This Bursting Peach Starter is the perfect beginning to a grilling, wine drinking, deck evening!
A Ripe Peach is halved, stuffed with the combination of Brie and Goat Cheese, wrapped in Prosciutto, scantly brushed with oil and dusted with the Amazing Rub. A quick grill starts with the peach back, a few minutes to soften and sweeten, before being carefully slipped to crisp the savory ham and melt the cheese…and Viola! Fabulous served on a bed of baby Argula, Basil if available and lightly dressed with Olive Oil and a Balsamic Reduction drizzle. Salt and Pepper to taste! For over the top decadence, I like to make a quick Aioli of Mayo, a bit of Maple Syrup and a good shake of Pummull Spice. Is it just too much, well maybe…but no one is walking away from this dish without one spectacular memory! ENJOY!
SERVES: 2 LEVEL: Presto-simple!
INGREDIENTS 1 Ripe Peach (halved, pit remove, keep skin on) 2 rounds Goat Cheese 2 Pieces of Brie (rind removed) 2-4 Pieces of Prosciutto (enough to wrap 2 peach halves) 2 Tbsps Light Oil 2 Tbsps of The Amazing Rub 2 large handfuls of Baby Arugula Fresh Basil leaves if available
To Garnish: Best Olive Oil Balsamic Vinegar Reduction (your favorite) Salt n Pepper to taste *Optional Aioli of Mayo ¼ cup/1 tsp Maple Syrup/1/4 tsp Pummull Spice (Cinn)
DIRECTIONS Half a just ripe peach, remove stone. Keep on peel, stuff center with equal size pieces of Brie and Goat Cheese. Wrap each round with Prosciutto and secure for grilling with toothpicks. Lightly oil peaches both sides and sprinkle generously with Amazing Rub (this will give complex flavor and a wonderful carmelization of stuffed peaches). Prepare a grill, inside or out, or broiling in oven will work as well!
Start with the back sides of peaches, 2-3 minutes, gently flip, Prosciutto side up – grill until deep golden and cheeses melting.
Serve on bed or Arugula, add fresh basil leaves. Place peach in center of greens, REMOVE toothpicks, drizzle with Olive Oil, Balsamic reduction….salt pepper if desired. ENJOY!
Okay it is HOT OUTSIDE, but so cool to enjoy a dish of Homemade Ice Cream! Here we took the current garden’s bounty of fresh Strawberries and added a big handful of runaway mint! The combination is so subtle yet complex. So in a nod to my best trick of kicking up our strawberries this recipe calls for a fine chop on the strawberries, adding a handful of fresh mint leaves, ½ C of the called for sugar and then dressing this combo with 1 or 2 Tbsp. Of Champagne Vinegar. Mull just these ingredients together and set aside for 1 – 3 hours. This produces a natural brightening of the strawberries (no red food color here!) as well as a slight taste of the cool mint! Now imagine, we use strawberries here…but this exact formula/recipe and techniques serves our summer fruits of Blueberries, Blackberries and Peaches….don’t even get me started! I am suggesting that you use an ice cream machine, but this could also be done with a square loaf pan in the freezer.
SERVES: 8 LEVEL: Moderate – you got this!
INGREDIENTS 2 C whole milk 2 C heavy cream 1 C white sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp mint extract (optional) 2 C fresh strawberries, finely chopped 1 handful fresh mint leaves 1 Tbsp Champagne vinegar (or white balsamic)
DIRECTIONS FIRST; In a medium bowl place finely diced fresh strawberries, 1 (to 2) Tbsp of Champagne vinegar, ½ C of white sugar and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Combine these ingredients and mull the mint leaves to release more of there flavor. Set aside for 1 hour minimum or overnight in cooler.
NEXT: In a large bowl, combine milk, cream, remaining ½ c sugar, vanilla, mint extract, strawberries mixture BUT remove the mulled mint leaves.
ICE CREAM MAKER: Now the creamy mixture is ready for your ice cream maker, (according to the manufacturers directions) but generally this machine mix takes approximately 25-30 minutes to produce a soft frozen custard like texture. This is where you remove from machine churn bowl and pack into a bowl or plastic container. I really like to pack in 1 pint containers with a nice lid! If having company and plan to use at once – a great big freezer safe bowl is great, just make sure to cover it!
Summer, Nature, Cool Mint…I don’t know if it gets better!
So I was looking for a great fun delicious dish for kicking off the Father’s Day Weekend. What guy doesn’t love meatloaf? Okay can we be honest? If you are not a vegetarian, the chances are great that you love meatloaf. So here is the recipe I love, a basic old world meatloaf, packaged in a mini individual loaf and wrapped in bacon that crisps (with the help of The Amazing Rub) and just sets this dish off!
We are gluten-free on this recipe, because way back when, the Frenchies in my neck of the woods always made meatloaf or meatballs with oatmeal that had been ground…a little like an oat flour.
So tender, so delicious….hope you enjoy! My plating suggestion is the perfect baked potato, maple glazed carrots and KB’s Spicy Ketchup (recipe also below)!
SERVES: 6 LEVEL: Intermediate – you got this!
INGREDIENTS 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 cup of your favorite medium chunky salsa 2 ½ pounds of ground beef/pork (I like 1 ½# beef, 1 # pork) 1 cup instant oatmeal, I like to buzz in blender to make finer grounds 2 large eggs, beaten with fork ½ C parmesan, or your favorite finely ground cheese 6 thin strips of bacon 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Herbes (this is all flavor) 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub (this will enhance and crisp the bacon) *Options: Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce and 1 tsp beef bouillon or concentrate (These last 2 ingredients are optional, but I always include!)
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil and sauté chopped onion over med-low heat for about 8 minutes, at the finish add the 2 Tbsp of the Amazing Herbes to allow spices to blossom and warm. Set aside.
