Tag Archives: henriettibles

Henriettibles Mini Derby Down Hot Browns

I love the Kentucky and all the pageantry. I love roses. I love turkey. I love Hot Browns. Heck, I love brie (or any cheese!). Taking all this into account, this is the Henriettibles take on the Kentucky Derby tradition of Hot Browns. Rather than the traditional toasted white bread, opened faced sandwich with a cheddar cheese sauce, I’ve made it with toasted sourdough rounds with a brie sauce. Fabulous appetizer for any Derby party, or any party! Horseshoes and roses not included.

Ingredients
One 2 lb boneless turkey breast
3 Tbs grapeseed oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
4 Tbs unsalted butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
½ cup Brie
½ cup grated parmesan
Loaf sourdough bread
Roma or plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
¼ cup grated parmesan
10 slices bacon, crumble half
White pepper
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley

Drizzle turkey breast with oil. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven proof baking dish and roast uncovered at 325 until skin browns, about 60 to 70 minutes. Cool and cut into thin slices.

While turkey is cooling, melt butter in sauce pan on medium heat. Add flour. Heat for 5 minutes, whisking continuously. Add milk. Continue to heat and whisk until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the brie (either shredded or chopped into small pieces) and the ½ cup of parmesan.

Toast slices of bread. Using a small round cookie cutter, cut bread into circles. Place onto cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Cover each with a slice of tomato. Add pieces of bacon, then slice of turkey. Pour three tablespoons of cheese sauce over each round. Sprinkle the white pepper, salt and the ¼ cup of parmesan cheese evenly over rounds. Heat for about 5 minutes under broiler, until sauce begins to brown a little. Remove from oven and sprinkle each with the crumbled bacon and parsley. Enjoy!

Tomato Feta Pasta

My grandfather

This is a feta pasta recipe that I’ve made for so many years, always with enthusiastic results. I’ve refined it many times, trying to keep it as fresh and lively as possible. From the “You may not know this” file: I’m part Greek. My grandfather was born on the beautiful island of Crete. And, I love feta cheese. Okay, I just love cheese. This dish is a very simple way to bring have some great Greek flavors. This recipe will make your senses and taste buds sing. The smell of it cooking it such a treat, your family and guests will be enthusiastic participants. Be prepared to say “Oopah!!!!” Throwing your dishes onto the floor or into the fireplace is optional.

As with most things, I like to use as many fresh ingredients as possible when making this; it’s just so easy to cut up fresh tomatoes and chop fresh herbs! Watch for pasta making video to come. Fresh pasta makes this even more incredible! If your short on time, you can substitute canned diced tomatoes with herbs in it, I won’t guarantee the same fresh flavor.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh ground beef

Feta Pasta

1/4 tsp granulated garlic
2 Tbs finely chopped shallots
Salt & Pepper
18 oz fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 Tbs fresh chopped basil
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 Tbs (heaping) of good quality tomato paste (I like the tube kind)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1 lb cooked pasta
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place ground beef in large skillet. Sprinkle with granulated garlic and salt & pepper. Begin to brown.

: Feta Pasta

When close to being browned, add the chopped shallots. Drain fat from beef. While the beef is browning. combine chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, oregano, basil, tomato sauce, tomato paste, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add to skillet with browned beef. Add salt & pepper and wine.Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove cover and simmer another 5 to 8 minutes, or until desired consistency. Serve over cooked pasta and cover top with feta cheese.Oopah!

Cinnamon Bun Coffee Cake

Try as I might, I just can’t seem to enjoy eating broccoli or fresh spinach (although they are my favorite vegetables!) as much as I enjoy eating a fresh, hot cinnamon bun. And they sure as hell don’t smell as good as a cinnamon bun!

I also love to entertain. Brunch is one of my favorite events to host. HOWEVER, that does limit your available time to prepare the day of the event; pre-prep is essential! This is a wonderful recipe to have the delicious taste and smell of cinnamon buns without the hassle of making buns from scratch.You can prep the coffee cake the night before, refrigerate overnight and, Voilà, you have amazing in the morning. Yes, this will probably add a little junk in your trunk (or buns) if you eat it every day, but it’s a fabalicious treat.

Ingredients

Cake

²⁄₃ cup softened butter
³⁄₄ cup sugar
³⁄₄ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups flour
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¹⁄₂ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
³⁄₄ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Topping

4 Tbs melted butter
³⁄₄ cup light brown sugar
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp cinnamon
¹⁄₂ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp Jesse James Bourbon

Glaze 1 (Cream Cheese)

1 cup powdered sugar
¹⁄₄ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp J esse James Bourbon (use almond or vanilla extract if serving children!)
4 oz cream cheese, softened

Glaze 2

1 ¹⁄₃ cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp Jesse James Bourbon (use almond or vanilla extract if serving children!)
2 Tbs milk
¹⁄₄ tsp salt

Directions for the Cake:

Prepare 9×13 pan. Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined. Sift dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to egg/butter mixture, alternating. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Combine the topping ingredients very well. Sprinkle all around top of cake. Cover and refrigerate over night. When your ready to bake, remove cover and bake in preheated over for 35 minutes.

Directions for the Glazes:

Combine all ingredients with mixer. Drizzle (or pour if you really like it!) over warm coffee cake. I serve the glaze on the side and drizzle glaze on each piece as I serve it.

How easy was that???? Enjoy!

Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

For some reason, many folks find the prospect of making a pie crust from scratch to be very daunting.

