Cranberry-White Chocolate Trifle

I love cranberries. OK I love chocolate too. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Tis the season for cranberries and indulgent desserts. Right? I found this recipe in Taste of Home Magazine. Can't wait to try it. Triffles are so good, mixing whipped cream, fruit and cake. With the layers, you get all the ingriends in each bite. Yum. Enjoy.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2-2/3 cups milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

5 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 can (14 ounces) jellied cranberry sauce

1/3 cup raspberry liqueur

1 loaf (10-3/4 ounces) frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/2-in. cubes

TOPPING

1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; stir in white chocolate and vanilla. Cool to room temperature without stirring.

In a small bowl, whisk cranberry sauce and raspberry liqueur until smooth.

Place half of the cake cubes in a 3-qt. trifle bowl or glass bowl. Spread with half of the cranberry mixture; top with half of the custard. Repeat layers. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. Pipe over top. Yield: 14 servings (3/4 cup each).

Apple Cheddar Pie

For the dough:

 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. sugar

6 oz. white cheddar cheese, finely grated

16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut

 into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:

2 lb. Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and cut

 into slices 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored

 and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs. fresh orange juice

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

3 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. heavy cream

Directions:

To make the dough, in a bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar and cheese, breaking apart any large clumps of cheese. Put the butter in a separate bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse the flour mixture until the ingredients are combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 15 to 20 pulses. Add 1/3 cup of the ice water and pulse twice. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 Tbs. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, remove 1 of the dough disks from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes. Place the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer to a pie dish and press the dough into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Pour the apples into a sieve set over a small saucepan, then transfer the apples to a large bowl. Set the saucepan with the juices over medium-high heat, add the butter and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the apples and toss to combine, then stir in the reduced juices. Transfer the apples to the pie shell.

Roll out the remaining dough disk into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Drape the dough over the apples and press gently to eliminate any air pockets. Trim the dough flush with the rim of the dish. Fold the bottom crust over the top crust and crimp to form a decorative edge. Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the crust with the cream.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cover the edges and top with aluminum foil if they begin to get too dark. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until the apples are easily pierced with a knife, 65 to 70 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 8 to 12.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

As it gets cold, I always think of making big pots of soup. I like asparagus; it seems classy somehow...

Ingredients:


2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk
3/4 pound fresh asparagus
boiling water
salt and pepper -- to taste

Preparation:

Make the white sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir until smooth. Add milk; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.

Set aside.

Wash asparagus and cut in 1/2-inch pieces. Cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Set aside a few of the asparagus tips or pieces aside for garnish, if desired. Mash or blend remaining asparagus; set aside. Add enough boiling water to cooking liquid to make 1 cup; add white sauce and pureed asparagus. Heat thoroughly; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add whole asparagus pieces and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Dinner at Luzerne

Upon frequent trips to San Francisco, we were often introduced to new tastes and restaurants. One of our favorites was a little neighborhood restaurant near the park. It was called Luzerne.   This was a small place,  The service was always friendly and outstanding, and the food was amazing, if you like German/Swiss style cooking.  Painted on the walls was a mural of one of the quaint European villages

It was like an old world family restaurant. The couple that ran it were from Germany. and our favorite server was an adorable French woman, who didn't really speak English well, but she tried.


alas the restaurant is no longer there, but what nice memories.




One of our favorites was a Speatzle and Veal Schnitzel with a cream morel sauce

 What is it?  Speatzle is a tiny little dumpling, and schnitzel is veal or pork pounded thin and then lightly floured and fried, like a scallopini only German Switzerland and  Austria it is called schnitzel.  Sometimes it is served by itself with a lemon wedge.

Serves 8

Mushroom Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup wild mushrooms of your choice, sliced thinly, like morels.
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon rubbed sage

In a saucepan over medium-high heat saute sliced mushrooms and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter until liquid evaporates. Increase heat to high, add dry vermouth and chicken broth, reduce liquid to 3 tablespoons; add the cream. Continue cooking until large bubbles appear and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, add thyme and sage. Set aside.

Veal Schnitzel

2 pounds Veal slices, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
Salt and pepper, to taste
Flour for dredging
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cut meat into 8 servings. Season with salt and pepper, dredge in a small amount of flour; shake off excess. In a large skillet over high heat in 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter saute meat very quickly for 1 minute each side. Add any juices from the pan to the mushrooms, spoon onto individual plates, add the sauteed meat on top and serve with  zucchini or asparagus.





Adapted recipe courtesy of http://www.finedinings.com/