Cheese puffs for a crowd!

Gougeres are the french term for cheese puff. They are little bits of cheese heaven. It is made with a pate a choux dough. This is the same dough that is used to make eclairs and cream puffs. Pate a choux maybe a little tricky if you have never tried it before. Don't worry, I will guide you through it.

In this recipe it is very important to weigh out the flour and the cheese. Also, make sure to use extra large eggs. They provide the structure of this dough and it may not come out properly if you use large in place of them. If you follow this recipe exactly as written, it will come out perfectly every time. I guarantee it.  These are great served with champagne or other sparkling bubbly.

Gougeres

Serves: 40-50 puffs      Cook Time:  30 min   Prep Time: 20 min

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• 5 oz bread flour
• 3 extra large eggs
• 5 oz gruyere,shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Directions

Heat milk, water,nutmeg, salt and butter in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Then add the flour. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Place back over heat and mix until dough comes away from the side of the pan. Transfer dough to a mixer. Continue mixing on low speed until cool. Let cool 4-5 minutes or until you can touch the dough with your fingers for 5-10 seconds without burning. If you put the eggs in to early they will cook and you will need to start again. Once cool add eggs one at a time. Wait until the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once the eggs are all incorporated add rosemary and gruyere cheese. Place a tablespoon of the dough on a parchment lined tray. Space about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Cook at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

An elegant appetizer!

An appetizer for entertaining!

This chicken salad appetizer came about because I needed to a filling appetizer for an event. It needed to be something easy and be made ahead of time.  This appetizer is perfect for that. The wonton cups can be made a few days in advance. The chicken salad can be made one or two days in advance. To make this dish completely gluten free, serve on cucumber slices or in lettuce cups. If you make this dish, I promise you guests will be craving more!

A brunoise cut measures 1/8x1/8x1/8 of an inch. It is a cube that is smaller than a small dice. For this recipe is it necessary to cut this small in order to fit in the wonton cups. If you are serving this dish another way fell free to cut everything bigger.

Asian Chicken Salad In Wonton Cups

Serves: 60 cups      Cook Time:  0 min   Prep Time: 10 min

• 1 package wonton wrappers
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 lime juiced
• 2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Tamari 
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 pounds rotisserie chicken, small diced
• 1 red pepper, brunoise
• 5 snow peas, brunoise
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 scallions, sliced on bias
• 1 carrots, brunoise
• 1/4 head cabbage, chiffonaded and chopped

To make wonton cups, cut 1 1/2" circles with cookie cutter. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray. Place circles in cups. Cook at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. 

To make chicken salad, combine first 8 ingredients together. Set aside for dressing. Combine remaining ingredients except cabbage. Add enough dressing to chicken salad to taste. Combine cabbage lightly with enough dressing to coat. To assemble, place enough cabbage to coat the bottom of the wonton cup. Add about 1 teaspoon chicken salad on top. Garnish with sliced scallions or cilantro leaf. Enjoy at your next holiday party. Alternatively bake wonton chips for dipping into salad or serve as a sandwich.

Finished Appetizers!

A fall quesadilla!

Quesadillas are often filled with chicken, beef, shrimp or veggies. This recipe takes them in a different direction. It's inspired by my favorite restaurant in Athens Ohio, Casa Nueva. They served a quesadilla similar to this. It was featured in the fall and it changed what I believed a quesadilla should be. The flavors compliment each other and it keeps you coming back for more. I kept returning to the restaurant hoping it would be on the menu again, but was always disappointed. Saddened by this turn of events, I had to create my own of version of the wonderful fall delight! I promise you won't be displeased by this beautiful and satisfying appetizer!

Half the quesadilla with filling

Adding remainder of cheese

Sautéed apples

Heating through butternut squash

Butternut Squash, Apple and Cheddar Quesadilla

Ready to serve!