In large bowl add ground beef/pork mixture, add onion mixture, salsa, oatmeal, beaten eggs, cheese, and the optional ingredients if desired. Use a fork to toss and mix, careful not to over mix and do not compress – better to toss to create the tenderness desired. This mixture can be divided in 6 with 1 generous cup of meat mixture each, and should create 6 mini meatloafs. Use mini loaf pans, or just form mini loaves. When formed loaves, wrap each loaf in the bacon strip and sprinkle the loaf and especially bacon with the Amazing Rub. (This again helps that great taste and crispness of the bacon wrap). Bake for 45 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot or cold, and kick up your Ketchup as described below!
SAUCE KB’S Spicy Ketchup 1 cup ketchup 1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub 1 tsp Blazing Belle…it’s our heat, folks 1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a small glass bowl, and heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds until hot.
INGREDIENTS 1 C. whole milk 1 C. cream 2 C. chicken stock 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 1 C. *white grits *Carolina Plantation White Grits – best of all! ½ tsp. freshly ground white pepper 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter 4 oz. sharp Cheddar or Brie (or both!) 1 small can pureed pumpkin ½ tsp. Pummull Spice
DIRECTIONS Bring the milk, cream, stock and salt to a boil in a saucepan, set over medium-high heat. While continually whisking, gradually add the grits. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until thick and creamy, removing the lid and whisking every 3 to 4 minutes to prevent the grits from sticking or forming lumps. Remove from the heat, add the pumpkin, Pummull Spice, pepper and butter, and whisk to combine. Once the butter is melted, gradually stir in the cheese (of your choice). Serve alone or with Fruited Spicy Sausage.
Pumpkin Alfredo Lasagna with Roasted Veggies and Pork Sage Sausage
SERVES: 15 LEVEL: Intermediate
INGREDIENTS Lasagna: 1 lb of Lasagna Noodles cooked al dente (or no bake noodles) 1 lb of Mixed Shredded Cheeses (Mozzarella & Monterey Jack is great) 1 lb Whole Mike Ricotta 8 oz Boursin Cheese (Garlic and fine herbs) 1 egg ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or ¼ cup dried 2 Tbsp Amazing Herbes 1 lb pork sage spicy sausage (OPTIONAL-omit for vegetarian version) *cooked, drained and crumbled! 2 red peppers, julienned 3 summer squashes, julienned 3 zucchini Squash, julienned 3 carrots, julienned 1 cup of whole sage leaves if available (can be omitted) 3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp of olive oil 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub **Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce *recipe follows
DIRECTIONS Set oven to 400F degrees. (Plan on 40 minutes large, or 25 mins individuals)
Cook Lasagna Noodles in Salted Water approx 10-12 minutes, add a little olive oil at the finish boil, drain and separate noodles on tray, set aside. You can also use no bake lasagna noodles for this.
Mix Ricotta, Boursin, Egg, Parsley, Amaz Herbes – Season with Salt and Pepper.
Slice all vegetables julienned style (Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks) , and mix Red Peppers, Squashes, Carrots, (Whole Sage Leaves if available) and any other veggies you would like with Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil and Amazing Rub (or use your own seasoning blend). Brown veggies in hot 400 degree oven for approx 15 minutes stirring once or twice…if you want more crisp or browning keep in an extra 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS For Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce: 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter 2 cups milk 1 cup white wine (optional) 1 cup chicken broth 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 – 2 Tbsp of Amazing Herbes (or salt/pepper/oregano blend) ¼ cup grated Parmesan (more if desired) 1-2 cans pumpkin purée
DIRECTIONS Combine oil and butter and warm, add all other ingredients and do a consistent stir, bring to a low boil, when thickened, remove from heat and add 1 can of puréed pumpkin. If you like it more Pumpkiny – add more purée! Taste for seasonings and adjust according to your palate.
Now Line all ingredients like an assembly line:
Sauce
Lasagna Noodles
Ricotta Cheese Mix
Shredded Cheese Mix
Roasted Veggies
Cooked/Crumbled Pork Sausage
Spread pan bottom with sauce, arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles on top, next spread ricotta cheese mix, another layer of lasagna noodles. Next layer sauce and roasted veggies, add a little shredded cheese. Next sauce, crumbled sausage, a little shredded cheese, and more lasagna noodles, sauce, veggies—keep going till you have used all ingredients and the Lasagna Noodles and finish with sauce and a decorative garnish of veggies and cheese.
Bake in warm in oven for 45-50 minutes. You can add more cheese and Amazing Herbes to the top of the Lasagna for the last 5 minutes of cooking. If you would like, create individual lasagna in oven proof individual cassoulets. This recipe freezes wonderful – so make two or three! Highly delicious!
INGREDIENTS For Turkey: 1 bone-in whole turkey breast (6- 7 lbs), thawed if frozen ½ C apricot brandy ½ cup butter melted 2 tsp Amazing Rub 1 sheet puff pastry
For Sauce: Turkey pan drippings + water to equal 2 cups 1 can apricot halves 2 T cornstarch 2 T cold water
DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 325ºF. Place turkey, skin side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered 1 hour.
Mix Brandy with melted butter and Amazing Rub. Brush turkey with half of the butter mixture. Roast 30 minutes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast about 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 165ºF.
Remove turkey from oven and let stand 30 minutes for easier carving to remove bones. When only Turkey Breast Roast is left, enrobe the Turkey Breast with a thin layer of Puff Pastry brushed with a light egg wash; and bake again for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into measuring cup; skim fat from drippings. Add enough water to drippings to measure 2 cups. Heat drippings to boiling in 1-quart saucepan add one can of Apricots. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water; stir into drippings. Boil and stir 1 minute. Serve with turkey.
