Strawberry Tart

Last week, I had a pedicure, which I get about every 2 years! I thought I needed it before going into chemo. Anyway, the lady handed me the latest People Magazine. I found this recipe and gave it to my daughter, Zoe, to make. It was SO good, very light! You could substitute different kinds of fruit.

Strawberry Tart
Recipe adapted from Gail Simmons’s Talking with my Mouth Full

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for coating pan
1 cup sugar, plus 2 Tbs
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz fresh strawberries, halved
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-in. springform pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Using a mixer on a low speed, incorporate flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 20 minutes.

Arrange strawberries in concentric circles on top of dough. Pour lemon juice evenly over strawberries. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over strawberries. Bake tart until edges are golden and center is set, 45 minutes. When tart is cool, run a sharp paring knife around the edge, and then remove the sides of the pan.

Hot Pepper Vinegar

Today’s blog comes from Sharon, Brisbane, Australia.

You know how they say if you get one recipe that is a keeper from a book, then it was worth buying.  Some time ago I purchased Bon Appetit, Y’All by Virginia Willis and highly recommend it, I have made many recipes from this, but the one that I always have in my pantry is Hot Pepper Vinegar.

This is what she says;

Almost every diner and “meat and three” establishment across the South has a jar of hot pepper vinegar on each and every table.  A dash or so of this potent liquid on greens is a revelation.  The longer the mixture sits the more potent it becomes. It also makes a great gift.  I prepare several batches with peppers from my garden and present them as hostess and Christmas gifts. Nothing says love like a little heat.

Hot Pepper Vinegar

6 to 8 hot chillies (such as jalapeño, cayenne or banana)
4 cups apple cider vinegar

Wearing rubber gloves, wash the chillies under cold running water.

Using a paring knife, make 2 or 3 small slits in each.

Pack the peppers in one or more sterilized jars.

Heat the vinegar in a saucepan over high heat until simmering.

Pour the hot vinegar over the peppers.

Secure tightly with the lid and refrigerate for three weeks before opening.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one year.

As you can see I use a mixture of cayenne and Birds Eye, and cut the big ones in half.  It doesn’t look glamorous but tastes good!

An Update – What’s up with Blythe’s Blog?

Please bear with my blog. I am starting chemo today. I’m sure I will be fine, but there might be some days I don’t feel like cooking (which happens all the time!). I have some posts that I have been stock piling and have many wonderful guest bloggers coming up. I am very prepared for this – a little too prepared, so bring it on!

Yorkshire Toad in the Hole

Guest Blogger du jour Sharon signing in here from Brisbane, Australia. Although I write from Australia I am actually  British, from Yorkshire, the home of the Yorkshire Pudding, a savoury batter pudding baked in a hot oven, served with roast beef, but there is a variation  - Toad in the Hole – sausages baked in the Yorkshire Pudding batter. This is my mother’s recipe and is so old that it is my only recipe in ounces – we are metric  in Australia and UK.

Yorkshire Toad in the Hole

1lb sausages
2 Tbs oil
4 oz plain flour
1 tsp dry mustard
salt & lots of pepper
2 eggs
¼ pt milk and ¼ pt water mixed

In a mixing bowl add flour, mustard, salt and pepper, eggs, milk and water – whisk until smooth.

Heat the oil in a cast iron (Le Creuset style) baking dish.

Add sausages – bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.

Pour batter over sausages and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately – it is vital to have everyone seated at table before you remove the Toad from the oven – to serve in all it’s crispy brown glory!  Have I been reading too much Nigella??

This needs a big mound of buttery mashed potato and gravy.

Zabaglione with Cream

My husband made some awesome dessert the other night. Zabaglione is a light custard, whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. It is usually served with strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc. in a champagne glass. Classical Zabaglione uses raw egg yolks, but it’s best to cook the custard in a bain-marie.

Zabaglione with Cream

Serves 4

6 large egg yolks
6 Tbs sugar
6 Tbs Vin Santo wine or Marsala
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh berries

Put the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the sugar, and Vin Santo wine or Marsala. 
Cook’s Note: A good rule of thumb is a tablespoon of each ingredient per yolk. 