: © Karcich | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Often times, people who aren’t afraid to make pie crust, really shouldn’t be doing it. The first secret for a great pie crust recipe is FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS PRECISELY!

Baking is a science; if you don’t use precise measurements, you’ll end with a science project gone wrong. You know that commercial that the volcano science project explodes all over the kitchen ceiling?

Okay, it probably won’t explode all over the kitchen ceiling if you aren’t precise, but you get the gist. Purchasing a bra requires knowing the precise size; would you purchase a bra without knowing measurements or what size to purchase? Or shoes? And so it goes, you shouldn’t bake without precise measurements. And don’t substitute! People tell me all the time that they can’t bake; as the conversation progresses, I find out not only did they not follow the directions precisely, they also made non compatible substitutions. Okay, enough of the lecture!

If you want to use this crust for something savory, add some fresh herbs when you add the butter, just not a lot of it. You want just a hint of flavor, not overwhelming flavor. The savory crust is great to use in making an amazing chicken pot pie.

Some folks use half butter and half shortening. I prefer butter all the way, baby! I love the buttery, flaky taste of this crust and I bet you will, too! This pie crust recipe is enough for two bottom crusts, or a bottom and top crust, or about 2 dozen tartlets.

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup COLD, UNSALTED butter (if it doesn’t say “unsalted”, don’t use it!)
1/4 cup ice water

Directions

Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into small pieces (I sometimes do this ahead of time and leave in frig so it stays cold. You’ll be surprised how quickly the heat from your fingers can warm it up.) and add to the processor bowl. Process until it resembles coarse meal or large grains of sand (should be about 10 seconds). With processor on, slowly pour ice water through the feeder until the dough holds together - it should not be wet or sticky! Divide the dough in two and fatten each into a round disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. When chilled, roll out on lightly floured surface to desired diameter.

Crazy Good Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Cream cheese frosting. That’s all you have to say, and I’m in!

As I was discussing Red Velvet Whoopie Pies, I was pondering what I could do to make them stand out from all others…. Cream cheese ice cream, of course! SCORE!!!!

Please, if you are a novice, be sure to read through all the directions before creating this delight!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups whipping cream
2/3 cup sugar
3 egg YOLKS
¾ tsp vanilla
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

In saucepan (make sure it holds at least 4 cups), combine milk, whipping cream and sugar.Heat over medium heat (DO NOT BOIL) just to a simmer and sugar is dissolved,whisking regularly. Meanwhile, lightly whisk the egg yolks in medium bowl (don’t use a small bowl). When cream mixture is ready, using a glass measuring cup, remove about ¾ cup of the cream mixture and SLOWLY add to yolks, whisking constantly. This is called tempering. You do this so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs! SLOWLY pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan, and heat until mixture thickens, whisking CONSTANTLY. DO NOT walk away from it. As soon as you do, you’ll end up with mixture burned to the bottom of your pan. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Add the softened cream cheese and lemon juice, and whisk until cream cheese incompletely melted and incorporated into the mixture (at least two minutes). Allow to cool slightly. Strain mixture into a container and refrigerate overnight, or eight hours. Place contents into ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions. Transfer into a container and freeze at least four hours before serving.

This WILL change your life!!!! :)

Herbaceous Turkey Brine

A Herbaceous Turkey Brine is a more traditional turkey brine.

As we did in the other Henriettibles turkey brining video, do the basics and add whatever floats your boat!

Ingredients:

Water
32 oz chicken stock
2 cups white wine
2 cups kosher salt
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 cups celery, coarsely chopped
1 leek, coarsely chopped
1/4 black peppercorns
4 cloves chopped garlic
Herbs - several sprigs of each

Thyme
Rosemary
Basil
Sage
Chives

Directions:

Add 64 oz of water to large pot or bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add ice to mix (about 16 oz). Place turkey in brine, breast side down, ensuring that the cavities are filled with brine as well. Let set for 12 hours or so.

I personally put all of this into kitchen garbage bags (I double bag to be safe), put it in a cooler and load it with ice.

***** Make sure you keep the turkey iced while you are brining it!!!! ****

When done brining, cook covered at 325 - 15 minutes per pound. I remove the cover with 30 minutes left, baste with salted butter, and cook the remainder without a cover to crisp the skin. I also cook it breast side down - the juices flow to the bottom of the turkey. Creates a moist little heaven!

Henriettibles Corn Casserole

Wondering what side dish to serve with dinner?

Look no further; this simple, yet completely yummy Corn Casserole will make everyone’s mouth (and tummy) happy! This is a VERY simple corn casserole that my family has at almost every holiday dinner - certainly for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My late sister, Cece, introduced it to our family. I’ve made some small changes to it, and I promise, you’ll add it as a regular recipe in your life.

Henriettibles Peppermint Eggnog Martini

For a special drink for the holidays, but refreshing and yummy any time, enjoy the kiss of minty Peppermint and the holiday spirit of Eggnog in an easy to make and enjoy martini. For this I used store bought eggnog, because I haven’t taught you how to make eggnog yet! But I WILL!

Mild and refreshing. Mmmm!

Brining A Turkey

This is video on how to make my Sweet & Spicy Turkey Brine and my more traditional Herbaceous Turkey Brine.

I know, I know. You watch the cooking channels and you think, “This sure sounds difficult to brine a turkey. I’ll watch, but I’m not crazy enough to actually try it!”

I’m here to show you just how very easy it is! Brining a turkey is very simple, and produces an amazing bird; the meat is moist and tasty.

Start with a basic brine and add anything you want to it. Just keep it cold!