Tortellini in Broth with Parmesan Crisps
July 1, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
Want a quick, easy and delicious meal? Tortellini in a Light Chicken Broth served with Parmesan Crisps fits the bill perfectly. You can have a delicious meal ready in less than 15 minutes! This recipes serves a light meal for four or more hearty meal for two. Serve with a glass of Lambrusco Concerto, Buon Appetito!
4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper-3 grinds
9 ounce package of Fresh Sweet Italian Sausage Tortellini or Cheese Tortellini or use a combination, you can find this in the refrigerated pasta section at your market
4 baby spinach leaves
Fresh lemon juice
4 Tbsp. Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan, add the tortellini, reduce heat so that broth simmers and cook according to package instructions until the pasta is al dente, about 7 minutes.
Season with pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Place a spinach leaf in the bottom of each soup bowl, ladle in broth and tortellini, sprinkle each serving with 1 Tbsp. of Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and serve with Parmesan Crisps.
Parmesan Crisps
1/2 cup coarsely grated fresh Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil (if you have a silicone liner such as Silpat, use that instead of foil). Place one heaping tablespoon of cheese on prepared pan and pat down lightly. Space the cheese mounds about 1/2 inces apart. Bake for 3-5 minutes being careful not to burn. Let cool and serve. Makes 8-10 crisps.
Posted in Simple, Luscious Raspberry Tart
April 8, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
Nothing is more breathtaking for dessert than luscious red raspberries gleaming from atop a delicious tart. Make this simple tart and everyone will be impressed, once they taste it they will be in awe!
One frozen premade pie crust (the kind that you get in a box and unroll)
2 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. of heavy cream
One pound of Marscapone Cheese
3 Tablespoons of sugar
1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. Framboise Eau de Vie
15 ounces of fresh raspberries
2 Tbsp. of seedless raspberry jam
1-2 tsp of water
Prepare and bake the pie crust in an eight inch tart pan. Follow the package directions.
In a medium size bowl mix together the cheese, sugar, vanilla and Framboise
Combine the chopped chocolate with the cream in a small saucepan and melt slowly and gently over low heat, be careful not to burn
Once the baked tart crust has cooled, paint the bottom and sides of the tart shell with the melted chocolate mixture.
After the chocolate has hardened, spoon in the cheese mixture and distribute evenly in the tart shell
Place the raspberries on the cheese mixture with the ends pointing up, cover the entire tart with the berries
Melt the raspberry jelly in a small saucepan or in the microwave (for a few seconds), be careful not to burn, add a little bit of water to the jelly until it has the consistency of a glaze. Spoon the glaze evenly over the berries. Allow the glaze to thicken on the berries before serving.
Make a Splash With Glass
March 15, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
One of the hottest trends in home design today is glass tile. Colorful mosaics immediately catch the eye and sparkle like gemstones, adding an exciting new dimension of artwork to your home.
Glass tiles are not new. Artists in the Byzantine Empire (300 B.C.) were famous for their Smalti tile, an opaque glass tile used in mosaics.
One reason more homeowners are opting for glass tile, is that you can use it anywhere your imagination takes you. While designers most often use it as decorative accents in backsplashes and showers, it also works well in pool borders, Jacuzzi installations and fireplace surrounds. With the proper finish, it can even be used on the floor. (Because any crack in glass tile is visible, it should not be installed on a flexible or high-impact surface).
Glass mosaic tiles start in the 1/2-inch range and typically come on mesh-backed sheets or face-mounted on paper. They have become so popular that you can find them at big-box home improvement stores. Available in an amazing array of colors, sizes, shapes and textures, glass tile allows you to express your personality in a way that stainless steel or stone simply cannot. Yet it looks good alongside those surfaces and with slate and ceramic.
Other pluses: Glass tile doesn’t stain, won’t fade and requires little maintenance. A solution of vinegar and water or commercial glass cleaner does the job. The environmentally conscious, meanwhile, will appreciate that it’s a sustainable material. Several glass tile companies, in fact, make it from recycled bottles.
However, beautiful things don’t come easy. Glass tile can be tricky to work with, and its installation is not for do-it-yourselfers. Installers must lay everything out in advance and with great care to reduce the number of cuts, especially at recessed niches and outside corners. They also must frequently bevel outside corners to avoid sharp edges.
Because grout can change the color of the tile, you also have to be careful about which thin-set you use, especially if the tile is transparent or translucent. Some tiles look completely different once they’re installed, so you always want to see your selections grouted on a board. Glass can look different in a photo, so it’s also wise to get a sample from a showroom.
Although some manufacturers claim highly skilled do-it-yourselfers can take on a glass tile project, architects say it’s best left to a professional. That’s especially the case if you’re looking for an unusual arrangement.
To see an array of stunning mosaic murals created using Italian glass tiles visit: sicis
Traditional Irish Corn Beef and Cabbage
March 15, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
Editor’s note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Irish Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen.
Although this dish is eaten less frequently nowadays in Ireland, for Irish expatriots it conjures up powerful nostalgic images of a rural Irish past. Originally it was a traditional Easter Sunday dinner. The beef, killed before the winter, would have been salted and could now be eaten after the long Lenten fast, with fresh green cabbage and floury potatoes. Our local butcher corns beef in the slow, old-fashioned way which, alas, is nowadays more the exception than the norm.
Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
4 lb corned brisket of beef
3 large carrots, cut into large chunks
6 to 8 small onions
1 teaspoon dry English mustard
large sprig fresh thyme and some parsley stalks, tied together
1 cabbage
salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Put the brisket into a saucepan with the carrots, onions, mustard and the herbs. Cover with cold water, and bring gently to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut in quarters and add to the pot. Cook for a further 1 to 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender.
