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Hey folks! Thanks for watching : )

I feel like in a lot of ways my palate grew up entirely on this blog. Blossomed from a know-nothing vegetarian to a fully-fledged foodie. While I will continue to refer to this blog's recipes and improve them, it will be on my new blog, ChezAnn.

If you've enjoyed this blog, I encourage you to subscribe to ChezAnn.

Adieu,
- Ann <3

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

This is a great easy take on the classic. I highly recommend watching the video before making. Honestly with slicing, I would say this recipe makes about 6 servings.

Made this for my friend and her family, and the picky kids ate it up! Will definitely make again in the future.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
from BuzzFeed

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
salt & pepper
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. onion powder
16 slices Emmental cheese
8 slices ham
2 sheets puff pastry
mustard
1 egg

Instructions:
1. Combine salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Toss in all four chicken breasts, and coat each well with the spices.
2. Lay out a long stretch of plastic wrap and put one breast on the wrap. Pull side of wrap to cover breast, such that there's space to expand all around chicken. Using a rolling pin, pound chicken breast until 1/2" even thickness. I found pounding lengthwise, and then widthwise was easiest. Do this for all 4 breasts.
3. Take one flattened breast, peel back the plastic. Place 2 slices of cheese on the flattened breast to cover length-wise, 2 slices ham the same, then another 2 slices cheese. From one end, firmly roll up chicken breast keeping the slices in their position. Recover breast with plastic, and roll holding two ends of the plastic wrap to wrap chicken tight. Do this for all breasts. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Take one sheet of puff pastry, cut down middle to make two equal pieces. Take one of the pieces, and roll out with rolling pin until wide enough to completely cover a chicken breast roll. Do this with each of the pieces of puff pastry.
5. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
6. To finish assembly, take one of the rolled out pieces of puff pastry, lightly brush on mustard on entire surface. Place chicken breast in the middle, and wrap with puff pastry, pinching seams together in middle and folding edges underneath. Place on cooking pan. Do this for all of the breasts.
7. Lightly score puff pastry on tops with a fork. Beat egg in a small bowl, and brush all exposed puff pastry with egg.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until interior temperature is 165F.
9. After taking out of oven, let cordon's sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting into. Slice thickly, and serve fanned out on a plate with a light salad.

3 lb Country White Bread

This is a recipe that Raymond has tinkered with. Originally used for bread machine-bread, I much prefer cooking bread on sheets or pans vs. bread-machine. This is a good solid loaf bread, great structure for sandwiches, soft enough to eat on it's own with butter.

3 lb Country White Bread

Ingredients:
1 tsp salt + pinch
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp cocoa (optional, for richness)
1 Tbs instant espresso powder (optional, for richness)
3 Tbs dried milk (optional, for flavor)
5.5 cups (680 g.) flour

1 Tbs honey
3-4 Tbs salted butter

1 tsp yeast
2 cups water, luke-warm

Instructions:
1. In small bowl, combine honey, butter, yeast, and luke-warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes until top is foamy.
2. In a large bowl, combine salt, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, dried milk, and flour in a large bowl.
3. Add liquid to dry ingredients and combine well. Once ingredients are incorporated, dump onto a counter and knead bread for 5 minutes, until smooth and tacky.
4. Cover bowl with warm damp tea towel and let sit until dough doubles in size (~1 hour depending on the temperature of your home and how happy your yeast is).
5. After your bread has doubled, punch it down, give it a minute or two of kneading on a lightly-floured surface, then place into 2 buttered loaf pans. Cover both with a damp tea towel, and let both rise again until doubled in size.
6. Pre-heat oven to 350F, and bake loaves for 30 minutes.
7. Once finished baking, remove loaves from baking pans and let rest on drying rack for 30 minutes to allow inside to finish cooking.

Serving suggestion: fresh sliced thick and drizzled heavily with sweetened condensed milk and melted chocolate/nutella.

Classic Peach Pie

I generally don't spend time making sweets in the kitchen, but apparently this summer peach pie is the exception. I made this pie a total of six (6!) times this summer during the height of peach season. I did cheat and use Trader Joe's frozen pie crust, but I'm quite fond of it and it's the rolled pie crusts like what they have in France. Most places only have the pre-pressed uncooked pie crust in an aluminum pie plate in the frozen section and I've been chronically unimpressed with. However, if you are feeling so inspired, you can of course make your own (double) recipe of pate brisee.

Note: This pie releases a lot of liquids as it cooks. Either place a tray lined with parchment paper or a non-stick pad underneath the pie as it cooks, or be prepared to go through your oven's self-cleaning cycle after making this pie.

