Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Tarteletter med Kylling,Svampe og Asparges (Patty Shells with Chicken, Mushrooms and Asparagus)

It was Tapas Night again this week, and I made Tarteletter med Kylling og Svampe og Asparagus.     OK, so it's Patty Shells with Chicken,  Mushroom and Asparagus filling, if you insist on a translation.   And according to this website Danes are known to consume 40 million tartaletter (patty shells)  a year.    And I can believe it.   There are also over 100 different filling recipes as well.   I just use one basic recipe, and I will vary it from time to time, but that's pretty much it. 

Personally I love this, and probably could eat it a couple, three, five times a week.  But Mom only made it once in a while and it was a special occasion kind of dish. 

The original recipe calls for white asparagus, but my mom made it with mushrooms, so that's the way I do it as well.  However, she also added Asparagus from time to time as well.   So, it's up to you.  Gee you could also go wild and add both to it, trust me it tastes wonderful.   And I know this, cause I just did it.   

And I use a couple of shortcuts as well.  You can do it this way as well, or make your own sauce.

Basic Recipe.

Puff Pastry Sheets  (I'm using the frozen stuff for this recipe)
Chicken
Mushrooms
Asparagus (optional)
Sauce

Too basic?   I know, but since I already know how to make it, I don't need more than that.  But if you like, I'll share the step by step and the actual recipe follows at the end.

To start with, cook your chicken breasts til they are tender.  Believe it or not a half hour in the pot with some carrots, onions, or leeks and celery to flavour the stock, and just let them simmer.   When the chicken is tender, take them out and chop them up.   Then strain the stock, and reserve a couple of cups for the sauce and freeze the rest, you just got a good base for home made soup.  (nothing like a multi purpose dish).    You can also use a whole chicken, cooked and cut up for this, or even a rotisserie chicken.   I've done it all the ways.

 
You can chop the mushrooms up a little more by using a food processor if you like.



Now for the fun part, the tarts.   I outsmarted myself this time.   I thought, ooh, I can make teeny little bites using the pastry and baking them in my mini tart pans.  Well, let me just show you what happened.
 Before baking...
After baking.   Kinda hard to fill those up.   (although I did cut them in half later on, and use the top and bottom to put filling in, hey, life hands you lemons, make lemonade or in this case, tart shells).


 So then I went a more labor intensive route.   But the end result, well worth it.
 Using a pretty shaped round cookie cutter, I cut out two rounds for each tart. 
Then I cut out the center of the second round, and placed it on top of the first round.



You have to kind of noodge the rounds together.  Oh you do need to brush the bottom round with a lightly beaten egg, it helps it to stick together.   I did take out the center cut, and baked them separately.


As you can see, these worked.   I even took more out of the center with a sharp paring knife, cutting very carefully around and prying out that center bit.   Made more room for the filling.   Very important that, the ratio of filling to tart. 



 These had the chicken, mushroom and asparagus mixture (and the picture is fuzzy, bad picture taking night I guess)
Tarteletter med Kylling,Svampe og Asparges (Patty Shells with Chicken, Mushrooms and Asparagus)

These were the vegetarian ones.   I did the whole kit and caboodle on these.   Made some veggie stock from scratch, simmered a mixture of vegetable stock and cream together and then thickened them with a roux, and added the mushrooms and asparagus.  
Tarteletter med Kylling,Svampe og Asparges (Patty Shells with Chicken, Mushrooms and Asparagus)


And just to let you know, you can buy the Puff Pastry tart shells already made, just bake them off in a hot oven, 400 degrees, for about 18 minutes or until browned, pull out the little cap, and then place them back in the oven for a few minutes to finish cooking.   While they are baking, heat up a can or two of Cream of Mushroom soup, add a cup or two of cooked chopped chicken, and some sauteed mushrooms or even a can or two of mushrooms.  Heat together and spoon into the baked pastry shells.    Now, how easy is that?  hmmm, and to think I played in the kitchen with the tart shells, and chicken mixture for over an hour, sigh.  But it was good and worth it.

There were a few leftovers, but I'm enjoying them for lunch this week.   Like I said before, I could eat this two, three, five times a week.  

yield: 6-12 servingsprint recipe

Chicken, Mushroom and Asparagus filling for Tartelletter

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 25 MINStotal time: 40 mins
Danes consume more than 40 million tartelleter every year, and there are more than 100 different recipes for the fillings. This is just one and it's my favorite.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 package Puff Pastry, cut into rounds, and made into patty shells or 1 package Puff Pastry Shells or Puff Pastry Cups
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup Half and Half
  • 8 oz. Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/4 chicken broth or
  • 1/4 cup flour or cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons butter and stirred together as a roux
  • 2 cups cooked, diced chicken
  • 1 can chopped asparagus, drained
  • 1 egg, whisked together with 1 tablespoon water