Serve the corned beef in slices, surrounded by the vegetables and cooking liquid. Serve with lots of potatoes and mustard.
Simply Sensational Cheese Straws
January 31, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
Wow your guests with these tasty delights. Cheese straws are very simple to make using frozen puff pastry from the grocery store. They make an elegant appetizer presentation when you stand them in a decorative glass.
I box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted in your refrigerator
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. of water, in a shallow bowl
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup finely grated Gruyere Cheese
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
2 grinds of fresh black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine both cheeses, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured cutting board. Brush the surface of the pastry lightly with the egg. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry. Using a rolling pin lightly roll the cheese mixture into the pastry. Cut the pastry crosswise into 12 strips. Twist each entire strip then place on a baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining pastry and ingredients.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown and puffy, turn each straw and bake another 2-3 minutes, do not overbake. Serve at room temperature. Makes 24 cheese straws.
Best Ever Ice Cream Sandwiches!
January 26, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
Once you make ice cream sandwiches this way, there is no going back to store bought ice cream sandwiches … EVER!
1 pint of good quality coffee ice cream, softened
12, 3 inch Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Place 6 cookies upside down on a baking sheet that will fit in the freezer, the flat side of the cookie must be facing up. Using an ice cream scoop place a scoop of ice cream in the center of each cookie. Top the ice cream with another cookie, flat side down. Gently press down on the top cookie to spread the ice cream to the edge of the cookie. When you have made all six sandwiches, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least two hours. You may wrap the sandwiches individually and store for a month (I guarantee they will NOT last that long). Six delectable, delightful Ice Cream Sandwiches
You may vary the cookie-ice cream combinations to suit your taste! Have fun and enjoy!
Warm Goat Cheese Salad
January 26, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
Crispy salad greens tossed with a spicy mustard dressing and topped with warm goat cheese is a delicious salad combination!
One bag of mixed Spring Salad
6 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 egg, beaten in a shallow bowl
1 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (not the green can, the real stuff)
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 8 ounce log of Goat Cheese, Montrachet preferred sliced into 8 slices
1 Tbsp. butter
1Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a small bowl whisk thoroughly to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the bread crumbs on a plate, add the Parmesan cheese then toss to combine.
Dip the goat cheese slices lightly in the egg, then coat both sides with the bread crumb mixture
Place the breaded goat cheese slices on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes at least (may be prepared ahead, cover)
Just before serving, melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet do not allow the butter to brown. Over medium heat cook the cheese slices until golden brown on both sides about 4-5 minutes.
Whisk the dressing to blend, drizzle the dressing over the salad greens to coat lightly, toss then season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange dressed salad greens on plates that have chilled in the freezer. Arrange cheese on top. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Perfect Salad Dressing
January 26, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
After you start making your own flavorful salad dressing you will never hit the “bottle” again! Want to “dress to impress” this will do the trick!
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. country style or dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. minced, fresh parsley
1 small garlic clove finely minced
1/8 tsp. Kosher salt or Sea salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a medium sized bowl add all of the above ingredients except the olive oil. Gradually add the olive oil in divided portions whisking it to blend.
Makes 3/4 cup. Store in a cruet or jar, whisk briskly to blend before serving.
Easy, Elegant Pasta and Shrimp
January 26, 2008 · Written by Heather Juma
This is a very simple, elegant pasta dish that makes a rich and decadent main course for two!
1/4 pound dried fettucine
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, preferably Parmgiano Reggiano (freshly grated cheese for serving as well)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound medium shrimp shelled and cleaned
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Dried Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Parsley finely minced for garnish
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tsp. Kosher salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente (not too soft, still a bit firm). While the pasta is cooking add the cream to a skillet, heat over medium heat to a boil, remove from the heat and set aside.
In another skillet add the olive oil and butter, melt the butter over medium heat making sure not to let the butter brown, add the shrimp, toss lightly as the shrimp cook, cook until just pink ( do not overcook). Season with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt, add the red pepper flakes if desired. When adding the red pepper flakes rub between your fingers to release the flavor. Correct seasonings to taste.
When the pasta is done, drain, using tongs toss the pasta in the skillet with the cream. Bring the pasta and cream to a boil over medium heat, turn the heat to low and simmer for about one minute until the sauce thickens slightly, remove from heat. Add the grated parmesan cheese in divided portions to the pasta tossing well to avoid “clumping” of the cheese. Taste, correct seasonings with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Plate the pasta on plates that were warmed in the oven on low heat. Arrange shrimp attractively around the pasta, sprinkle with minced fresh parsley and serve freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
Be Green – reduce your mail!
January 23, 2008 · Written by Roslyn Ashford
If you are like many Americans, you did some or all of your holiday shopping over the internet last year. You purchased items from web pages and online stores that you don’t normally shop. You purchased from Smith and Hawken for your cousin who is into gardening, and your mom is a huge fan of J Jill. But you-–not so much.
And now in January, you are starting to receive catalogs from companies that you have no interest in…and your mailbox is beginning to get crowded with unwanted catalogs. Rather than having to contact each one to stop the mailings, there is a FREE and easy way to remove yourself!
Visit the Catalog Choice and you can easily remove yourself. Sign in and then select from thousands of catalogs that you no longer wish to receive. It just can’t get any easier. The mailbox will be relieved and your holiday bills will be much easier to find! Isn’t that great! Check it out, it really is simple!
While you are on the site, go to the blog and check out the Park School video. Third graders rule!