Classic Peach Pie
makes 9" pie or larger
from America's Test Kitchen from Garlic and Zest 

Ingredients:
- double batch of rolled pie crust
- 3 lbs. peaches (or more if you want a larger pie)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbs. corn starch
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 Tbs. cream or egg wash, for brushing on crust
- 1 Tbs. demerara sugar

Instructions:
1. Peel peaches (or don't) and slice how you wish in a bowl. Add the sugar, stir well to combine, and let sit on counter for 1 hour.
2. Roll out pie crust and place in pie pan or tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while peaches rest with sugar.
3. Once peaches have rested with sugar for 1 hour, start oven preheating to 425 F. Then drain off liquid from peaches, reserving 1/4 cup. Combine 1/4 cup reserved peach liquid, corn starch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well to combine.
4. Take pie crust out of fridge, unwrap, and pour peach mixture into the crust. Roll out second crust, and make desired design on top of pie. I did lattice crust, there are lots of options out there.
5. Brush crust with cream or egg wash. Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top of the pie. Wrap edges of the pan with foil such that the crust is shielded, being careful not to let the dough come into contact with the foil.
6. Cook at 425 F. for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 F and cook for another 30 minutes. Take foil off and cook for another 10-15 minutes or more if you used a larger tart pan.
7. Let pie sit for at least 2 hours before cutting into.

Note: the remainder of the peach liquid makes a killer peach bellini when mixed with bubbly.

Broccoli Bacon Salad

This salad is incredibly un-healthy. I know, not my usual, but my fiance loves it and requests it every time he's down. I'm making it slightly healthier every time, so we'll get there but here it is so far. I highly recommend making the night ahead.

The pictured salad has a three dashes of Chinese black vinegar, no mozzarella, and honey vs granulated sugar (I find it combines easier with the dressing) but other than that it is the exact recipe below.

Broccoli Bacon Salad
adapted from food.com

Ingredients:
- 2.5 lbs. fresh broccoli florets, chopped small (I recommend Costco bag of florets)
- 1 cup sweet red onion, chopped small
- 1/2 lb. bacon
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 oz. mozzarella, shredded

Instructions:
1. Cook in microwave until slightly firm, then chop bacon into 1/2" pieces. Drain fat.
2. Mix together broccoli, onions, bacon, and mozzarella in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and mayo.
4. Pour mayo mixture over broccoli and stir well to coat.
5. Let marinate overnight in refrigerator before serving.

Slow Cooker Carnitas

No-fail carnitas. Delicious and makes enough for a party. Even more delicious if you reduce the meat amount and remove the broth/beer. No need to change spice levels.

Slow Cooker Carnitas
from Buzzfeed

Ingredients:
4 lbs. boneless pork butt/shoulder, cut into 6 equal pieces

1 onion, quartered
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. oregano
1 Tbs. cumin
8 cloves garlic, crushed
3 bay leaves
1 cups broth or beer (not necessary is using smaller amount of pork)
1 lime, juiced
1 large orange, juiced (save juiced halves)

Instructions:
1. In slow cooker, combine all ingredients (including spent orange juice halves) and combine until meat is well coated.
2. Cover and cook low for 8-10 hours, until meat pull apart easily.
3. Remove pork, and transfer to foil-lined baking sheet. Shred pork and spread across the baking sheet in single layer.
4. Pour 1 cup remaining slow cooker liquid over shredded pork. Broil for 5-10 minutes until meat is brown with crispy edges.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Thai Iced Tea

The delicious Thai iced tea that seems only available at Thai/Vietnamese restaurants for $3-4 a pop is incredibly inexpensive and easy to make. If you have an Asian grocery store nearby, you will likely be able to find the exact Thai iced tea mix that 99% of places use for ~ $4/lb.

Next time you can get your Thai as take-out and make the drinks at home. My version is much less sweet than the Southern-sweet-tea level of sweet restaurants generally serve. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar to the tea when it's steeping and/or more sweetened condensed milk at serving time to taste.

Thai Ice Tea
Inspired by Cooking is Messy

Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 cup iced tea blend
1/2 cup sugar
Ice
Half-n-half
Sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:
1. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, add tea mix and simmer for 3 minutes on medium heat. Give the tea a good stir in the pot.
2. After the 3 minutes of simmering, turn off heat and let tea steep for 30 mins.
3. Using a fine mesh, strain tea and store liquid in a pitcher or mason jar. Refrigerate.
4. To serve, put a small handful of ice in a tall glass. Fill 3/4ths with tea, 1/4th with half-n-half and stir in a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk. Enjoy!

Gnudi Ricotta pasta

Hi everyone! It's been a while

I always buy a gallon of milk because it's the best price, but never consume the entire thing. I hate throwing out food, so I generally make ricotta. What do I do with all this ricotta? That's a good question, one I have to ask myself frequently.

