Tag Archives: easy

Blueberry Galette Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This

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In my mind, blueberries are synonymous with late summer. Growing up in Michigan, August was the best time to harvest the sweet blue globes, gobbling them up as we picked the fruit from the bushes. Then of course, whatever was left by the time we got home, Mom would add them to muffins, bread, fruit salad, and an array of desserts. If by chance there were still leftovers, they were frozen for another time.

This classic Blueberry Galette is the perfect easy treat to whip up using all those fresh blueberries. This rustic version is basically a lazy girl’s blueberry pie, way easier to make than a homemade pie and every bit as tasty. All you have to do is place the blueberries on top of the dough, and fold the dough however you want. Serve à la mode with a dollop of good French vanilla ice cream for the ultimate summer dessert!

Top the crust with sugar — This is a nonnegotiable step. Topping the crust with sugar will give your pie crust a beautiful golden brown, sweet, crunchy finish that is both beautiful and delicious!

The Best Blueberry Galette

  • Servings: 6-8 slices
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

For The Pie Crust*

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
  • 2 – 3 Tbsp. ice cold vodka or water
  • 1 egg, for egg wash
  • coarse sugar, such as demerara

For The Blueberry Filling

  • 4 cups blueberries, washed
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  • Pinch of salt

Directions

  1. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the cold butter to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand and no large chunks of butter remain.
  2. Add in the vodka (or water), one tablespoon at a time. If your dough has come together, don’t add any more vodka. You want just enough to bind the dough into a ball.
  3. Turn the dough out of the food processor and form into a flat oval disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes, but up to 3 days.
  4. Once your dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  5. Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Roll your dough out into a 12-inch circle. Place dough onto prepared baking tray. Place a 9-inch cake pan in the center of the circle and press down ever so slightly. This will create an indentation to show exactly how far out to place your filling!
  6. In a large bowl combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the berries evenly.
  7. Place the blueberry mixture in the center of the pie crust into an even layer. Lift the edges of the pie dough in towards the center, folding every 3-4 inches as you go around.
  8. Mix egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush over crust. Top with coarse sugar if desired. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the blueberry filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream!

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Original recipe from Broma Bakery

Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Necessity is the Mother of Invention, right? Well, when we had a hankering for Loaded Nachos and realized we didn’t have a packet of taco seasoning for the ground meat, we just made our own. The Hubs did a quick Google scan and found this recipe from Sommer Collier.

Simple homemade taco seasoning is a great way to save money, use up spices, and make the best-tasting taco seasoning you’ve ever tried. It’s really simple. Just mix chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, crushed red pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and black pepper. Then taste and add more crushed red pepper and salt as desired.

The recipe provided makes roughly the equivalent of a single store-bought packet of taco seasoning. If you want to make a larger batch to scoop and use at will, just multiply the recipe as needed. Which is exactly what we did back when football season was just beginning and nachos would be a recurring theme for months to come! The seasoning works equally well on ground or shredded chicken, turkey, pork and lamb.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

  • Servings: Yields about 3 Tbsp
  • Difficulty: super easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika  
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. salt 
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. dried oregano 
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions

  1. Measure out all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. 
  2. Taste and adjust the salt or spices as desired.
  3. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

For a larger batch (the equivalent of about 6 packets), use:

  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 3 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. each paprika, crushed red pepper, and salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. each garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Sommer Collier of A Spicy Perspective

Braised Red Cabbage With Apples

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What do you do with a red cabbage leftover from a Farmers Market Arrangement made for your garden club? I know this is a dilemma for many of you…

Initially, my red cabbage was part of this arrangement.

Kidding aside, cooler October temps invite the braising season to commence. And this is one of those dishes that’s even better the following day, so go ahead and make it when you have time and then serve it on a weeknight with quick cooking chops of some sort.

  • Prep all veggies before cooking
  • Soak shredded cabbage in ice water

Be sure to soak the shredded cabbage in cold water as suggested in Step 1. The cabbage absorbs water, which is then released in cooking, and helps to steam the cabbage for utmost tenderness.

We concur, this is probably THE BEST braised cabbage we’ve ever had, and no sugar!

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 large red cabbage, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, quartered, cored and cut crosswise in thin strips
  • 2 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tart apples, such as Braeburn or granny smith, peeled, cored and sliced
  •  About 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  •  Salt
  •  Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Onions and balsamic vinegar
  • Apple slices are added
  • Stir in cabbage and allspice
  • Cook covered over low heat for one hour

Directions

  1. Prepare the cabbage, and cover with cold water while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, about three minutes.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring, until the mixture is golden, about three minutes, then add the apples and stir for two to three minutes.
  4. Drain the cabbage and add to the pot. Toss to coat thoroughly, then stir in the allspice, another 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and salt to taste. Toss together.
  5. Cover the pot, and cook over low heat for one hour, stirring from time to time.
  6. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt, and add another tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar as desired.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Martha Rose Shulman for The NY Times

Simple Veal Chops Extraordinaire!