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Bake the Puff Pastry shells and set aside. If making own shells from the puff pastry sheets, the instructions follow in the next section. 
  2. Place the 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onions and mushrooms together until the onion is sweated out and the mushrooms have cooked through. Add the garlic and saute an additional minute. Do not brown. Set aside for a minute. 
  3. Heat the stock til almost boiling in a pot, then add the half and half. 
  4. Next add the thickening agent, either the cornstarch/chicken stock slurry or the butter/flour roux. Whisk together and let cook for 1 minute to get the raw taste out. This should have the consistency of a white sauce. Add the mushrooms, onions and chicken and onions and let simmer for a minute or two over low heat. At this point you can add a can of drained asparagus,folding it into the mixture very gently.
Patty Shells
  1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets in the fridge overnight. Take out one sheet of pastry at a time to work with. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry. I cut each sheet into thirds. 
  2. Using a rolling pin, roll out lightly. These instructions are for each third piece of pastry. 
  3. Take a small round biscuit cutter and cut out rounds. Cut the center out of half of them using a smaller round cutter. I use my doughnut hole cutter for this. Brush the whole piece of pastry with the egg mixture, and then place the piece with the center cut out on top. Bake in a 400 degree oven until lightly browned.  See the pictures for the how to.
All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

This recipe and many more Danish Recipes are in my cookbook Hygge- Danish Food and Recipes Dansk Mad og Opskrifter til et Hyggeligt Hjemme, available on Amazon. Also available as an ebook.
Created using The Recipes Generator

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Tapas Night for February

It was a wet and stormy night, gee, where have I heard that one before?  Hmmmm...  But as usual, great food, and good company and interesting conversations.
Even though it's a Tapas night, we got soup and salads and nibbles and basically great food.

Let me leave you with an overview of the dishes...

 Beet and Sweet Potato Chips.   Gluten Free and really tasty.
 Prosciutto wrapped Cheese, and as you can see I almost got the shot too late.
 Tarteletter with Chicken, Mushroom and Asparagus filling.    I'll be sharing the recipe later on. 
 Deviled Eggs, and they went fast.  I didn't even get to taste them.
 Broccoli Hollandaise soup, OMG on the flavour scale.  If you happened to have any leftover you could always drizzle it on some baked potatoes, or maybe some fresh steamed asparagus, or some lovely grilled fish, or....  
 Cherry Cobbler, I need the recipe for this one, it was off the scales delicious.











Add caption

Sorry for the poor picture quality, but this Pasta Salad was awesome.

  
 Cookies!!!!  Need I say more?  
 Very interesting cabbage salad, I need the recipe, HINT!   Really good.
 Coffee cake is always a winner.   Especially when it has nuts on it.  giggle. 
 Orzo Salad, lovely.
 Guacamole!  Always a popular addition.

Look at the variety of chips and crackers surrounding this dip.   Doesn't it look pretty?










Last but not least, Pizza Dip.  I will be sharing this recipe at a later date.   Just wanted to let you know, the dish was scraped clean by the end of the night. 

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Really Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Guess what we had for dinner last night?  Yup, Chicken Pot Pie.   I bet you guessed from the title of this post, didn't ya?
And of course I did it the easy way, used all kinds of shortcuts.   Well, except for poaching the chicken, but I needed to make some for the freezer anyway.  So I threw a few chicken breasts into the pot, added celery, carrots, onion, black pepper and other seasonings and let them simmer til done.    

Awhile back I watched an episode of Paula Dean.  This particular day she had a guest on who apparently makes pies, savoury, sweet, he makes pies, lots and lots of pies, every single day.  Pies are his thing.   What am I leading up to?  He made a chicken pot pie from scratch, roasting the chicken, roasting the vegetables, and putting it all together in such a way that made my mouth water.   And for some reason I keep thinking about Chicken Pot Pie.

But let's face it, most of us just don't have either the time or the inclination to do it all that way.   In fact, if you're like me, a lot of the time, you just want to get dinner on the table, cause you're hungry and it's getting late and...   

So here's my Chicken Pot Pie, the really easy way.
 And you can have this in the oven in minutes, and relax while it bakes.   Gives you time to have a nice glass of wine, a nap, bath or just chill out in the back yard while the squirrels yell at you.

Oh wait, that's my life.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie.  

For this recipe you need a few things, all easy, I promise you.

2 cups, cooked, cut up chicken
1 can Progresso Chicken Pot Pie soup, undiluted
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
1  8 oz can mushrooms
or
8 oz mushrooms, sauteed
3/4 cup chicken broth mixed with a 2 tablespoons Cornstarch 
or
1 package chicken gravy mix, prepared with ¾ cup water.
1 package prepared pie crust, Pillsbury or your favorite brand.
1 deep dish pie pan

Place one of the prepared pie crusts in a pie plate, set aside.
I actually made this one from scratch cause I only had one piece of prepared pie crust in the freezer.











