There may come a time in your life when you are forbidden carbs – ANY carb – for a 36 hour period. Unlikely, yes, but that’s what made me recall having grilled romaine.
I’d never tried to make it but desperate times called for desperate measures. Kidding. It’s really delicious. Truly.
Grilled Romaine Lettuce
GRILLED, Healthy, Salads,
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Servings: Servings 3 to 4 servings Source: simplyrecipes.com
INGREDIENTS
3 to 4 romaine hearts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Prep the romaine hearts:
Pull off any old leaves. Chop off the top 1 or 2 inches of the lettuce head, and shave off the browned part of the root end, leaving the root end intact so that the lettuce head stays together.
Prepare your grill:
Turn your gas grill to high or get your charcoal coal grill very hot.
Prepare the vinaigrette:
Put the oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to combine. Paint the lettuce hearts all over with the vinaigrette.
Grill the lettuce:
Grill the romaine hearts until lightly browned on all sides, turning every minute or two until done.
Serve immediately:
Serve immediately. You can either serve the hearts whole, or chop them and toss them for a salad.
NUTRITION
(per serving) 130 Calories 11g Fat 8g Carbs 3g Protein Nutrition Facts Servings: 3 to 4 Amount per serving Calories 130 % Daily Value* Total Fat 11g 14% Saturated Fat 1g 7% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 98mg 4% Total Carbohydrate 8g 3% Dietary Fiber 5g 17% Total Sugars 3g Protein 3g Vitamin C 9mg 47% Calcium 78mg 6% Iron 2mg 13% Potassium 572mg 12% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
6 large eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
2 tablespoons cognac or Grand Marnier (optional)
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon; optional)
Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups (355g) heavy cream, very cold
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Unsweetened cocoa powder and/or bittersweet chocolate shavings, for topping
DIRECTIONS
To make the cake, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the center. Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan with parchment paper. (Do not butter the pan and parchment.)
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over but not touching gently simmering water in a saucepan. You can whisk it occasionally to help it along. When it’s melted, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.
In two small bowls, separate 4 of the eggs. In a large bowl, whisk 2 whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup (100g) of the sugar just until combined. Slowly whisk in the warm chocolate mixture. Whisk in the Cognac and the orange zest. Using a handheld mixer in a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar and beat until beautifully glossy, soft peaks form that hold their shape but aren’t quite stiff, about 5 minutes more. Very gently fold about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top is puffed and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Be careful not to bake the cake beyond this point.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. The center of the cake will sink as it cools, forming a sort of crater—this is good! Let the cake cool completely on a rack.
To make the whipped cream, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a handheld mixer until billowy, soft—not stiff—peaks form.
Using a spatula, fill the sunken center of the cake with the whipped cream, swirling the cream to the edges of the crater. Dust the top lightly with cocoa powder.
Run the tip of a knife around the edge of the cake, carefully remove the sides of the pan, and cut into wedges to serve.
Store any leftovers airtight in the refrigerator—they won’t be very presentable but they’ll make a delicious moussey snack.
Sunshine ☀️ in a jar – this Orange 🍊 Jelly is super easy as long as you have a thermometer that’ll read to 220🌡️.
I spent all weekend making Citrus Marmalade & Orange Jelly. The marmalade’s another post. THAT’S super labor intensive, but this Orange jelly more than made up for it.
Orange Jelly
Servings: 4 -5 pints
author: Adapted from marisa mcclellan’s recipe: foodinjars.com
INGREDIENTS
5 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice
5 cups sugar
2 packets of liquid pectin
DIRECTIONS
In a large, non-reactive pot, combine the sugar and orange juice and bring them to a boil. Cook at a boil until they’re greatly reduced.
Using an instant read thermometer, watch until the pot reaches 220 degrees (this is important! Skip this step and you’ll wind up with orange syrup, rather than jelly).
Add the liquid pectin and allow to reach boiling for an additional five minutes (the goal is to reach 220 degrees again and maintain it for at least three minutes).
