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The Basics: Croutons

partysugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:30:18 -0700

Homemade croutons are a staple in my kitchen. Whenever I have leftover bread, I make them. Like crostini, there's something wildly satisfying about cubes of toasted, crunchy bread. They're a versatile ingredient and can be thrown into salads, placed on top of soups, or munched on as a snack. Toss them with chunks of fresh tomato and olive oil for a quick panzanella. Or spear with toothpicks and plunge into cheesy fondue.

Once you know the simple technique for making croutons, you can season them with whatever you like: grated cheese, dried or fresh herbs, spices, garlic, etc. You can also vary the moistening ingredient - sometimes I'll make croutons with melted butter and other times I prefer olive oil. Same goes with the crust: you can remove it or, for a more rustic crouton, leave it on.

One thing, however, that always remains the same, is the cooking method. Although you can easily saute them in a pan on the stove, I prefer to bake my croutons in the oven. It provides a crispy texture and requires less work. To look at my recipe, read more.

Croutons
Modified From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf (8 to 10 ounces) rustic Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and olive oil in a large bowl. Add bread cubes, and toss until coated. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper; toss until evenly coated.
Spread bread in a single layer on an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet.
Bake until croutons are golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Makes 3-4 cups of croutons.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:27:18 -0800

Using old bread to make French toast is an excellent idea; however, I prefer to use it for something savory. Something like the salad pictured below. Do you know what it's called?

What Would You Make?

partysugar — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:11:49 -0700

Last week, you came up with so many inspiring recipes that we decided to challenge you yet again. So here's the scenario: you are at home and hungry for food. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/child/friend, but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have red onion, honey, and French bread. Using these products along with whatever you currently have on hand in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make?

To see what I would whip up, read more

I would start by making a simple honey mustard vinaigrette with finely minced red onion, mustard, honey, lemon juice, and olive oil.
I would use this vinaigrette to flavor a can of tuna.
Next, I would cut the bread into large pieces and toast on both sides. Once toasted, I would rub with garlic.
I would smear the tuna mixture onto the toast, and shred on some Parmesan cheese.
Then, I would stick the whole thing under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
To plate, I would make a sandwich and call it a tuna melt!

Source, Source

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tangy Roast-Beef Sandwiches

partysugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:30:33 -0700

It's Wednesday night, the middle of the week and I have no time to make dinner. Instead of running to a fast food joint, I turn to a sandwich. A quick, no cook meal that is filling, tasty, and good for me. Everyone always has ham or turkey on hand, but why not choose an alternative lunch meat for variety? Roast beef is a good option that plays nicely with the flavors of horseradish - leftover from yesterday's salmon and potatoes - and crushed fruit spread. If you don't like sprouts, substitute peppery arugula. Get this delish recipe when you, read more

Tangy Roast-Beef Sandwiches
From Cooking Light magazine

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (about 1/2 cup), softened
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 (16-ounce) unsliced loaf French bread
3/4 cup cranberry-raspberry crushed fruit (such as Ocean Spray)
3/4 pound very thinly sliced reduced-fat deli roast beef (such as Healthy Choice)
1 cup alfalfa sprouts

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
Cut loaf in half horizontally. Spread horseradish mixture over cut sides of bread. Spread crushed fruit over bottom half of bread; top with roast beef, sprouts, and top half of bread. Cut loaf into 6 pieces.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 445(18% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 4.4g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 23.1g; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 61mg; SODIUM 1093mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 3.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 67.2g

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Five Minutes of Effort Yields a Rustic Tomato & Bread Gratin

YumSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:00:03 -0700

At his seminar in Aspen, French cooking authority Jacques Pépin had a lot to say about boiling the world's most perfect eggs. While doing so, he also managed to make six stunning tomato dishes, using a number of in-season varieties, including a stacked Greek tomato salad, tomato-laced spaghetti with anchovies, and a tomato-bread gratin.

I just so happened to return from the neighborhood farmers market bearing a loaf of fresh-baked bread and vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, so I combined those with Parmesan to make Jacques's gratin. The simplistic French country dish highlights the seasonality of sweet cherry tomatoes, so don't skimp on quality ingredients, and be sure to buy local tomatoes. Get your hands on the recipe, which requires only five minutes of prep, after the break.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp Scampi Pizzas

partysugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:50:02 -0700

Ever since I made manchego shrimp pizza, I simply can't get enough of shellfish-topped pies. However, during the work week, dealing with pizza dough can be a bit daunting. That's why I love this recipe for shrimp scampi French bread pizza.

Shrimp is tossed with a parsley-garlic mixture before being placed on crisp baguette halves. Ricotta and Parmesan cheese finish off the dish, which is simple yet scrumptious. For this tasty recipe, read more.

