil in a skillet and cook the shallot 2-3 minutes, add the garlic and cook 30 sec. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Cook off the excess moisture.

Prepare the filling. Whisk together the eggs, cream, any other seasoning, pepper and a bit of salt. Stir in the spinach mixture and crumbled feta. 

Reduce the temperature in the oven to 375 degrees. Pour in the mixed egg, spinach, feta mixture into the partially baked crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes. Toss with olive oil and fresh thyme. 

Let the quiche rest and then sprinkle the walnuts, extra feta and then drizzle with honey. 

Garnish with thyme sprigs and slice into wedges. 

Roasted Grapes Burrata, Proscuitto and Pistachios Platter

 

Ingredients:

Roasted grapes:

2-1/2 c seedless red grapes, stems removed and washed and dried. 

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Platter:

2-3 burrata balls, drained

4 slices prosciutto, torn

2 T chopped roasted pistachios

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Fresh or toasted bread for serving.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the grapes in a baking dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Spread the grapes evenly across the dish. Roast for approximately 30 minutes, until softened, slightly wrinkled and releasing their juices.  Let them cool briefly until warm rather than sizzling 

Gently open the drained burrata onto the serving platter. Arrange the torn prosciutto in loose folds over the burrata. Spoon the roasted grapes and their juices onto the platter.

Sprinkle with the pistachios and thyme.

Serve immediately with bread or crackers. 

Recipe from katerynas cafe dot com

Burma Superstar's Coconut Curry Chicken

Our son-in-law Rob made us this wonderful dish from the Burma Superstar cookbook. Burma Superstar is a restaurant in San Francisco and imagine they had easten there in the past. Rob served the dish with rice but it might be great with noodles, too. The spice was perfect although Rob left out some of it (with reason he did not use a Madras Curry powder due to some of Beth's allergies to cinnamon and the like.) He also served it with a lovely Ginger Salad from the same cookbook. 

Gather your ingredients and plan to marinate the chicken for 24 hours before cooking the dish.

Ingredients:  

2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp. ground paprika

 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. salt, plus more as needed
1/4 cup canola oil
3 cups finely diced onions
*1 tbsp. fresh ginger (not in the cookbook, but a nice addition)
2 T garlic, minced
1 can (13 1/2 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp. red curry paste, or Madras curry powder, or yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Cilantro for garnish
Lemon or lime wedges for garnish

Instructions:  

Remove excess fat from the chicken and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Mix the chicken with the paprika, turmeric and salt, in a large bowl and allow to marinate 24 hours.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmery, add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Gently sauté the onions until translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic. Continue to stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken to the onion mixture and stir to combine.
Pour in the coconut milk. Increase the heat to bring to a near boil. Let simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce.
Reduce the heat, add the fish sauce and water, and increase the heat again to bring back to a boil.
Lower the heat to simmer for about 45-50 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the curry and cayenne at the end of 45-50 minutes and simmer for 5-10 minutes more.
Turn off the heat and let the curry rest for 20 minutes.
At the end of the rest, if desired, skim the fat/oil off the top.
Turn on the heat to medium-high and bring just to a simmer to warm through before serving.

Fig Tart made with Homemade Fig Jam

Blend 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. salt in a separate medium bowl. In another blend one egg yolk with 3 T. half-and-half (or milk and heavy cream) and 1 tsp.of vanilla or black walnut extract. Finely chop 1/2 c. walnuts. Blend these with the dry ingredients. You will need at least a cup of your homemade fig jam. Slice 10 moist dried figs. Chop 1/2 cup walnuts.

Getting the Crust ready: Keep one cup of unsalted butter that is cut into small squares in the frig or freezer until you are ready to blend all of the above in a bowl.

With a pastry cutter, blend the dry crust ingredients in a large bowl and cut in the cold butter. Make a well in the crust mixture and add the egg/cream. Mix well, continuing to use the pastry cutter. Break up large clumps with your fingers.

Getting the Crust ready: Keep one cup of unsalted butter that is cut into small squares in the frig or freezer until you are ready to blend all of the above in a bowl.

You will need at least a cup of your homemade fig jam. Slice 10 moist dried figs. Chop 1/2 cup walnuts.

With a pastry cutter, blend the dry crust ingredients in a large bowl and cut in the cold butter. Make a well in the crust mixture and add the egg/cream. Mix well, continuing to use the pastry cutter. Break up large clumps with your fingers. 

Press the dough firmly into a large fluted quiche pan with a removable bottom, lined or unlined with parchment. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove from the freezer the chilled crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.

Cover the tart crust with a 1/2 inch layer of your homemade fig jam and sliced figs and 1/2 cup walnuts.

Bake for 35-40 minutes in the 350 degree oven. Cool before cutting.