For the Pho Stock: Add the beef base and 1 quart water to a 2-quart (1.9-L) saucepan and bring to a low boil. Add the fish sauce, sugar, ginger, onion and salt to the stock and reduce the heat to a simmer. Wrap the cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a satchel. Add the satchel to the broth and simmer for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 45 minutes.
Around the 30 minute mark, taste the broth to see that the spice flavors have been extracted, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Strain the aromatics and satchel from the broth, return to a sauce pot, and reserve for assembly.
For the assembly: Bring the broth back to a simmer. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Using a sieve or basket, quickly dip the noodles into the water until they are hot and al dente, 10 to 20 seconds. Drain the excess water from the noodles and distribute the noodles between 4 bowls.
Top each bowl with some sliced beef, basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, jalapeno, scallions and onion, or as each person wishes. Ladle in enough broth to cover the ingredients in the bowl. Garnish with a lime wedge. I like to serve pho with Sriracha and hoisin sauce.
Cook Time: 50 minutesServings: Prep time 10 minutesSource: tastesoflizzyt.com
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BREAD:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder** (see notes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced strawberries
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
FOR THE GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup finely diced strawberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk** (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, milk, oil, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
In a small bowl, toss together the strawberries and the 2 tablespoons of flour to coat the strawberries. Fold the floured strawberries gently into the batter.
Pour the bread batter into a greased 9″x5″ bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the bread should come out clean. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, diced strawberries and extract in a small bowl. Mix until it is smooth.
Once the bread is cool, spread the glaze on top of the bread. Slice and serve.
NOTES
*I often add an extra teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the bread batter (along with the wet ingredients) for an extra boost of flavor. I do this especially if I’m not putting the glaze on top. The bread has the most flavor when you add the strawberry glaze!
*We have added up to 2 ½ cups of diced strawberries to the batter. The bread stays together the best when you use about 2 cups.
**We like the strawberry bread as written, but if you’d like a higher rise on the bread, reduce the baking powder to 1 teaspoon and add ½ teaspoon of baking soda. This will change the texture slightly, but some like it a little better.
**We didn’t need any milk or cream to make the glaze spreadable, but it may depend on the juiciness of your strawberries. The glaze will be very thick and look like it is not mixing up, but if you keep mixing, it should create a nice creamy pink glaze as shown below. If it doesn’t, add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time. The glaze will soften as it sits too since the sugar pulls out juices from the strawberries. Keep this in mind when adding milk and don’t add too much!
***Many people find that they can make half of a recipe of glaze and it is plenty. If you don’t like a lot of glaze, halve the ingredients.
****The calories shown are based on the bread being cut into 10 pieces (and all of the frosting used), with 1 serving being 1 slice of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
We bought a Honey Baked Ham for the holidays and I went searching for recipes for leftovers.
This one’s a KEEPER.
Ham & Cheese Sliders
Ham & Cheese Sliders
★★★★★
Entertaining for a crowd, Make Ahead, Meats, Sandwich
Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Servings: Yields: Source: delish.com
INGREDIENTS
SAVE TO MY RECIPES
1/4 c. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. honey
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4 c. mayonnaise
12 slider buns
12 slices deli ham
12 slices Swiss cheese
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine mustard and honey and whisk to combine.
Make poppy dressing: In a medium bowl, combine butter, poppy seeds, and 1 tablespoon of honey-mustard mixture. Whisk to combine.
Split slider buns in half horizontally and place bottom half on baking sheet. Spread mayo in an even layer on the bottom layer of slider buns, then top with an even layer of ham and cheese. Spread top buns with honey-mustard mixture, then place on top of cheese layer. Pour poppyseed dressing on tops of buns (using a pastry brush to spread if necessary) until all buns are coated.
Place in oven and bake until cheese is melty and buns are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Slice and serve.