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Veal chops are a rarity in our house, typically due to the high cost. I picked these up by mistake a while back, (I meant to get pork chops, go figure!) and put them in the freezer until such time we felt like treating ourselves. (Like every day since the lockdown went into effect.)

So on a recent Friday night—when in the good ol’ days we use to dine out—those veal chops came to mind as an “aha” moment. Grilled Veal Chops with Rosemary with Green Beans and Blistered Tomatoes, can’t even tell you how good this combo was; you’ll have to make them yourself.

While this dinner is meant for 6 people, with only two veal chops on hand, we cut the marinade recipe in half and bathed them in it for one hour (you can do up to 4 hours). The grilling was super quick; about 3 minutes per side because the thickness was less than 3/4″.

With little to do, you’ll have more time to enjoy company. In fact, the green bean side dish (absolutely divine BTW) can be made ahead and served at room temperature. Get the chops marinating before guests arrive, and all you’ll have to do is toss them on the grill for a few minutes when ready to eat. Dinner done.

Grilled Veal Chops with Rosemary

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 2 large garlic cloves, pressed, or 1 Tbsp. roasted garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 6 8-oz. veal rib chops (3/4 to 1 inch thick)

Directions

  1. Whisk oil, wine, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper to blend in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add veal chops to dish and turn to coat with marinade. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or refrigerate up to 4 hours, turning veal occasionally.
  2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler.
  3. Remove veal from marinade, shaking off excess. Season veal with salt and pepper.
  4. Lightly oil grill. Grill or broil veal to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to platter. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Green Beans and Blistered Tomatoes

Super easy to make and delicious served at room temperature, these green beans pack a ton of savory, spicy flavor. Next time however, we will reduce the “remaining 3 Tbs of coconut oil” by half.

Green Beans and Blistered Tomatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1-1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 21/2-inch pieces
  • 3 Tbs. soy sauce

Directions

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. On a small rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with 1 Tbs. of the oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Bake until the skins crack, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Heat the remaining 3 Tbs. oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the pepper flakes and stir. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the green beans and soy sauce. Stir to coat the beans, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Uncover and gently stir in the tomatoes. Cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Side dish recipe found on Fine Cooking by Samantha Fore

Something to Stew About

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You know we love all-things-Spanish, so it went without saying that when we saw this Spanish Shrimp and Chickpea Stew recipe from Milk Street, we were immediately intrigued. It seems at Palacio Carvajal Girón, in the Extremadura region of Spain, Milk Street staff tasted a delicious shellfish and chickpea stew that was rich and redolent with locally produced smoked paprika. Requiring both a ham- and langoustine-infused broth and made with dried chickpeas, the dish was a time- and labor-intensive preparation.

Their much-simplified version captures the essence of the stew in just a fraction of the time. It uses canned chickpeas for convenience, and the broth gets flavor from bottled clam juice and the viscous liquid from the chickpeas. A combination of Spanish smoked paprika and standard sweet paprika gives the stew deep color and earthy complexity without overwhelming the shrimp.

A side salad and glass of wine completed the feast.

Don’t forget to reserve ½ cup of the liquid before draining the can of chickpeas. The liquid adds both body and flavor to the broth. When peeling the shrimp, don’t remove the tails because they also lend flavor to the broth. But do remove the tails when halving the seared shrimp so that the pieces are easier to eat in the finished stew. In all honesty, you can skip this step if you don’t mind serving the shrimp whole with tails intact.

We served ours over steamed jasmine rice made with homemade shellfish stock.

Spanish Shrimp and Chickpea Stew

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 Lb. extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 1 Medium leek, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, rinsed and dried
  • 4 Medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 15½ Oz. can chickpeas, ½ cup liquid reserved, drained
  • 8 Oz. bottle clam juice
  • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together both paprikas and ¾ teaspoon pepper; measure 2 tablespoons into a small bowl and set aside. Add the shrimp to the paprika mixture in the medium bowl and toss to coat; set aside.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp in an even layer; reserve the bowl. Cook without stirring until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, return the shrimp to the bowl. In the same pot over medium, melt the butter.
  4. Add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic and the reserved paprika mixture, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in the chickpeas, the reserved chickpea liquid and the clam juice. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  7. Meanwhile, remove the tails from the shrimp and cut each in half crosswise. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shrimp along with accumulated juices.
  8. Cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
  9. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley and drizzled with additional oil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Milk Street