Mix the chicken, soup, vegetables, mushrooms and chicken broth together. I usually cook it for a few minutes and set aside, let cool or not.

  Pour into pie plate on top of the pie crust. Take the other pie crust and place on top, crimping the edges together. Cut a hole in the middle of the pie to vent the steam or make a pretty pattern cutting through the pie crust in a couple of places. Place in a preheated 325 deg. Oven and bake for 50 minutes or until crust is browned and the filling is bubbling.  This makes lots of filling,  you will have enough for the pie and some left over.   And if you're like my DH, he loves to ladle some more filling in on top of his slice of pie.  Just saying.... 

*** Or if you're really in a hurry, fake the pie. Take your pie crusts, roll them out, place on a baking sheet.  Both sheets.
Cut it with a pizza cutter in fourths, then bake it. Both the 'top' and the 'bottom', in other words, both sheets. While they are  baking, which will take about ten minutes, prepare the filling, cook it on top of the stove til it's hot, and the sauce is thickened, the same recipe as above, and set aside. To serve, place one of the cooked pie crust slices on a plate, scoop some filling on top, then place the other slice on top of that. Voila, Chicken Pot Pie! And best of all, the bottom crust isn't soggy.

Or you can bake a sheet of puff pastry, scoring it before you bake it, and do the same thing.   

See, told you it was easy.   And better yet, it just plain tastes good. 

 Now if you will excuse me, it's time for breakfast lunch and leftover Chicken Pot Pie.  

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Retro Fun: Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups

Sometimes it's just plain fun to make something retro.   Well, I think it is.    Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheels are about as retro as you can get. 

A few years ago, I was with one of my sisters when she instructed one of my nieces on the fine points of making these little pinwheels.   They're a "60's" or maybe even "50's" type of canape, but oh so much fun to make, and eat.   You can gussy them up or just do them plain.    And no, you don't use tortilla's for these, you use bread. 
Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups

See, now you're curious and want to read more...


Mix two 8 oz. packages of cream cheese with one small jar drained chopped maraschino cherries, taste, then decide you need more flavour, so you add some Grand Marnier.   Maybe two teaspoons, mix together, taste and then  you can add some almond extract or some chopped nuts.    It's all good.   I stuck with just the Grand Marnier this time, but next time, I'm adding toasted, chopped pecans. 

Cut a loaf of bread lengthwise, trim off the crust, either before or if you're like me, after you slice it.

 You then take each slice and roll it out with a rolling pin.  Yup, you want to flatten that bread into submission.  And be prepared, that bread will try to plump back up again, so you'll probably need to roll it a little more, before you spread the filling on there.





Spread the Maraschino Cream Cheese spread over the bread and roll up.

Just like this.



Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups


Wrap them and put them into the fridge for several hours or even better, overnight.    Take out and slice into slices, and arrange on a pretty plate.   Serve and watch people get nostalgic.

Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups




Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups
 I also had fun with one of the rolls, I tried to  make it into a heart shape, and then cut the slices out. 
Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups

Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups

  It kinda worked.     I had fun doing it at any rate, so there.   Garnish the plate with a few sprigs of parsley or cilantro or something to make it look cute.   Which I totally spaced doing cause I got a phone call as I was getting ready to leave and whoosh, that thought left.



Cherry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Rollups


After all if you can't have fun with your food, what's the point of growing up?  

UpdateThis recipe and more like it are also available in my newest cookbook, Nibbles and Bites.
Just released - Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods.  Available as both in book form and as an ebook.  
My cookbook Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes would be a great gift for any foodies in your life. Available as a Kindle e book or in paperback. Autographed copies are also available at the Danish Windmill in Elk Horn, Iowa or on their website.

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Friday, February 15, 2013

Bacon Crackers for February Boat Club

 I was tossing around ideas on what to make for our Boat Club Potluck this month and narrowed it down to three choices.  However, I didn't want to make something I'd made before. Cause gee, what's the fun in that?

So I'm looking in my pantry, searching my freezer and pulling my hair out trying to figure it out.
I had some lovely Hoagie rolls in the freezer, as well as some chicken and then there were the club crackers in the pantry.    Decisions, decisions, decisions.   Sigh...

I kept trying to make those three ingredients go together, but nothing gelled.   We don't eat Club Crackers that often, but I had heard of this appetizer that incorporates Club Crackers, bacon and Parmesan Cheese.

Bacon Wrapped CrackersI mean bacon, where do you go wrong with bacon?