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat and place the steel bowl over but not touching the water. Whisk the yolk mixture for 8 minutes, or until it becomes light and creamy. Monitor the heat, otherwise you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Set aside and let cool. 

In another bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer. 

Gently fold the zabaglione into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula, and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until ready to serve. Serve in glasses with blueberries on top.

Chopped Salad from The Luggage Room Pizzeria

Last week the Los Angeles Times printed the recipe for this chopped salad from one of our favorite restaurants, The Luggage Room Pizzeria in the 1934 Del Mar Train Station in Pasadena, CA.  The pizza is done in a wood burning oven and is phenomenal.

Chopped Salad from The Luggage Room Pizzeria

Serves 1

Champagne Vinaigrette
1/4 tsp yellow mustard
1 egg yolk
5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs Champagne vinegar
Salt and cracked pepper

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard and egg yolk. Whisk in the vinegar, then the olive oil in a slow drizzle. Taste, seasoning with salt and pepper and adjusting the flavorings if desired. This makes a scant one-half cup dressing. The dressing will keep, covered and chilled, up to 3 days.

Chopped Salad
2 cups chopped romaine and iceberg lettuce, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1/4 cup chopped white cheddar
1/4 cup diced pepperoni, cut into ½-inch dice
1/4 cup diced cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice
1 Tbs green brined olives (such as picholine)
1 Tbs black oil-cured olives (such as beldi)
1 Tbs golden raisins
1 Tbs pistachios
Champagne vinaigrette, divided
2 Tbs julienned fresh basil
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, toss the lettuces with the cheddar, pepperoni, cucumber, olives, raisins and pistachios. Toss with 4 tablespoons vinaigrette, then continue to add a little more until the salad is coated to taste; you may not use all the vinaigrette. Transfer to a chilled plate and garnish with basil and cracked pepper.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I has about 5 minutes to throw dinner together last night and happened to have some pesto, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes. You can do it in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. I actually over cooked mine! Note to self – set a timer!!!

Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup basil pesto
4 slices (1/2 inch thick) mozzarella cheese
sun-dried tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Make a slice in each chicken breast, but don’t cut all the way through.

Put 1 slice of mozzarella cheese in the chicken, then add the sun-dried tomato, then brush with pesto.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Butterscotch Slice

Today’s blog comes from Sharon & Annabel, Brisbane, Australia.

Australians do love a slice – for a gathering of kids, or to take to one of our many sporting camps we would usually make a slice of one type or another. I have a group of girls coming to stay with us at the beach, so am making this for their afternoon tea.  This is a favorite of ours, easy to make and delicious.  The three steps might sound fiddly – but each is prepared very quickly with the minimum of effort!

Butterscotch Slice

4 ½ oz butter, melted
3 oz brown sugar
5 ½ oz self rising flour
3 oz coconut

Mix the dry ingredients, add the melted butter, mix and press into an  approximate11″ x 7 ½ ” brownie tin – greased and lined with baking paper.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

1 Tbs butter melted
2 Tbs golden syrup
14 oz can condensed milk

Mix together and pour over the baked base.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, allow to cool.

2 oz shortening – this makes the chocolate glossy – but you could use veg oil
1 oz milk chocolate chips – the type that melt rather than hold their shape
3 oz dark chocolate chips

Melt the shortening in the microwave, add chocolate chips and mix to melt the chocolate.  Pour over the slice, allow to cool and set.

Cut into small squares.

Coconut Custard Pie

I was thinking his recipe would be one giant coconut macaroon. It was actually more custardy than coconut, but very good and quick to make.

Coconut Custard Pie

1/2 cup Bisquick
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs butter, softened

Combine all the ingredients and pour into greased 9″ pie pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes until custard sets.

Cheesy Beef & Zucchini Casserole

I have no idea why I made a casserole when it was 100°F in Los Angeles yesterday! Anyway, it was really good and easy to make.

Cheesy Beef & Zucchini Casserole

Serves 6-8

4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 can (15 oz) Italian tomato sauce

Place zucchini in strainer; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10
minutes. Squeeze out moisture.

Combine zucchini with the eggs, Parmesan and half of the mozzarella
and cheddar cheeses. Press into greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce; spoon over zucchini mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through.