NUTRITION
(per serving): 312 calories, 16 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, .14 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 18 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 683 mg sodium
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 35 min Difficulty: EasyServings: Yield: 10 to 12 latkesSource: foodnetwork.com
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds russet potatoes
1 small yellow onion
3 tablespoons matzo meal
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley, for garnish
Sour cream, for serving
Spiced Apple-Pear Sauce, for serving, recipe follows
Spiced Apple-Pear Sauce:
3 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
DIRECTIONS
Peel the potatoes and shred them in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade; transfer the potatoes to a large bowl as the food processor fills up. Repeat with the onion. Transfer the onion to the bowl with the potatoes and stir in the matzo meal, egg, baking powder and salt.
Fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot but not smoking. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of potato into the oil; if the potato sizzles steadily, the oil is ready.
Working in batches, scoop the potato mixture by 1/4-cupfuls and add them carefully to the skillet, flattening each latke slightly with a spatula. Fry, turning the latkes once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Remove any loose bits of potato mixture between batches with a slotted spoon.
Serve the latkes immediately, or keep them warm in a 200 degree F oven. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with sour cream and Spiced Apple-Pear Sauce.
Spiced Apple-Pear Sauce:
Combine the apples, pears, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the apples and pears are very soft but still a bit chunky, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the mixture and add the remaining tablespoon of sugar if desired.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir a few times until the sauce is well combined with small chunks. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve. (For a smoother sauce, remove from heat, remove the cinnamon sticks and then whisk the mixture until smooth before cooling.)
NOTES
If you need to fry a lot of latkes, it’s best to make multiple batches rather than one double batch. The longer the mixture sits, the wetter it becomes which makes the latkes fall apart more easily as they cook.
Beat lemon, 1/2 cup sugar and eggs. In saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir in water. Cook and stir til thickened; remove from heat. Gradually beat in egg mixture.
Over low heat cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add vanilla. Cool. Fold in whipped cream.
1 ½ cups blueberries- fresh (if use frozen do not thaw)
3-4 teaspoons of flour- to toss the blueberries
12 oz. full-fat brick style cream cheese- softened
1 cup unsalted butter-softened
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ -4 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
lemon wedges
fresh blueberries
DIRECTIONS
Blueberry Cheesecake::
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Wrap springform pan in double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent water from leaking in during the baking in a water bath.
To make the cheesecake pulse blueberries and cream cheese in a food processor, then transfer the mixture in a mixing bowl.
Add sugar and flour and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla.
Add eggs, one at the time mixing after each addition just to combine, do not over mix.
Finally mix in sour cream and heavy cream. Pour the batter into springform pan and smooth the top, then place in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water in roasting pan halfway up the side of the springform pan and make sure no water drip on the batter and bake 40-45 minutes or until the center has set.
Remove springform pan from water bath, then run a thin knife around the cake and cool to a room temperature, then place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to cool completely.
Lemon Blueberry Cake::
Preheat oven to 350 F, butter and lightly flour two 8-inches round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles.
Sift together 2 cups flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Stir together milk and lemon juice and set aside to curdle.
Beat butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
With the mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time and mix after each addition.
Add vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix to combine.
First add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add half of the milk mixture, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, then remaining milk mixture milk, and finish with the flour mixture. Mix to combine after each addition, but do not over mix.
In a small bowl, gently toss blueberries with flour to coat, then gently fold blueberries into batter, being careful not to break the berries.
Divide batter evenly between pans, smooth the top and bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Cream Cheese Frosting::
Mix the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until no lumps remain. Do not over beat before the sugar was added or may end up with a runny frosting.
Add vanilla, salt and lemon zest and mix until combined.
Gradually add powdered sugar until desired sweetness and thickness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until smooth.
Assembling the Cake:
Place one layer of cake onto serving plate and top with thin layer of lemon cream cheese frosting. Place blueberry cheesecake layer and top with thin layer of frosting. Finally, top with second cake layer and frost cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with lemon wedges and fresh blueberries if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut.
Store in the fridge.
NOTES
You can make the cake layers and cheesecake layer a day ahead. Cool completely to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight. The next day make the frosting and assemble the cake.
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