Banana Chocolate Fried Eggroll with Raspberry sauce

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Banana Chocolate Fried Eggroll with Raspberry sauce

 

 

This decadent desert is a hit in every way. It can be served on its own or with a rich scoop of ice cream.

 

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Ingredients:

 

    1 pack of egg roll wrap

    3 large bananas

    1 small bag of semi-sweet chocolate

    2 small containers of fresh raspberries

    1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

    1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice

    Oil of frying

    1 small box of confectioners sugar

 

 

Directions:

 

1.    Melt your semi-sweet chocolate in your microwave for a few minutes until liquid consistency is obtained. Let cool aside.

2.    Peel bananas and cut in half in its middle.

3.    Place your egg roll wrap flat on your working surface and spread melted chocolate on as desired.

4.    Place half banana in the center of each wrap and roll as directed on egg roll wrap package. Wrap all 6 banana pieces.

5.    Warm up oil to medium heat and place each roll in oil for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

6.    Carefully remove from oil and place on paper towel to release excess fat.

7.    In a separate pan, cook raspberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice on low heat and let simmer until the fruit has obtained a thick liquid consistency.

8.    To serve, sprinkle confectioners sugar on each egg roll and drizzle raspberry sauce as desired.

9.    Add a scoop of ice cream or serve on its own.

 

 

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Happy cooking!
The Petite Gourmande
© 2017 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

 

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Duck Tagine with Figs and Port Sauce

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The Dense richness of duck is perfectly accented by the figs and port wine, especially after the figs have cooked in the sauce. This is a wonderful holiday dish and is sure to impress your guests.

 

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

– 1 (5-pound) duck

– 3 tablespoons olive oil

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1/2 teaspoon pepper

– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

– 3 shallots, chopped

– 1 cup port wine

– 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or water)

– Juice of 1 lemon

– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

– 1/2 teaspoon allspice (optional)

– 1 teaspoon ground ginger

– 3 tablespoons honey

– 8 dried black mission figs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Wash the duck and pat it dry.

3. Make small slits all over the breasts. Rub with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the duck in a roasting pan, breast side up, and bake for 1 hour. Turn it over and cook for another hour until it is tender.

5. Place the duck on a serving platter and cover to keep warm.

6. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of duck fat from the pan.

7. Add the butter and shallots to the duck fat in the pan. Sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the shallots are translucent.

8. Add the port wine and deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the stock.

9. Stir in the lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and honey. Bring to a boil.

10. Lower the heat, add the figs, and simmer until the sauce is thick and has reduced by half.

11. Cover the duck with the sauce and surround it with figs.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year from your Petite Gourmande!

 

© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Christmas Macarons

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These French macarons are a perfect addition to your holiday sweet table. A minty twist of crushed candy cane will make this delicious treat a new holiday favorite.

 

The ingredients below are for one batch of macarons.

For the second batch, repeat ingredients and follow same directions.

Serves 15 or more

 

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Ingredients for the macaron shells

   1 3/4 cups of confectioners sugar

  1 cup ground almond meal

  3 egg whites, room temperature

  ¼ cup granulated sugar

  3-4 drops of peppermint flavor

  pink and red gel food coloring

  one container of crushed candy cane

  silicone macaron baking mat or double parchment paper

– 16 inch pastry bag

  one number 12 decorating tip

 

Ingredients for butter filling

  2 cups of unsalted butter

– 1 cup of confectioners sugar

– 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2.  Sift the almond meal and confectioners sugar into a mixing bowl or blend in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg whites in a mixmaster with a whisk attachment on medium speed until the mixture is foamy and soft peaks.

4.  Gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites and mix on high until the egg mixture is glossy and stiff peaks.

5.  Add the food colors and peppermint favoring and whisk on low to combine well.

6.  Gently fold half of the egg white mixture into the almond meal mixture, taking the egg mixture from the middle and up while rotating the mixing bowl. Continue until all of the batter has been folded into the almond meal mixture and is thoroughly combined (about 30 folds), but not too runny or overmixed.

7.  Place silicone mat or parchment paper onto a baking tray.

8.  Cut tip of pastry bag, twist the end, and place number 12 decorating tip onto end of bag.

9.  Place pastry bag, tip side down, into a tall cup.

10.  Fill pastry bag with macaron mixture.

11.  Twist top of pastry bag to close.

12. Pipe 1 and 1/2 inch circles onto silicone mat or parchment paper until all mixture is used.

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13. Tap your tray onto table a couple of times to release the air from the macarons.

14. Let maracons stand for 20 minutes until the top of the shells are dry.

15. Place macarons on middle rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

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16. Remove from oven and let stand for one hour.

