Savory Gruyère Bread with Ham (and a host of other things)

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 Years ago there was a delightful, and highly patronized restaurant, at Lake of the Ozarks, by the name of Peace ‘n Plenty. They were known for many things, but one of the main features on their menu were their ham and cheddar rolls. Not a visit was made to this local treasure without getting one of those rolls. The recipe for them can be found here. As you might imagine, they were a bit of work, but I did love that combination so when I ran across a recipe for a ham and cheese quick bread, I had to give it a try.

I attacked this recipe with reckless abandon, adding not just the called for ham and Gruyere cheese, but also scallions, chopped Kalamata olives, and a little bit of dry mustard for good measure. This is sensational! Absolute heaven warm from the oven, it also makes incredibly good toast.

 

Savory Gruyère Bread with Ham (and a host of other things)
Adapted from Dinner in French by Melissa Clark

 2½ c. flour

1½ t. baking powder

1 t. fine sea salt

½ t. baking soda

½ t. garlic powder

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 T. dry mustard

1 c. coarsely chopped ham

3 T. thinly sliced scallions

1 T. chopped fresh thyme leaves

½ c. Kalamata olives, chopped

2 c. grated Gruyère or sharp cheddar cheese

4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1 c. buttermilk

 Heat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a metal 9” × 5” loaf pan with Baker's Joy; set aside.

 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, garlic powder, black pepper, and dry mustard. Stir in the chopped ham, scallions, thyme, olives, and 1¾ cups of the Gruyère (reserving the rest for topping).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The batter will be thick.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup cheese over the top. Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, 45 to 55 minutes.

 Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack.

 

 

Flaky Pie Crust Made Easy

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After seeing how flaky and gorgeous the crust was on the quiche that I made earlier, a number of people asked me for the recipe. The recipe isn’t all that special; there is honestly nothing to it. It’s a recipe that is available almost anywhere online, but the key, I have come to learn, is not as much the recipe itself, as it is the baking, and by that I mean pie weights. Nothing beats pie weights for weighing down the crust. Trust me when I tell you that I have used a variety of dried beans in the past, popcorn kernels (you can imagine how foolish that was), and when I didn’t have either of all those things, I filled the crust with oven safe measuring spoons. None of those yielded the flaky crust that I got here.

Generally speaking, I am one of those people who buy crust because it’s convenient and easy. I have total trust anxiety when it comes to rolling it out; I am just not good at doing it. So another important aspect is, after you have taken your dough out of the food processor and put it onto plastic wrap, flatten it as much as you can, I am talking flat! Make about an 8-inch disc. That way you will only have to roll it out 2-4 inches all the way around to get something that comfortably fits a 9-inch pie pan.

Simple Pastry Crust for Quiche
Makes one crust for 9” pie plate

1¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cubed
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

In the work bowl of a food processor place flour, cubes of butter, and salt. Pulse until crumbly and then slowly, through the feed tube, pour in the ice water, a tablespoon at a time. Start out with about 3 tablespoons of water. When the dough pulls away from the side of the work bowl, and you can pinch of piece, squeeze it between your thumb and index finger, and, if it sticks together, you’re finished. Place it on a piece of plastic wrap, flatten it into an 8-inch disc, seal it completely in the plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, but closer to one day.

When you’re ready to bake, roll out the pastry on a piece of parchment paper to a generous 12” circle (If you want an overhang to fold under to make a fancy schmancy edging, otherwise 10” will do). Fold the parchment paper over carry it over to your pie plate, put it face-down, and slowly peel the parchment paper off. Fit it into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Don’t stretch it, or it’ll shrink. Just pat it lightly into place. A tart tamper can often help here. At this point you can make any type of decorative edge that you desire, or simply cut off any excess and imprint with a fork all the way around, which is something that I generally do. Then, take a sharp-tine fork, and poke holes in the bottom. Place it into the freezer for an hour.