Shrimp Scampi Pizzas
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 cloves garlic, 8 smashed and peeled and 4 finely chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, trimmed
One 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
2 pounds shrimp-peeled, deveined and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 baguette, split lengthwise and quartered crosswise

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
Cook the smashed garlic until golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a food processor; reserve the olive oil.
Add the parsley to the garlic in the food processor and pulse to finely chop; set aside 1/4 cup. Add the ricotta and parmesan to the food processor; pulse to combine.
Preheat the oven to 500°.
In the same skillet, heat the reserved olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup parsley-garlic mixture.
Spread the cheese mixture on the cut side of each piece of bread and arrange on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Spoon the shrimp mixture on top and sprinkle with more parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes.

Serves 4-6.

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Come Party With Me: New Year's Day Brunch - Menu (Sweet)

partysugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:01:31 -0800

When planning a New Year's Day brunch, don't forget to include sweet dishes on the menu. At first I thought French toast would be a bad idea - individual pieces of toast can be too much work - but than I remembered it can be baked! A lemon raspberry French toast strata puffs up into a delicious dessert-like dish. Afterwards, give guests slices of chocolate coconut banana bread to take home. Get the recipes when you read more.

Lemon-Raspberry French Toast Strata
From Gourmet magazine

1/2 cup pure maple syrup, plus additional for serving
6 cups 1-inch cubes day-old country-style white bread with crusts (about 12 ounces or 3/4 loaf)
1 pint fresh raspberries or 1 bag of frozen raspberries
6 large eggs
4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Arrange rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
Lightly butter 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish or 14-inch oval gratin dish. Pour in maple syrup; scatter bread cubes and raspberries in dish.
In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, lemon zest, and salt; pour over bread cubes.
Bake strata until puffed and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool 5 minutes, then serve warm with additional maple syrup.

Serves 8 to 10.

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Chocolate Banana Coconut Bread
From Australian Country Style magazine

1 large ripe banana, peeled and mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 lb milk chocolate, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
Mix together the mashed banana, vanilla, eggs and milk. Stir in the sugar. Sift the flour and baking powder over the wet ingredients. Add the coconut and gently fold through the mixture, using a large metal spoon.
Fold in the chocolate, being careful not to over-mix.
Spoon into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Makes 1 loaf.

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'Wich of the Week: Spanish Monte Cristo

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:08 -0700

I'm not much of a Monte Cristo fan. The classic sandwich straddles breakfast and lunch by placing ham, turkey, and cheese between two slices of French toast. The entire thing is topped with powdered sugar and jam resulting in a dish that to me, is messy and too sweet.

However, when I came across this Serrano ham and manchego cheese variation, my love for all things Spanish overcame me, and I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, this sandwich is wonderful!

The quince paste isn't as cloying as strawberry preserves and the addition of mustard provides a delightfully savory tang. Although the bread is dipped in egg before being placed in the saute pan, it tastes more like a really crispy grilled ham and cheese than French toast. To check out the recipe, read more.

Spanish Ham and Cheese Monte Cristo Sandwiches
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough or country-style French bread (each about 5 x 3 inches)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
2 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
4 tablespoons membrillo (quince paste) or quince preserves
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Directions

Arrange 4 bread slices on work surface. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon mustard. Top each with 1/4 of cheese, then 1/4 of ham, folding to fit.
Spread 1 tablespoon quince paste on each of remaining 4 bread slices; place bread, paste side down, atop ham.
Beat eggs in pie dish until well blended.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large skillets over medium-low heat.
Working with 1 sandwich at a time, hold sandwiches tightly closed and dip into beaten eggs to coat on all sides. Place 2 sandwiches in each skillet.
Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, about 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches over. Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, cheese is melted, and egg coating is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Steamed Mussels in Tomato Broth

partysugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:50:36 -0700

If you think mussels are a fancy and complicated dish only to be enjoyed at French-style bistro restaurants, this recipe will have you thinking again. Mussels are actually incredibly simple and quick to make. All you have to do is simmer them in a fragrant liquid - here it's a combination of garlic, ripe tomatoes, and white wine - until the shells pop open. Serve with a mixed green salad and chunks of crusty bread for mopping all the savory, briny juices. To experiment with this rewarding meal, which comes together in minutes, get the recipe and read more.

Steamed Mussels in Tomato Broth
From Eating Well

Ingredients

3 pounds mussels
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
6 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped 
1 cup dry white wine  
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

To clean mussels, scrub them with a stiff brush under cold running water. Scrape off any barnacles using the shell of another mussel. Pull off the “beard” from each one. Set aside.
Warm oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, increase the heat to high and stir for 1 minute more. Pour in wine and bring to a boil.
Add mussels, cover and steam, occasionally giving the pan a vigorous shake, until all the mussels have opened, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl. Spoon the broth over the mussels and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4.

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:30:53 -0700

Shrimp and chorizo skewers put a whole new spin on surf and turf.
Six items we absolutely must have this month!
Celebrate National Farmers Market Week -- visit one of America's top farmers markets.
Would you eat this Taiwanese fried bread sandwich?
Say "Bon Appetit!" with one of Julia Child's classic French recipes.
Quiz: Can you sort the M&M's myths from the facts?
Play Who's the Better Chef?" for a chance to win $1,000.