Serves: 2-4  Cook Time: 40 min      Prep Time:  20 min

• 2 cups Butternut squash, peeled,diced and roasted
• 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
• 1 sweet tango apples, cored and diced
• 5 fresh sage leaves, chiffonaded or 10 small sage leaves
• 1 teaspoons honey 
• 8 oz cheddar, shredded
• large tortillas
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat skillet and add butter. Add sage and let cook for 30 seconds. Add apple and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Once slighted softened, add butternut squash, honey, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 1 minute more. To assemble: Place 1/8 cup of cheddar on one half the quesadilla, then add 1/2-3/4 cup of apple and squash mixture.  Next add 1/8 cup of cheddar. Fold over tortilla on top of cheese.  Heat a cast iron griddle on medium on heat.  Place quesadilla on pan.  Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes and then flip.  Cook remaining side, 1-2 minutes more until cheese is melted and filling is warm.  The tortilla should be golden brown and charred on both sides.  Using a pizza cutter or knife cut into 3 or 4 pieces.  Enjoy as appetizer, lunch or dinner!

Healthy and delicious quesadilla!

The sweeter side of salsa!

Most salsa usually involves dicing up tomatoes and adding aromatics (onions, garlic, pepper). This unique salsa has a couple of twists from the traditional. First, it is made up of stone fruits: peaches, nectarines and plums. Next, it is not spicy at all. This fruity salsa could be a healthy dessert or a great snack. Lastly, the fruit in this salsa is grilled to add another level of flavor and complexity. Enjoy another great grilling recipe for the summer!

Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa

Serves: 4          Cook Time: 2 min          Prep Time: 10 min

• 2 peaches
• 2 nectarines
• 2 plums
• 1/2 Tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 Tablespoons honey, divided
• 4 Sprigs Lemon Balm, chiffonade
• Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips for dipping

Directions

Cut all stone fruit in half around the pit, remove pit and arrange on sheet tray. Combine melted butter and 1 tablespoon of honey. Brush the flesh side with honey and butter mixer. Meanwhile, heat grill until very hot. Once heated, place flesh side down. Let cook 1-2 minutes or until char marks are formed. Remove and place on parchment lined sheet pan. Once cool, dice. Combine with remaining ingredients. Garnish with whole lemon balm leaves. If you cannot find lemon balm, you can use lemon verbena, basil or mint instead. Enjoy as a healthy snack or place over yogurt or ice cream. The fruit alone can be eaten with ice cream or yogurt as well.

Tip- Chiffonade, this word sounds much more complicated than it is.  This culinary term means to shred.  In order to do this, stack a few leaves and roll up.  Slice vertically in to thin shreds.  It helps if your knife is very sharp.  This can be done with mint or basil as well.  It may be used on spinach or other greens to create a beautiful quick cooking greens, that can be sautéed or cooked in broth.

A new take on a old classic!

Who doesn't like Italian food? I have always had a love for Italian food, and it has only gotten stronger as I have developed my culinary skills. I love to make a classic bruschetta with tomato and basil. But for this dish, I decided to take a unique approach to this classic Italian appetizer. It is not yet tomato season here in Ohio; however, strawberries are in season. Nothing compares to locally grown, freshly picked strawberries. Fresh berries can add lots of color and look so stunning just on their own. It does not take much to make beautiful berries shine. This dish is so deliciously sweet, you might even consider serving it for dessert!

Strawberry Bruschetta

Serves: 8-10          Cook Time: 15 min              Prep Time: 10 min

• 1 Quart Strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 Cups Ricotta, preferably homemade
• 4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
• 3 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 French Baguette, sliced 1/4" on bias
• 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, Chiffonaded

Directions

Mix the strawberries with the sugar and balsamic. Set aside. Place ricotta, heavy cream and honey in bowl of mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix until all ingredients are combined. Set aside. Place baguette slices on a cookie sheet. Brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool. To assemble: spread ricotta mix over baguette slices, add strawberry slices, drizzle with balsamic and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!

Tip-  The fewer the ingredients, the more important they become. When you are making something like bruschetta or grilled cheese it is really important to buy quality ingredients. This is because all of them will be in the spotlight. That is why in this recipe I used local strawberries, homemade ricotta and a high quality aged balsamic vinegar. This really allows the dish to reach its maximum potential. Your guests will definitely appreciate it.

Tip- Adjusting the sweetness of berries requires that you first taste the fruit before adding sugar. Some fruit is super sweet and may need little to none. The berries I used for this dish were slightly sour so I added additional sugar to balance it out. Each batch of berries is different, so while you may need to add sugar, there is a chance you will not. Which is why it is important to taste the fruit before you make this dish.

My favorite balsamic

The star ingredients

Strawberry topping

Ricotta spread

The final assembled product