Shortly before you’re prepared to bake your quiche, preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the piecrust from the freezer, line the bottom and up the sides, and over the edges (to prevent the burning) with aluminum foil, and cover the bottom with pie weights. Place on the bottom rack in your oven, and bake for 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes are up, remove the foil and pie weights, and bake for five minutes more to bake the bottom through. Now you’re ready to make your quiche.

If you would like the recipe for the Easy Gruyere and Brie Quiche shown in the photo above, you can find it here.

Cornbread Biscotti

I like biscotti, and I make biscotti, but I had never tasted a savory version before. Have you? That’s why, when I saw this recipe on the Taste of Home website, I knew that I had to try it. There were a number of reasons for this, other than simple curiosity. I don’t like to start my day with sweet, but I do like to start my day with convenience, and this seemed the perfect accompaniment to my morning cup of coffee, and I was right. Further, with this being soup season (and soup season is really year-around for me), these seemed like a wonderful accompaniment alongside a cup or bowl of soup, when crusty bread, a homemade roll, or half sandwich isn’t readily available. Right again!

I’m sure there are a lot of ways in which to consume these, dipped into chili is sounding good right about now, and I imagine two of them crisscrossed atop a fresh salad would make quite a nice addition, but they are equally as good just plain (although they are mighty tasty with herb cream cheese, or a dollop of marmalade). Why not try something new this year?

Cornbread Biscotti

2 8.5-oz. pkgs. Jiffy Cornbread Mix

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

3 large eggs, divided

¼ cup cold whole buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

In the work bowl of a food processor, place cornbread mix, ¾ cup cheese, pepper, and thyme; process until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse 5 to 6 times until mixture is crumbly.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and cold buttermilk. With processor running, add egg mixture in a slow, steady stream just until moistened. (Batter will be thick.)

Using lightly greased hands, spread dough into a 12” x 4” rectangle on prepared pan. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg, and brush over dough. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Bake until lightly golden and firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300°. Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Place slices cut side down on pan. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

PRINT RECIPE

If this is too avant garde for you, you will love this more traditional version with a hint of the tropics, Caribbean Corn Bread.

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Pie Squared, Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies, Reviewed

I get to see a lot of cookbooks, and I’m grateful for that. Because I love cookbooks, I generally like every one of them, but only about 40% really blow my skirt up. Among those 40% is the new cookbook by Cathy Barrow called Pie Squared (Gosh, I love that!), Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies. What is a “slab pie,” you ask? For the uninitiated, a slab pie is much like a regular pie except it is unfussy, allows you to avoid what I hate the most, that meticulous rolling out and shaping of piecrust, they are made in a sheet pan, and can make enough to serve a family at dinner, or an entire crowd. They can be either sweet or savory, and if you have even the slightest interest in trying them out, this book is absolutely for you.

Pie Squared includes more than 60 savory and sweet pie recipes along with 20 crust and toppings recipes. In addition, there are step-by-step instructions on how to make each one, a section on glazes, squiggles, and drizzles, a nice illustration on how to cut slab pies (cutting pies has always been my nemesis), and instructions on how to store and freeze them. 

I was so excited when I saw this book that I immediately went to Amazon and bought myself a half-sized cookie sheet with a rim (this one) in order to make the recipe for Just Like Artichoke Dip Slab Pie with Cream Cheese Crust. I am a sucker for artichoke dip, not just because I love the way it tastes, but also because that was the very first thing my late husband made for me when we started dating. So, I’ve always had a special feeling about it. I cut this recipe in half, something I found doable with most of the recipes in this book, so that I could have some for dinner, another slice for lunch, and freeze the rest so I have some for later. More to follow on this.

Among the recipes are Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie with a Chocolate Crust (!!), pictured above, Absolutely Peachy Slab Pie with an All-Butter Crust, “The Reuben” Slab Pie with Rye Crust, and one that looks worth trying for Thanksgiving, Sesame Sweet Potato Slab Pie with a Gingersnap Crust (Heavens!). Honestly, there is something here for everybody.

Winner!

