Meyer Lemon Squares
With winter upon us, it’s time for citrus to take center stage as things like oranges, lemons and limes come into season. I was able to pick up some Meyer Lemons from Hollygrove Market and Farm in last weekend’s box.
Dust the Meyer Lemon Squares with powdered sugar before serving.
So what did I do with them? I turned them into delicious Meyer Lemon Squares.
Ingredients:
- Juice from 2 Meyer lemons
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus more for dusting)
- 4 eggs
- 2 TBSP grated Meyer lemon peels
Directions:
-
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl.
- Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Press crust into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
- Bake until golden brown (about 25-30 minutes).
These Meyer Lemon Squares are great for the holidays.
- Remove from oven, but leave oven on 350.
- Beat sugar, eggs, Meyer lemon juice, 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp flour and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend.
- Pour into crust then bake until mixture is set, about 20 minutes.
- Once set, remove from oven to let cool.
- Cut into 24 individual squares then sift powdered sugar over top before serving.
These Meyer Lemon Squares should bake to a nice, pillowy consistency. The great thing about using Meyer lemons is that they don’t end up too sour. You can use additional lemon peel in the mixture if you want them more sour.
Give these Meyer Lemon Squares a try at your next holiday function. They definitely deserve a place next to the pecan pie and the pumpkin pie.
Tags: Baking, Citrus, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Holiday Recipe, Lemon Recipe, Lemons, Meyer Lemons
Caramel Apple Hand Pies
Hand pies are a New Orleans tradition thanks to local business Hubig’s. Unfortunately, with Hubig’s currently not in operation due to a devastating fire (they promise to rebuild), I had to make my own hand pies to get my fix. But, all in all, I’m proud of how these Caramel Apple Hand Pies turned out.
I’m a huge fan of caramel apples so I whipped up some caramel and mixed it with the apples to create the caramel apple filling.
Ingredients:
For the Caramel:
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup water
Caramel Apple Hand Pies encompass wonderful Fall flavors.
- 4 pre-made pie crusts
- 2 Granny Smith apples, finely chopped
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, finely chopped
- 2 TBSP cinnamon
- 1 TBSP sugar
- 2 egg yolks
Directions:
For the Caramel:
- Heat sugar and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. When sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring.
- Boil until the liquid sugar turns a dark amber color then add all the butter. The mixture will foam up and thicken.
- Whisk until the butter has melted. Once butter has melted, remove pan from the heat.
- Add the cream (the mixture will foam up again) and whisk to incorporate cream and until mixture is smooth.
- Set aside caramel to cool.
For the Hand Pies:
- Preheat oven to 400F.
Making the caramel from scratch is worth the effort.
- Roll out pre-made pie crust dough and use a 4-inch circular pastry cutter to cut circles out of the dough. Repeat with each dough remains.
- Set dough circles aside on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Toss apples with cinnamon and remaining sugar.
- Once caramel has cooled, add apples to the caramel and stir to incorporate.
- Assemble hand pies by place a TBSP of caramel apple filling on a dough circle then placing a dough circle on top. Press edges with fork to seal. (Don’t worry if some filling spills out, keep pressing until sealed.)
- Using a knife, score an X into the top of each pie so filling can vent its heat out while baking.
- Once all pies are assembled (you may need to work in batches if you have one baking sheet), whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush each hand pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle each pie with additional sugar, if desired.
- Bake hand pies for 12-15 minutes or until crust turns golden brown.
- Place on a wire rack to cool.
While my recipe is for hand pies, you can also go the traditional route and just make a caramel apple pie using two pie crusts. Either way, the filling in this recipe is a star.
Making the caramel from scratch really makes a difference. These Caramel Apple Hand Pies are perfect for Fall and Winter parties while apples are in season. Plus, they’re easier to eat. And I guarantee you will have very few left over when all is said and done.