This delicious ricotta pasta (think gnocchi but ricotta instead of potato) is easy to make, delicious, and can be used in a variety of ways. It's like cheese ravioli but nicely mixed with the pasta component so you aren't chewing lumps of cheese like in ravioli. Easy to freeze too for later.



Gnudi
from little scratch kitchen

Ingredients:
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
2 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup flour, plus more for dusting

Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except for flour. In two parts, add flour stirring fully to incorporate in between.
2. Kneed dough into a ball adding flour as needed so the ball sticks together but is still wet.
3. Dust a workspace with lots of flour, and cut dough into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a snake until it's about 9" long. Cut into 3/4" pieces, and roll pieces into little balls.
4. Sprinkle flour on a cookie sheet and place gnudi balls on flour. Sprinkle on more flour on-top and let sit for an hour to develop a skin.
5. At this point, you may freeze the gnudi or cook. To cook, bring a pot of water to boil. Add gnudi in batches so they don't touch, and they are done once floating.
6. Serve hot by plating and adding sauce, or pan-frying gnudi once boiled in sauce such as butter or oil.

Slow Cooker Biryani

Easy and quick Biryani recipe. You can add or change out vegetable or even the protein as desired. I've added quite a few recipes compared to the original. Delicious with raita sauce (recipe not included).

Slower Cooker Biryani
Serves 4
Adapted from Awaken Living

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken, cut into small cubes (optional, can make as veg by adding hard boiled eggs sliced at serving time)
4 Tbs. ghee (or butter)
1 green chili, chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbs. ginger & garlic paste
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. black cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper or chili powder
1/2 tsp. tumeric powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
2 bay leaves
1" stick cinnamon, whole
2 cloves, whole
3 green cardamom, whole
2 black cardamom, whole
1 star anise, whole
1 1/2 cups yogurt
2 cups rice
3 cups water
1/4 cup onions, diced small
1 large carrot, diced small
1 potato, diced small
1 handful green beans, cut into small circles
1 handful corn kernels
1 handful peas
1 handful cooked Lima beans

Quick raita sauce:
1/2 sweet red onion, sliced into thin quarter-circles
1 cucumber, diced small
1 tsp. salt
2 cups yogurt, plain

Instructions:
1. Heat some oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add carrot, onion and potato and cook until carrots are semi-soft. Add green beans, corn, and peas and fry for a few more minutes.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except rice and sauteed vegetables.
3. Place chicken and spice mixture in the bottom of your crock pot. In the same mixing bowl, add vegetables and rice and stir to combine.
4. Pour rice and vegetable mixture over chicken and spice mixture in crock pot.
5. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, until chicken and rice is cooked. Serve with raita sauce.

German Tomato Salts (TomatenSalz)

I was introduced to the deliciousness that is tomato salts by my Canadian boyfriend, who hosted German couch surfers and left some as a gift. They are absolutely delicious! But completely unavailable in the US. I scoured and found some places in Germany to order them, but alas they do not ship to the US. Thankfully, it seems that German labeling laws are stricter, and I found an explicit recipe on one of the brands of German tomato salts! 

 I made a batch to bring down to one of my bestie's weddings. It's a potluck, but I'll be doing some traveling before and don't have a good way to bring down something more intricately crafted. So, I'll pick up some local tomatoes day-of, along with some pumpernickel and liverworst pate and make small hand sandwiches garnished with the salt.

Note: I am still tweaking this recipe, but will update each discovery/trial.

TomatenSalz

based on Bad Reichenhaller

Ingredients:

4 Tbs salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp thyme

2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients. Server sprinkled generously over fresh tomato slices.

Crustless Salmon Spinach Quiche

Good solid dish, serve with some crusty baguette. Next time I'm going to play with mixing the salmon into the egg custard. We tripled this recipe and the cook time was much longer. I recommend a single batch, which is what I'm transcribing here.

Crustless Salmon Spinach Quiche
from Lynns Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:
2 Tbs butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10 oz. frozen spinach
14.5 oz canned boneless salmon, drained and flaked
16 oz. plain full-fat yogurt
4 eggs
1.5 cups cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
0.5 tsp herbes de provence, dried
tomato, sliced thin, for garnish

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Bring a skillet to medium heat and melt butter. Sautee onion until golden-brown, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Combine well all other ingredients to create the egg custard and set aside.
4. In a 9x13" pan, spread spinach in bottom. Then layer salmon on top of spinach, then the sauteed onion, then the custard mixture. Make single-layer of tomato on top of custard.
5. Bake for 50 minutes, or until egg custard is completely set in the middle when cut.