 Order your own copy and one for a friend by clicking the box below.

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Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Abram Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Happy National Pie (Pi) Day!

As if we need a day in which to celebrate pie, one is handed to us in this rather whimsical holiday combining an American favorite and a mathematical constant.  To be succinct — Pi Day.

Pi is the ratio used to compute the circumference, area, and volume of circles that works out to 3.141592653 for the first ten digits.  It's written using the Greek letter π and pronounced “pie.”  And because today is March 14^th, i.e. 3/14, well, you get the picture.

To aid you in your celebration, here are four delicious pie recipes -- one savory, and three sweet -- that will surely delight one and all.  Click on the links to bring up the recipes.

They are (clockwise from upper left): S’Mores Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Six Layer Quiche, and Blue Heaven Key Lime.

 What are you waiting for?  Get baking!

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Be Inspired Friday

Show and Tell Friday 

Sweets for a Saturday

Sunday Sweeties

Seasonal Sundays

Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Grapes and Almonds

When you think of grapes, my guess is that, a) champagne grapes don’t spring immediately to mind, and b) you don’t think of something savory.  You need to change these thoughts on both counts.  Champagne grapes (called such because their diminutive size resembles the bubbles in a glass of champagne) are sweet, delicious, and incredibly juicy.  They can substitute in any dish calling for grapes (as I demonstrated in my last post on Waldorf Salad), make an attractive garnish on a fruit and cheese tray, and are one of the key ingredients in this delicious, savory recipe from an old issue of Bon Appétit magazine. 

This recipe goes together in a matter of minutes.  I served it as an entrée atop angel hair pasta, but two scallops on a plate, topped with the sauce would make an excellent starter for an elegant meal.

Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Grapes and Almonds

16 large sea scallops, side muscles removed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
2/3 cup Melissa’s Champagne grapes* (about 4 ounces)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted (I substituted Hazelnuts because I find them more flavorful)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook butter until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add scallops; cook 2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to plate; tent with foil. Melt remaining butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and grapes; sauté until shallots are golden, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and any accumulated scallop juices. Bring mixture to boil; season with salt and pepper. Stir in almonds and parsley. 

*In lieu of Champagne grapes, black grapes, cut in half, may be substituted.

This post is linked to:

Foodie Friday

Ham Crepes with Sage-Infused Béchamel

Remember when crepes were all the rage?  Am I dating myself?  It seems as if there used to be a crepe restaurant in every large shopping mall.  Personally, I liked them.  I liked that they could be sweet or savory, light or heavy (depending upon the season),  and work for any meal of the day.  I showed you a quick and tasty breakfast using crepes here, and now I’m going to share a delicious recipe that works for brunch, lunch, or dinner.  Using already prepared crepes makes this a snap, plus it’s very forgiving, so feel free to change or add seasonings to suit your tastes.

Ham Crepes with Sage-Infused Béchamel

10 ounces ground, cooked ham (I used a thick slice of Virginia baked ham and ground it myself)

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons minced scallions

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard (or more, to taste)

Freshly ground pepper

6 Melissa's Ready-to-Use crepes

Béchamel Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9” x 13” casserole dish with Pam; set aside.  Mix ham, sour cream, scallions, mustard and pepper until well blended. Divide mixture evenly between 6 crepes.  Carefully roll up crepes (directions on rolling crepes can be found here) and place seam side down in prepared dish.  Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  While crepes are baking, prepare sauce.  Place 1-2 crepes on each serving plate, spoon warm sauce over and garnish with sage leaves.

Béchamel Sauce

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

¾ cup whole milk

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

4 fresh sage leaves

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.  Add sage leaves and sauté for 1 minute.  Stir in flour and blend thoroughly until flour is fully incorporated.  Gradually whisk in milk and continue to whisk over moderate heat until sauce is smooth and thickened.  Remove sage leaves; add salt and nutmeg.  Whisk again and remove from heat.  Makes 1 cup.

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Food on Friday - Ham

Foodie Friday

Sunday's Best Party