Tags: Apple Pie, Apples, Caramel, Caramel Apple, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Fall Recipe, Holiday Recipe, Pie, Pie Recipe, Recipe
Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Crown Roast Slice
The team at POM was generous enough to send me some of the new POM Wonderful POM POMs Fresh Arils to try out. What’s great about this POM product is that it saves you the hassle of having to seed a pomegranate yourself.
The POM POMs can be used on yogurt, granola, a salad. There are many ways to use the arils, but I chose to use them to make a Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Roast. The acidity of the pomegranate juice and arils really went well with the fattiness of the pork.
Ingredients:
- 6-8 pound pork roast (tenderloin or crown roast)
- 1 cup POM POMs Fresh Arils
- 2 cups POM pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 TBSP Creole (or dijon) mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375F.
Pomegranate Glazed Pork Crown Roast
- Prep the pork roast by seasoning with salt and pepper and placing in a roasting pan.
- To make pomegranate glaze, combine pomegranate juice, sugar and mustard in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk together all ingredients. Boil until roughly 1/2 cup of liquid remains. Then set aside to cool and thicken.
- Drizzle 1/4 of the glaze over the pork roast and place the roast in the oven. Glaze the roast two more times during roasting. Make sure some glaze remains.
- Cook until pork temperature registers between 145F to 160F. Remove from oven to rest.
- After resting, cut roast into slices, drizzle with remaining glaze and garnish each portion with POM POMs arils.
This was a dish I made for Christmas, but it’s a great meal for a dinner party. The pomegranate and pork work really well together, especially with the added kick of the Creole mustard.
Using the POM POMs arils will give the dish a little crunch and another nice pop of flavor. For more POM product recipes, you can visit the POM recipes page. To learn more about POM POMS Fresh Arils, visit the POM product page.
Tags: Holiday Dish, Holiday Recipe, Pomegranate, Pork, Recipe, Roast
Boudin Cornbread Dressing
I’ve been making this dressing recipe for years and it’s always been a hit. However, in the past, I made it without meat. This year, I added boudin and it made it even better.
That said, a meatless version is just as solid of a holiday side. Sometimes I add in some jalapeños, too.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cornbread, crumbled
- 10 slices of bread of your choice, dried and cubed
- 2 boudin links, casing removed
- 1 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions:
Boudin Cornbread Dressing
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- In a large bowl, combine cornbread and bread cubes.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute boudin, celery, onion and peppers until vegetables are tender. Combine with bread mixture.
- Add seasoning, egg and chicken broth.
- Spoon dressing into a lightly greased 3-quart baking dish. Bake, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Cut and serve.
When choosing a bread to complement the cornbread, it’s probably best to use white, but wheat will work. Just make sure it’s pretty dry. If you don’t have time to dry the slices, just toast them until well done.
In place of boudin, you can also use sausage in patty form. Just make sure it’s cooked fairly thoroughly while it’s in the skillet.
Tags: Boudin, Cajun Recipes, Cornbread, Dressing, Holiday, Holiday Dish, Holiday Recipe, Recipe, Side Dish
What Santa Really Wants for Christmas
Mint and chocolate make an awesome team. Probably only second to chocolate and peanut butter in my book. These Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with whole wheat flour. Trust me when I tell you, you won’t miss the white flour.
The green mint chips pack a lot of minty flavor, but it’s balanced out well by the semisweet chocolate morsels. I happened to find the mint chips at World Market by accident, but I’m sure chopped Andes Mints will work just fine.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk or mix together the eggs, butter, sugars and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two batches, adding in the milk between batches.
Whole Wheat Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use a flat wooden spoon to work in the mint and chocolate chips.
- Scoop the batter onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet in about 1-inch rounds. Pat down gently then bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove cookies from oven to cool for approximately 3 minutes. Serve.
You can make the batter in advance and store in the refrigerator for up to two days before baking. Just make sure to wrap it in parchment paper so it doesn’t dry out.
