Apple Crisp with Bourbon Crème Sauce

Easy Gourmet February 2011 Dish

When it’s cold and gloomy and you’ve got the blizzard blues, some warm, gooey comfort food is always a wise pick-me-up. The fun twist on this dish - is the crispy corn flakes in the mix. And tell me, who doesn’t love apples in the winter to remind us of days to come! The total yummy end is the bourbon creme sauce topper.

Ingredients:

• 5 apples peeled and sliced

• 1 cup brown sugar

• ½ quick oats

• ½ cup all purpose flour

• ½ sugar coated corn flakes

• 1 ½ teaspoons 5 Chinese 5 spice

• 1 stick of butter

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 pint good vanilla bean ice cream

• ¼ cup bourbon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and slice all apples. Melt butter in microwave. Blend together all dry ingredients and butter. In buttered cast iron pan, layer ½ the apples. Sprinkle ½ of flour/butter mixture, then layer remainder apples and top with mixture. Juice lemon and pour over the top. Bake 35 minutes.

Bourbon Sauce: Melt ice cream in microwave, mix in bourbon.

To serve:

Drizzle bourbon sauce on plate, add wedge of crisp, pour a bit more over top – Enjoy.

Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo Ball Soup
Easy Gourmet Recipe of the Month
January 2011


Perfect for a cold winter’s day!

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 4 tablespoons melted butter

• 1/2 cup matzo meal

• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 dash white pepper

• 1 tablespoon water

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1 medium carrot, diced

• 1 small onion finely diced

• 2 cloves of garlic minced

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix eggs with the melted butter. Stir in matzo meal, parsley, salt and pepper to form dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

2. Sauté carrots, onions and garlic in soup pot till clear and just a touch brown. Add chicken broth, reduce heat to a simmer. Shape the matzo dough into small balls. (For easier shaping, dip hands in cold water from time to time). Drop the matzo balls into the simmering broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

3. Add cubed cooked chicken is you prefer a heartier soup.

Walnut & Gorgonzola Chicken Wraps with Homemade Mayo

As we move into the busiest time of the year, here’s a super quick, yet yummy dish to make in between decorating, shopping and celebrating this great season.  Make your own mayo to give this recipe a big gourmet taste.

Serve with a big glass of fresh apple cider on ice!


Ingredients

• 4 wraps

• 4 (6 ounce) chicken breasts, boneless skinless

• sea salt to taste

• coarse ground black pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon homemade mayo (see recipe below.)

• finely shredded lettuce or baby greens

• 1 cup walnut halves

• 1 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

• 1 apple, thin slices

Directions

1. Turn Broiler on High. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Broil until done, approximately 10 minutes. Slice diagonally.

2. Reduce heat to 350, and roast walnuts 5-7 minutes. Wrap wraps in foil and put in oven, then turn off oven to just keep wraps warm.

3. On each wrap, smear homemade mayo, add lettuce mix in center. Arrange chicken slices on top of lettuce - Add walnuts, cheese and apples.

4. Fold bottom edge and roll from left to right, to leave one end open. Serve.

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

2 egg yolks room temp.

1 tablespoon French mustard

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

Combine egg yolks and mustard in food processor bowl and with steel knife in place, beat well. Add lemon juice and beat again. Continue beating as you very slowly pour in vegetable oil.