So I decided to make these Bacon and Club Cracker Appetizers.   They're a little labor intensive cause you have to wrap each one of those crackers with bacon, but OMG, they are so worth it.

You wouldn't believe how good my kitchen smelled.   I did make extra for tasting purposes only, you understand.    Well, gee, you make a new recipe you have to taste it, doncha? 


Here's the how-to's:

Unwrap the crackers and place them on a large baking sheet.   I used most of one sleeve.

 Then top each one of the crackers with a teaspoon, even a heaping teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.    Then take out  your package or in my case, two packages of thinly sliced bacon.   I'm making these for a crowd.   And as I said, I needed a few extra for tasting purposes.
Cut the package of bacon in half, crosswise, then peel off a slice and wrap the cracker very carefully, making sure that the cheese stays mostly on the cracker and that the bacon folds around it, all around it.  Just like this;


















Place on a rack on a backing sheet, then place in 250 degree oven for 2 hours.   YUP,  two hours.   Take out and serve.     Or in my case take out and transport immediately to the party.
And there they are, at least for a few minutes before they were eaten.   

 If I make them again, I'll use a leaner bacon, and will also use more cheese, and it will be freshly grated, not the powdery stuff out of the jar.   But, it was fun  to try something new. 

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Boat Club for February

Since it's February and Valentines day is just a couple of days away, there was a surfeit of sweet offerings at our February Boat Club Potluck.    Just like last year and the year before.     I thought seriously of making something sweet as well, but decided to just stick with something savoury.   Well mostly savoury.   I made some cream cheese pinwheels as well as Bacon Crackers, which I will detail later on.

But for now, here's the lineup of dishes from this month's potluck.

  Cream Cheese and Maraschino Cherry Pinwheels.  Notice the cute heart shapes in the middle?   I gotta tell you, they weren't easy to do.  











Deviled Eggs, and they were gone before I got a chance to taste one.   (Note to self, make some Deviled Eggs soon.)  OK, now onto the rest.











Cream Cheese and Onion Chutney, sublime together, personally I could just eat the onion chutney by the spoonful.



 Never discount a nice potato, these were so good.  Perfectly cooked. 
 Corn Pudding, done as only Miss Merle can do.  (She's a legend locally for her pies)
 Bacon Crackers, I will post the how-to's on these later on in the week.   Surprisingly good.












 Meatballs!!!  Sorry, but these are very good. and always a great addition. 


 Cheese and Crackers, always a good choice.  The crackers are gluten free, and can be bought at Sam's Club.  I always have some in my cupboard.  And here at the coast they also stay crunchy for a couple of days, very important.
 Jello Carrot Salad, hadn't had this in years, and had forgotten how good it tastes.   And yes, I know it looks a little ORANGE here, but it was orange. 
 Octopus Salad.  It looked so artistic in the bowl, and was very tasty.  But then again, I like octopus.    I noticed a few people wandering over and looking at it with wonder.    But it disappeared.









 Mac and Cheese, you can never go wrong with this dish.   And it was very good as well.  Only problem, now I want more.  sigh, I guess I'll just have to make some for myself.  
 Potato Salad.   I didn't get a taste of this, it was gone before I got there, but I was told it was very good.   Kathy makes wonderful food.
 If this looks familiar, well, it's not the same as the one on Super Bowl, Jon made a fresh batch of beans.  And I think I caught people almost licking the dish clean.   Very very good.
 Cheese Ball, with a jam compote in the middle.  However, I fell in love with the dish it was served in.  Presentation really counts.   Now I need to go and see if I can find something similar.  Thrift stores, here I come.
 Quinn made Chicken and it was good as usual.    And it disappeared fast.   I love a good fried chicken, and cheer (inside) when I see him carrying in a bowl full of goodness.
Squash Casserole.  I got a shot just as it was being served.   And managed to score a taste as well.   I don't think I'd ever had Squash Casserole until I moved south, but really, I wish I'd discovered it sooner.










And now for the Desserts....



 Strawberry and Chocolate Eclair.    Does that not look luscious?   And it tasted so good too.   Rich, decadent, yummy.    Perfect for Valentines Day.   (I'm going to get the recipe, well, I'm going to ask for it at any rate, and maybe even make it one day.) 
 Lemon Tarts made with home made lemon curd.   giggle ,  I love Lemon Tarts, and I did get to taste one.   They were superb. 
 Key Lime Pie, always a winner, and it disappears fast when it's offered.
 Persimmon Pie.   I had never tried Persimmons, and the pie was very interesting.  
 Cookies, and don't they look cute with their little chocolate drops on top?  I didn't try these, cause I was so full from everything else.











So there you have it, a wrap up of the food we got to eat this month at the Boat Club Potluck.  





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