Even though I’m not a big chocolate fan, these cookies are great for the holidays and the green in the mint chips give them a nice pop of color. If mint’s not your thing, you can substitute any flavor of chip you can get your hands on. I’m thinking peanut butter chips would go well with this batter.
Tags: Baking, Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Holiday Recipe, Mint, Whole Wheat
Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
This cookie recipe uses a ripe avocado to take the place of some of the butter found in most cookie recipes.
The avocado gives the cookies a smoother texture without contributing too much to the flavor profile. And no, the cookies won’t come out green.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies in the Oven
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl except pecans, chocolate chips and cinnamon chips. Stir until smooth.
- Fold in remaining ingredients.
- Use a spoon to scoop batter into 1/2-inch rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 20 minutes or until golden-brown around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.
These cookies are very simple and can go from mixing bowl to oven to plate in about 30 minutes.
Enjoy them with a big glass of milk.
Tags: Cookies, Dessert, Holiday, Holiday Recipe, Recipe
The Tart Before Baking
I can admit to not being the best baker in the world, but it’s definitely something I’m working on. The hardest part? Realizing it’s a science and that instructions must be followed and the ingredients must be measured to the T.
Luckily, this is a pretty simple recipe that’s a crowd pleaser during the holiday season. Poaching the pears gives them a nice texture and taste. The filling of this tart is rich in vanilla and complements the pairs well.
I’ve included the crust recipe I used, but feel free to buy one premade.
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- Non-stick spray (for the pan or pie dish)
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
Poached Pears
- 1 egg yolk mixed with 4 TBSP cold water
- For the pears:
- 6 cups water
- 1 can of Sprite (or other clear soda)
- 1 cup sweet white wine
- 4 Bosc pears, cored and quartered (you can also peel them if you like)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 TBSP ground cinnamon
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded
- For the filling:
- 4 TBSP unsalted butter
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/4 cup flour
- pinch of salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 10-inch pie pan with non-stick spray.
- In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt from the crust ingredients and pulse until mixed. Add the butter and pulse until the size of small peas. Finally, add in the egg yolk-water mixture and pulse until dough is crumbly.
- Pour the dough into pie pan and press to form an even crust. Bake the crust in the lower third of the oven until golden brown (about 25 minutes). Reduce oven heat to 350F.
- In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients form the poached pears, except the pears. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the pears then cover with parchment paper and a pot lid and cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes. (Parchment paper is flammable so make sure the piece isn’t so big it hits the burner.)
- After poaching the pears, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Cut each wedge in half, lengthwise.
- In a small skillet, cook the butter from the filling ingredients over medium heat until brown and fragrant (about 6 minutes). Set aside in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs with the sugar, vanilla seeds, orange zest and salt. Add the flour and whisk until mixed. Finally, mix in the brown butter until filling is smooth.
Brown Butter Pear Tart
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Saving three slices, arrange the pear slices in a concentric circle with the narrow edges pointing to the center. Trim the remaining slices and arrange them in the center.
- Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in the over for 1 hour, until the filling is set. Let cool before slicing and serving.
- Serve in large soup bowls.
You can prepare everything except for the filling ahead of time and store for two days if you want to make some of this recipe ahead of time.
I recommend serving this tart with ice cream. I served it with dulce de leche ice cream and it was a hit.
This is a great winter dessert that makes a perfect addition to your holiday dessert line-up.
Tags: Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Holiday, Holiday Recipe, Pears, Poached Pears
Duck Ragu with Pappardelle
The Duck Confit I made was used to make this dish: Duck Ragu with Pappardelle. This is what I served on Thanksgiving rather than turkey. It was a nice change of pace from the Thanksgiving norm.
The pulled duck and the ragu go great with the pappardelle to make a hearty dish that’s perfect for Fall and Winter.
Ingredients
- Pulled duck meat from the Duck Confit recipe
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, minced
- 1/4 cup carrots, minced
- 1/4 cup celery, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 6 TBSP unsalted butter
- 1/2 lb. pappardelle
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- In a deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and season with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened (about 2 minutes).
- Reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking and stirring until browned (about 8 minutes).
Duck with Carrots, Celery and Onion
- Add the rosemary and garlic and continue cooking until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add the duck meat and stir gently to coat with the vegetables.
- Add the wine and chicken stock and simmer until 3/4 cup of liquid remains (about 10-15 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in half of the butter. Cover and keep warm.
- In a large pot of water, cook the pappardelle until al dente, drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the pasta to the ragu and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until simmering.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the mozzarella and remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Pappardelle should be available in most supermarkets, but if it’s not, feel free to use a thick pasta of your choice. I would advise against using a thin pasta like angel hair or spaghetti. However, this dish is truly at its best when you use pappardelle.
Feel free to add in other veggies or use another cheese if you so desire. This is a great holiday/cold-weather dish that makes a complete meal.
Tags: Duck, Duck Confit, Holiday Recipe, Pasta
Red Potatoes
Potatoes and duck fat are a culinary match made in heaven. Some would argue (and they would be right) that the best thing to cook potatoes in is duck fat. The potato really takes in the flavor of the duck fat and the duck fat brings out the crispiness and earthiness of cooked potatoes.
Since I recently made Duck Confit, I was lucky enough to have rendered duck fat on hand. If you aren’t so lucky, you can order duck fat from specialty food stores or online.
Ingredients
- 4 TBSP butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 TBSP rendered duck fat (plus extra for greasing the baking sheet)
- 2 lb. red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into thin slices
- 1 small white onion
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Brush a foil-lined baking sheet with duck fat.
Duck-Fat Potato Galette
- Toast the caraway seeds in a small skillet over low heat until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Use a pestle or other blunt object to crush the seeds. Set aside in a large bowl.
- In the same bowl, add duck fat, 2 TBSP butter, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Add potatoes and toss to coat with duck fat and seasoning.
- Arrange a quarter of the potatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet. Place 1/3 of the onions over the potatoes. Repeat layering two more times, finishing with potatoes on top.
- Bake approximately 45 minutes until potatoes are tender. Brush top layer of potatoes with remaining butter and bake 5-10 minutes longer (until top layer is golden-brown).
- Remove from oven, season and serve on a platter.
This is a close to a perfect potato dish you can find. Forget baked potatoes, mashed potatoes and potato salad. This galette is what you need to serve this holiday season.
Splurge on the duck fat. You and your guests deserve it.
Finally, I was lucky enough to have some duck skin on hand. I broiled it to make duck skin cracklins and added them to this recipe. They really sent it over the top, but it’s still great without them.
Tags: Duck Fat, Holiday Recipe, Potato, Side Dish
Duck Confit
During the holiday season, if you’re looking for an alternative to turkey and ham, I highly encourage you to consider duck. Duck is one of the richest meats on the market and it’s become one of my favorite.
Making Duck Confit doesn’t require much. You just have to let the duck cook slowly in it’s own fat. Once it’s done, it should fall off the bone.
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs with thighs
- 4 duck wings
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 TBSP salt
- 1 TBSP cracked black pepper
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 TBSP dried thyme
- 1 cup rendered duck fat
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 225F.
- Poke several holes in the duck pieces’ skins so the fat can breath.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, place all seasoning, shallots and garlic in the bottom with the duck fat. Place in oven until duck fat is melted.
- Put in the duck pieces, skin side up and cook until the duck is tender and can be pulled from the bone (about 3 hours).
- Remove from oven, let cool, then serve. Save the duck fat.
Whatever you do, do not discard the duck fat! Duck fat is perfect for cooking potatoes, other vegetables or anything that you would normally use bacon grease for.
As for the duck meat, you can serve it however you choose — in a salad, with pasta, curry, etc. Duck is very versatile so the possibilities are nearly endless. Save a turkey, roast a duck.
Tags: Duck, Duck Confit, French, Holiday Dish, Holiday Recipe
Po' Boy Livin' Rich 