Brown-butter sage with blue cheese and a pesto & walnut topping

Tasty and delicious. Don't skimp on the walnut topping! Next time I'm going to try more bleu cheese.

Brown-butter sage with blue cheese and a pesto & walnut topping

adapted from Jamie Oliver

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. butter + 3 Tbs. for browning

3 Tbs. flour

6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

4 bay leaves

3 cups  milk

1 lb. macaroni

handful of walnuts

couple sprigs of thyme

125 g bleu cheese, crumbled and divided

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce, optional

1 grating nutmeg, optional

6 sage leaves

basil pesto, for garnish

Instructions:
1. Melt butter in oven-proof sauce pan on low, add flour, turn to medium and stir until roux is formed.

2. Add sliced garlic and cook until golden and garlic is sticky, stirring constantly.

3. Add bay leaves and slowly whisk in milk.

4. Bring to a boil, then turn to low and leave simmering. Stir in ¾ or so of the bleu cheese until well combined with sauce.

5. In a separate small pan, fry the sage leaves with the 3 Tbs. butter over low heat until darkened and nutty.

6. Add cooked pasta to sauce, stir in browned butter, the rest of the blue cheese crumbles, and optional ingredients.. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Place macaroni mixture in oven pan. Coarsely chop walnuts and thyme together, and scatter on top of pasta.

8. Bake for 30 minutes at 425F, until walnuts are golden and thyme has crisped.

9. Serve with dollops of basil pesto on top.

Mexican-style with green chilli, smoked paprika and a guacamole topping

This was a clear win as well. Add some sauteed chorizo and this is a main. There isn't cilantro pictured because my normal grocery store doesn't stock it! But the cilantro really takes it to the next level. Make sure to get it.

Mexican-style with green chilli, smoked paprika and a guacamole topping
adapted from Jamie Oliver


Ingredients:

2 Tbs. butter

3 Tbs.  flour

6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

4 bay leaves

3 cups  milk

 4 fresh jalapenos, seeded and minced

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 Lb. macaroni

125 g Leicester cheese, freshly grated

75 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce, optional

1 grating nutmeg, optional

guacamole, for serving

red onion, thinly sliced

red wine vinegar

tsp salt

tsp sugar

cilantro, for serving

Instructions:
1. Melt butter in oven-proof sauce pan on low, add flour, turn to medium and stir until roux is formed.

2. Add sliced garlic and cook until golden and garlic is sticky, stirring constantly.

3. Add bay leaves and slowly whisk in milk.

4. Bring to a boil, add paprika and jalapeno, then turn to low and leave simmering.

5. Add cooked pasta to sauce, stir in cheeses and optional ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Place in oven pan, and bake for 30 minutes at 425F.

7. While baking, make a quick-pickle by combining red onion, red wine vinegar, salt, and sugar. Let set combined for at least 10 minutes.

8. Serve macaroni with quick pickle, guacamole, and cilantro.

Ham hock with mustard cheese sauce & rosemary pangritata

For this recipe, we cheated and used baked ham slices. We mixed together the ham marinade, let it sit for a bit, then fried the ham with the marinade until caramelized. If you don't have the 3.5 hours to cook ham hocks, I recommend this!

This recipe came out delicious and is a main as-is.

Ham hock with mustard cheese sauce & rosemary pangritata

adapted from Jamie Oliver

ham hocks (see recipe below)

2 Tbs. butter

3 Tbs. flour

6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

4 bay leaves

3 cups milk

1 lb. dried macaroni

 large spoon of mustard

125 g Cheddar cheese, freshly grated

75 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce, optional

1 grating nutmeg, optional

2 big handfuls fresh breadcrumbs (pumpernickel works well)

rosemary

For the jerk pork

3 x 500g ham hocks, skinned

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

2 scotch bonnet peppers, deseeded and chopped

2 red shallots, peeled and diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 fresh bay leaves

2 cloves

2 level teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons allspice

2 teaspoons runny honey

2 tablespoons golden rum

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or malt vinegar

oil, for drizzling

1. For the ham hocks, combine all ingredients except pork using a food processor.

2. Rub seasoning over hocks, drizzle with oil, then place in roasting tray. 

3. Cover with foil, and cook for 3.5 hours at 350F.

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in oven-proof sauce pan on low, add flour, turn to medium and stir until roux is formed.

2. Add sliced garlic and cook until golden and garlic is sticky, stirring constantly.

3. Add bay leaves and slowly whisk in milk.

4. Bring to a boil, then turn to low and leave simmering.

5. Add cooked pasta to sauce, stir in cheeses, shredded ham hocks, ham juices, and optional seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Place in oven pan, toss breadcrumbs with rosemary and a bit of olive oil, then sprinkle over pan.

6. Bake for 30 minutes at 425F.