17. For the filling, mix 2 cups of unsalted butter and 1 cup of confectioners sugar in a food processor with ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and. Beat until soft and place into a pastry bag.

18. Pipe onto most of the shell and place second shell on top to close.

19. Roll the macaron edges into the crushed candy cane all around. 

20. Place on decorative plate and serve.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New year from your Petite Gourmande!

 

 © 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon

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Goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon

 

These perfectly paired gems can be served as an hors d’oeuvre for any holiday or festive occasion. The taste combination of the cheese and bacon with maple syrup gives the perfect sweet and savory bite that everyone can enjoy. I definitely recommend trying this with a good champagne!

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Ingredients:

    24 pitted dates

    1 medium log goat cheese

    2 packs of pre-sliced bacon or turkey bacon

    1 small bottle of maple syrup or honey if preferred

 

Directions:

1.    Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

2.    Cut the goat cheese log into small pieces and fill each date with approximately one teaspoon of cheese. Close date together.

3.    Wrap each date with one strip of bacon.

4.    Place the dates on a baking sheet and drizzle maple syrup on top of each stuffed date.

5.    Bake in middle rack of oven for about 30 minutes or until golden.

6.    Place on platter and serve.

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Happy Holidays!

The Petite Gourmande

© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Holiday Roasted Turkey

Holiday Roasted Turkey on platter with mandarins, grapes, and baby pears

 

No Thanksgiving holiday is complete without a golden brown turkey as the main dish and centerpiece of the table. This recipe uses turkey stock to keep the bird moist during cooking and serves as the base for the most flavorful gravy as well. To make it even more special, my version has a fruit and vegetable stuffing instead of bread-based stuffing. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, but my family loves it so much that we enjoy it all year long! I hope your family enjoys it, too.

 

Holiday Roasted Turkey on platter with mandarins, grapes, and baby pears

 

Ingredients

12-14 lb turkey (thawed if frozen)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

5 TB unsalted butter, melted

1 bouquet garni of fresh herbs (one sprig each: rosemary, thyme, mint, and tarragon)

1 medium sweet onion (like Vidalia)

1 large mandarin orange

2 cups turkey stock

Baby pears, mandarins, champagne grapes, and other fruits of your choice

¼ cup white flour

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and melted butter.

3. Remove neck and giblets from the cavity. Brush outside and inside of turkey with butter mixture.

4. Peel onion and cut in half. Cut mandarin in half. Place onion and mandarin inside the cavity with bouquet garni.

5. Tie turkey legs together with cooking twine.

6. Pour the stock into roasting pan and place turkey on rack. Tent with aluminum foil and roast for 90 minutes.

7. Remove foil tent, baste turkey with juices from bottom of pan, and roast for additional 60 minutes or until golden brown. (Check temperature by inserting thermometer into thigh. Temperature will be 170° when finished.)

8. Remove onion, mandarin and herbs from cavity before placing turkey onto serving platter.

9. Decorate platter with harvest fruit such as baby pears, mandarins, champagne grapes, or fruit of your choice. Be creative!

10. To make the gravy, strain drippings from the roasting pan into a saucepan. On low heat slowly add flour and whisk until mixture thickens and is smooth. Pour into gravy boat and serve.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!
The Petite Gourmande
© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

 

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Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

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Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

L’hem bil Grrah

 

Beef and squash pair to make this filling dish that is perfect for colder temperatures. The squash picks up the cinnamon, giving it warmth and a slightly spicy flavor.

 

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Serves 4 to 6

 

Ingredients

o   1 tablespoon sweet paprika

o   1 teaspoon ground ginger

o   1 teaspoon ground cumin

o   ½ teaspoon turmeric

o   1 teaspoon cinnamon

o   ½ teaspoon salt

o   ½ teaspoon pepper

o   3 pounds boneless beef shoulder roast, cut into 1 inch cubes

o   3 tablespoons olive oil

o   1 large onion

o   5 cloves garlic, chopped

o   1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

o   ½ bunch cilantro, chopped

o   ½ bunch parsley, chopped

o   1 large butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes

o   1 small bag frozen pearl onions

o   1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock

 

Directions

1.       In a large mixing bowl, combine the paprika, ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

2.       Add the beef to the mixture and stir well to season.

3.       In a Dutch oven or a large cooking tagine, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender.

4.       Add the beef and brown on all sides

5.       Stir in the tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, butternut squash, pearl onions, and broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until the beef is tender.

Happy cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Candied Apples

Candy Apple slices decorated for Halloween

 

Happy Halloween, readers! I hope all of you are enjoying this sweet holiday. One of the things that makes this time of year so special is the many different kinds of apples which are available at the farmer’s markets. My husband and I recently took a trip to the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish country for the fall harvest. I used some of my bounty to make this recipe for candied applies.

