David's Crisp Apple Strudel with Vanilla Ice Cream

What you are looking in the picture above is sauted apples that have been sealed in a wonton wrapper, deep fried, and then placed atop vanilla ice cream and then drizzled with the yummy syrup from the apples. The result was this crunchy, warm dish that had all the flavors of an apple strudel/apple pie, but better because of the awesome texture and lightness of the pastry, in this case a wonton! 

As of late, I've been making the apple compote or filling and just putting it on ice cream because I love the flavors similar to apple pie or crostata, only I'm too lazy to go to the work!  But just yesterday, as I was making dinner using won tons, my husband David suggested I do the same thing with apples--thus, he get's his name on the recipe :).  As I am always game for something new, I made it and it was a hit! 

DAVID'S CRISP APPLE STRUDEL WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM
(Print this Recipe)
Ingredients:

Apple Filling
2 apples, cored, quartered, then thinly sliced
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
3-4 Tbs. cinnamon
1/4 c. chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

1 package won ton wrappers
water for sealing won tons
vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly.  You don't want them paper thin, but you want them thin enough that they will cook quickly. 
2.  In a medium sauce pan, combine apples, butter, sugar, cinnamons, pecans and vanilla.  Saute, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan, about 3 inches deep, over medium high heat.  Once the apples have cooled, place a 1/2 c. of the apple filling in a bowl and use a couple knives to chop it into smaller pieces so it can fit in the wontons.

4.  Remove the won ton wrappers from the package and place on a cutting board.  You will need a little dish of water and a pastry brush.  If you don't have a brush, just dip your fingers in the water instead.  If you are going to do a lot, put a damp paper towl over the stack of won tons so they won't dry out.  I was only doing a couple, so I don't have one in the photo. 

5.  Here is how you do the won tons: dip your brush (or finger) in the water and wet the outside edges of the wrapper. 

6.  Next, take 1 tsp. (pretty much level--you don't want to overstuff the won tons or they will split) and place in the center of your won ton. 

7.  Place another won ton on the very top and seal the edges, moving from the inside outward in order to get all the air out.  Any air that is sealed in may cause the won ton to burst during cooking.

8.  Place completed won ton on a plate, WIPE THE CUTTING BOARD so that the next won ton won't stick, and repeat steps 4-8 for more won tons.  When you have completed as many won tons as you want to cook, have them all ready on a plate or cookie sheet.  *If I am making a large amount, I cover the won tons I've completed and placed on a cookie sheet with a barely damp dish cloth.

9.  Test the oil you have heated to see if it is ready.  You do this by sticking a wooden spoon, having it touch the bottom of the pot, and watching for bubbles.  Bubbles mean the oil is hot enough. 

10.  Once the oil is ready, drop in no more than 4 won tons if you have a large pan.  If you overcrowd the pan, the won tons will stick together.  *One thing I DO NOT due is press the won tons down.  This causes them to crack and burst open.  Just let them hang out, get brown on one side (about 30 sec. or less) and then flip them over to brown the other side.  I usually pull them when they are lightly golden.  If you wait until they are dark brown, they get overcooked, as they still bubble for a little bit once you pull them out.

11.  Remove won tons from the pan once golden brown and place on a plate with a paper towl or cookie sheet. 

12.  Serve immediately by placing on or beside vanilla ice cream and drizzling with the sauce remaining from the sauted apples.

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Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

This was yesterday's brunch at my house!  Many people shy away from making this old classic because of the hollandaise sauce.  Never fear--I have documented each step of the process so that you too can have this from scratch at your house.  There really is nothing like a fresh, homemade hollandaise sauce....mmmm. 

The traditional eggs benedict has a poached egg atop Canadian bacon on an english muffin before topping with the golden hollandaise sauce.  In this version, I still make the classic sauce, but instead of an english muffin I used a homemade biscuit and strips of bacon.  The biscuit was fluffy, tasty, and a nice change from the hard english muffin.  The bacon provided a nice texture contrast, with it's mild crunchiness. 

One thing I've always hated about the Canadian bacon is that it is usually too thick and chewy, and I think my enjoyment of the dish is partly lost when I am sitting there trying to chew down the piece of ham.  By contrast, the bacon is thin, crisp, and disolves in your mouth.  Perfection.  All the same flavors are present, so for the purist who screams this isn't eggs benedict, substitute an english muffin if you may, but I guarantee this will not disappoint!

Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

(Print this recipe)

There are 4 steps to this dish:  the biscuit, the bacon, the sauce, and the egg.  I will go in order of preparation.  

The Biscuit

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold butter, cut into cubes

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1/2 c. plus 1 Tbs. half-and-half or whole milk

Egg Wash:
1 egg beaten with 2 tsp. water

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.

3. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to combine. Add the butter pieces and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 1-second pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl.

4. Mix the beaten egg and the half-and-half in a separate cup. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Combine with a rubber spatula until large clumps form. Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and lightly knead until it comes together.

5. Roll out the dough to about 1 1/2 inch thickness. Take a sharp knife and cut squares (and I use that term loosely--they can be odd shaped, rectangles, etc.) out of the dough. Just make a grid to create same sized squares/shapes to allow for even baking.

6. Using a pastry brush, or spoon if you don't have a brush, put the egg wash on top of each square--give it a good going over so it isn't dry on top, but not too much to have it running all over the place. A little running over the shortcake dough isn't going to hurt anything.

7. Place squares on a baking sheet and cook at 425 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

The Bacon

1.  If your bacon is frozen, put it, still packaged, in some lukewarm water.  This is a trick I learned from Alton Brown.  Works like a dream and way better than the microwave.  It only takes about 10-15 minutes.

2.  Preheat your oven to broil (550 degrees if you can) and slice your bacon package in half.

3.  Line a cookie sheet with foil, then place a rack in/on it.

4.  Arrange your bacon and put in the oven on broil for 8 minutes.  You want it cooked, but not raw or burnt.  Keep in mind that it keeps sizzling for a few minutes after you take it out.

5.  Remove bacon from oven and allow to cool.

The Sauce

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 Tbs. tarragon vinegar or lemon juice
3 egg yolks
4 Tbs. boiling water, added one at a time
1/4 tsp. salt
cayenne to taste
(this recipe is from The Joy of Cooking)

Overview:  Here is how the process works.  You are going to take 3 egg yokes and place them OVER hot, NOT boiling water.  Then you will gradually add 4 Tbs. of BOILING water, one at a time to the eggs.  Remove from the heat and add in the vinegar or lemon juice that you already heated in the microwave prior to starting the sauce.  Once combined, add the butter that you have kept warm.  Done.

Directions:
1.  While the bacon is cooking, get set up to make the hollandaise sauce.  The number one way you can make yourself successful with this sauce is to have EVERYTHING set up prior to starting the sauce.  This is because you literally cannot walk away from the eggs to get anything once you have started, because if you do you will kill the eggs and have to start all over again.

2.  You will need 2 medium and 1 small sauce pans.  Two will hold hot and boiling water, with the small one holding 1 stick of butter.  For the hot water pan, only put in an inch of water.  For the boiling water pan (pictured in the center), fill it halfway full so that it is easy to dip into with your tablespoon measuring spoon without having to tilt the pan or burn yourself.  Notice the next picture that I have the measuring spoon already by the stove. 

3.  At this point, heat 1 1/2 Tbs. of tarragon vinegar or lemon juice in the microwave for 20 second and place it near the stove (pictured on the left).

4.  While your water is heating up, separate three eggs into a bowl or top of a double boiler.

5.  Once your water is boiling and the double boiler water is hot (steaming but not boiling), place the eggs OVER the hot water.  Stirring CONSTANTLY, never stopping, drizzle 1 Tbs. of boiling water into the eggs.  Whisk until the eggs begin to thicken.

6.  Once the eggs have thickened slightly, repeat the same process until you have added another  3 more tablespoons of boiling water to the eggs (4 total), stirring constantly. 

7.  Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and slowly whisk in the warm vinegar or lemon juice. 

8.  Next slowly whisk in the butter.  Add salt and cayenne at this point.

9.  Cover your bowl or double boiler with a lid and set back on top of the warm water that has been removed from the heat.  The steam remaining will keep the sauce warm while you cook your eggs but not continue to cook the sauce.  I have a gas stove, so in this picture I have the burner turned off.  If you have a regular burner stovetop, removed entire double boiler onto a hot pad.

The (Poached) Egg

1.  Using the same pan that you have the water boiling in, place two biscuit cutter rings.

2.  Drop in eggs, one for each ring, and turn water down to medium heat.

3.  Cook until desired hardness, 2-3 minutes for soft, longer for medium to hard.  Using tongs, lift rings out of pan and take out eggs.  I like to use a spatula used for turning fish, but a slotted spoon would work if the holes are small enough.

4.  Place atop your biscuit and bacon.

5.  Top with hollandaise sauce and cayenne for a bit of a kick!

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The last days of summer: Chicken Teriyaki

The last days of summer seem to be numbered, so I'm using the grill as much as possible!  This week's fav is chicken teriyaki.  If you aren't a griller, don't worry--you can use the oven. 

Chicken Teriyaki

(Print this recipe)

7 chicken breasts, cut in half, or 14 chicken tenderloins

Sauce:

2 c. soy

3 c. water

2 c. brown sugar*

1/2 c. white or cidar vinegar**

2 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic

2 tsp. ginger powder

*If you want it sweeter, add more sugar

**If you want it more tangy, add more vinegar

Cornstarch mixture (to thicken remaining sauce)

1/2 c. COLD water

2 Tbs. cornstarch

Directions:

Combine all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil in order to dissolve all the sugar. 

This is my trick to thaw out frozen chicken breasts--it only takes 20 minutes this way, and I can avoid the microwave that seems to always partially cook my chicken during defrost.

If you are using breast instead of tenderloins, just cut each breat in half. 

Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over chicken (can do it immediately; the hot marinade won't hurt the chicken) and allow to marinade, ideal for 3-4 hours or overnight.

 Turn chicken pieces at least once during marinade time. 

If you are grilling the chicken, oil the grill FIRST.  Then place chicken on preheated grill (about 350-400) degrees.  Depending on the size of your pieces, 4-8 minutes per side.  Baste chicken pieces with marinade before turning them. 

If you are cooking in the oven, remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack inside of a cookie sheet for ideal results.  If all you have is a 9X13 pan, just made sure you get most of the marinade off the chicken.  You still will baste the chicken with the marinade halfway through cooking.  Cook in 350 degree oven for 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.   

Return remaining sauce to medium heat, add cornstarch mixture that you have mixed together, and cook until sauce thickens.  Serve sauce over chicken and rice.

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