 

Candy Apple slices decorated for Halloween

 

 

 

Ingredients

o   2-3 apples of different colors and varieties (such as Rome, Granny Smith, Gala or Yellow Delicious)

o   16 wooden apple sticks (also called apple batons)

o   16-oz container caramel dip

o   2 8-oz containers chocolate shells

o   Tubes of decorative icing, white and orange

o   12-oz bag finely chopped pecans

o   Sprinkles

 

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate according to directions on container.

2. Warm caramel dip in saucepan over low heat until smooth.

3. Core apples and cut into eight equal slices. Insert a wooden stick into each slice.

4. Carefully dip half the apple slices into the chocolate and half into the caramel.

5. Coat some of the slices with sprinkles and some with pecans. Allow to set and then decorate with icing. Get creative!

6. Stand up apples in a fun display. A trick to get the apples to stay upright is to use a head of cabbage as a stabilizer. Hide it in your base and cover with something decorative. I like to use a ceramic container and cellophane.

 

 

Happy cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Roasted Leg of Lamb with Quince

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L’hem ul Sfurzel

Lamb is cooked in many ways in Moroccan cuisine. Roasted leg of lamb was one of the dishes that our family enjoyed almost each week. The garnish of spiced quinces adds a splash of color and a sweet aroma to the dish. Growing up, I always enjoyed the basket of quinces that our neighbor would give us each winter.

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Quince

 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

o   One whole leg of lamb (approximately 5 pounds)

o   4 ounces (1 stick) of unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 4 teaspoons unsalted butter

o   1 teaspoon ground coriander

o   1 teaspoon ground cumin

o   1 tablespoon sweet paprika

o   1 teaspoon salt

o   ½ teaspoon pepper

o   3 cloves garlic, chopped

o   ½ cup low-sodium beef stock

o   4 large quinces

o   4 tablespoons olive oil

o   1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

o   1 teaspoon allspice

o   Juice of 1 small lemon

o   ¼ cup dark honey

 

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.       Mash the 4 ounces of butter, coriander, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic into a paste.

3.       Rub the paste all over the lamb.

4.       Place the lamb in the roasting pan. Pour the beef stock into the bottom of the pan.

5.       Roast the lamb for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350degrees, and cook for an additional 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with juices from the pan

6.       Cut the quinces into halves and gently remove the cores. Cut each half into four pieces.

7.       In a large frying pan, melt the remaining 4 teaspoons of butter and add the olive oil.

8.       Add the quinces. Coat them with cinnamon, allspice, lemon, and honey. Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes or until the quinces are soft and the sauce has thickened.

9.       Remove the lamb and let it rest. Cut into slices and layer on a serving platter. Arrange the quinces around the lamb.

 

 

Happy cooking!
The Petite Gourmande
© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved
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Butternut Squash Soup

butternut-soup

A favorite soup for my favorite time of the year. Fall reminds me of my parents small farm and the pumpkins we would pick every year. This creamy, bisque style soup reminds me of falling leaves and fireplaces. Serves 4 to 6.

butternut-soupIngredients:

– 2 tablespoons olive oil

– 1 large visalia onion (or 3 shallots), chopped

– 2 (32-ounce) package pre-cut butternut squash (or 2 pounds peeled and cubed fresh butternut squash)

– 1 teaspoon cinnamon

– 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

– Salt and Pepper to taste

– 2 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken stock

 

Directions:

1. In a saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sauté the onions for 5 minutes or until translucent.

2. Add the butternut squash, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and pepper.

3. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

4. lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

5. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in order to avoid hot liquid spurting from the blender.

7. Puree, in batches, in a covered blender on low speed.

8. Reheat the soup and serve in bowl with Moroccan bread.

Enjoy!

The Petite Gourmande

© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

Artichoke dip

I like to serve this delicious dip with pita chips or mixed vegetables such as celery, baby carrots, and sliced fennel. It can be served as an appetizer or a snack. It is served warm. Serves 6

Artichoke dip

 

Ingredients:

– 2 (9-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and with water squeezed out

– 2 (9-ounce) bags frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained

– 1 (8-ounce) container of plain whipped cream cheese

– 6 ounces finely shredded parmesan cheese

– 1 (8-ounce) bag finely shredded mozzarella cheese

– 2 teaspoons minced garlic

– salt and pepper taste

– 6 (5-inch) ramekins

– baking spray

– 1 large bag pita chips (or mixed vegetables)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Spray ramekins with baking spray.

4. Fill each ramekin with spinach artichoke mixture.

5. Place ramekins on baking tray and place tray in middle rack of oven.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top of each ramekin is golden brown.

7. Remove from oven and serve warm with pita chips or vegetables.

 

© 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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