Three Free Thursday Part III: Chicken & Gruyere Turnovers

Happy Three Free Thursday, Blog Readers!   To recap the process, on the first Thursday, I select three free recipes from sources on Twitter.  On the following Thursday, I report back via blog entry the full results of my adventures in the kitchen and let you know if you should try these recipes at home. Enjoy!

Recipe:  Chicken & Gruyere Turnovers

Source: @Real_Simple

Link: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chicken-and-gruyere-turnovers-00000000052482/index.html

I'm always looking for interesting ways to use up leftovers in creative weeknight meals, so @Real_Simple Chicken & Gruyere Turnovers seemed like an excellent way to use up leftover shredded chicken and partially consumed bags of frozen vegetables.  Also, puff pastry is delightful - whether homemade (which I'm slightly afraid to try) or frozen pre-made versions from Pepperidge Farms or others.  To see some gorgeous homemade puff pastry, check out this post from the inspiring Small Boston Kitchen who clearly mastered puff pastry day at culinary school : http://onceuponasmallbostonkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/thoughts-on-puff-pastry.html

Findings:

This @Real_Simple Chicken & Gruyere Turnovers recipe is simple as promised.   The preparation time was less than fifteen minutes (after the puff pastry had thawed for forty minutes) and cooking time was twenty-five minutes.  I wouldn't make this recipe regularly for a weeknight meal (too many saturated fats in puff pastry), but it is perfect for entertaining.  Make mini turnovers for guests or slice full-size turnovers into tasty slices (note: cutting puff pastry does cause it to fall and lose some of its' delightfull puffiness). The best way to make this recipe more interesting - explore new filling combinations (see Tips section for more filling ideas)!  I personally greatly enjoyed replacing the frozen peas with layers of fresh baby spinach.  Delicious!

Tips:

• Freeze prepped turnovers prior to baking if you don't plan on consuming all in one meal. Otherwise, only make a half batch of turnovers or thaw until room temperature and eat as a cold lunch- these do NOT reheat very well.
• Substitute turnover fillings - add fresh baby spinach instead of peas, add some carmalized onions or use a mix of grated cheeses. Go meatless by adding lots of spinach, chunks of canned artichoke hearts (rinse well first), other mild-flavored greens, sliced sweet potatoes and/or sauteed onions. Be creative - almost anything tastes good in puff pastry. ;-)

 Rating: 3 out of 5  

Thanks for reading Part III of this week's Three Free Thursday! Feel free to send in recipe suggestions for Three Free Thursday on Twitter to @RecipEngineer or by e-mail RecipEngineer@gmail.com

Three Free Thursday Part III: Brown Butter Cocoa Walnut Brownies

Happy Three Free Thursday, Blog Readers!   To recap the process, on the first Thursday, I select three free recipes from sources on Twitter.  On the following Thursday, I report back via blog entry the full results of my adventures in the kitchen and let you know if you should try these recipes at home. Enjoy!

Recipe: Brown Butter Cocoa Walnut Brownies

Source: @bonappetitmag http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/02/cocoa_brownies_with_browned_butter_and_walnuts

What was Betty Crocker thinking when she started making boxed brownie mixes??? Betty brought us her infamous cookbook (aptly titled "Betty Crocker's Cookbook") and followed it up with box after box of blasphemous 'baking mixes'.  Everything from cakes to cupcakes to brownies to cookies and then eventually into the frosting market. But why? Brownie recipes are simple things - eggs, cocoa, sugar, flour, butter, vanilla, salt, etc.  I will agree that some homemade brownies lack the gooey, chocoloate fudge intensity of their boxed brethren.  This recipe demolishes that concern - you can make homemade brownies so fudge-like and delicious that your friends and co-workers will insist they came out of a box. 



 Findings:


This Brown Butter Cocoa Walnut Brownies recipe is sensational.  Clearly written and well detailed as are most Bon Appetit recipes. The final product is intensely rich flavor from the browned butter and hot melted sugar and cocoa.  The only problem with this recipe - it doesn't make more brownies! I suggest making multiple batches of these brownies.  You won't have a problem finding a home for them - my co-workers finished a batch in under 15 minutes... at 10 a.m. ;-) As an engineer, I work on a team of fifteen men and myself - they have no shame when it comes to inhaling baked goods. 

 

Tips:

Luscious batter!

• Be careful not to overcook.  The easiest way to destroy a great brownie recipe is to set your oven timer for 25 minutes and walk out of the kitchen.  Turn the pan halfway through baking time to ensure consist heat and test brownies with a toothpick at the 15 or 20 minute mark.  Best way to know when to toothpick test - the first appearance of surface cracking and color change.
• Never ever buy boxed brownie mix ever again. Seriously, pinkie swear!

Rating: 5 out of 5   

Thanks for reading Part III of this week's Three Free Thursday! Feel free to send in recipe suggestions for Three Free Thursday on Twitter to @RecipEngineer or by e-mail RecipEngineer@gmail.com

Three Free Thursday Part II: Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage

Happy Three Free Thursday, Blog Readers!   To recap the process, on the first Thursday, I select three free recipes from sources on Twitter.  On the following Thursday, I report back via blog entry the full results of my adventures in the kitchen and let you know if you should try these recipes at home. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pasta w/ Butternut Squash & Sage

Source: @TestKitchen

Link: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=18099&Extcode=L1BN3CA00

It is bright, blue-skied afternoon as I prepare to cook up some new hearty pasta dishes featuring savory cheeses and winter vegetables. Despite local retail stores being stocked full of early spring/summer inventory like light pastel-colored cotton cardigans and even short shorts (gasp!), it is still winter in New England. While I may desire a brightly-colored trench coat, I still need that boring old wool coat.  It's still brutal out there and there are ten calendar days left until spring truly begins,  so let's send out the final winter root vegetables and hearty comfort foods out with a bang.  This Three Free Thursday, I'm making two pasta dishes - @TestKitchen Pasta w/ Butternut Squash & Sage and @Real_Simple Cheesy Baked Pasta with Spinach and Artichokes.

Findings:

This Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage  recipe is delicious and so rich in flavor that you don't need a big serving to feel satisfied. Sage is one of my favorite herbs - delicate, velvety leaves, but rich flavor and alluring aroma.This is a very fragrant dish that will infuse your kitchen with aromas so intoxicating that your neighbors are likely going to invite themselves over for dinner. 

Fresh sage leaves...velvety texture
with an intense fragrance.

You will need to adjust this recipe to obtain the required 2 Tbsp of bacon fat required to carmalize the butternut squash. Either double the amount of bacon (8 slices) or add 1 Tbsp of olive oil the pan prior to adding squash.  I believe you can never have too much bacon, but you be the judge.  Also a warning about cooking time - be careful that squash is completely tender before removing from heat.  In my experience, the recipe's timing suggestion was insufficient to produce consistent tenderness in the squash. Serve with nice dry white wine, a green salad and a crusty bread. 

Tip:  Many people dislike handling fresh butternut squash because of its tough peel and hand-staining flesh and seeds. Instead of substituting frozen squash, which can be watery and flavorless, use this technique to easily work with fresh butternut squash. First, cut off the top and bottom of the squash to create flat surfaces.  Stand squash up on a wooden cutting board and place palm atop the squash pressing it gently into the cutting board. Use a very sharp vegetable peeler and peel skin off in a downward motion away from you.  Using a paring knife, remove any leftover skin from the base of the squash that you missed.  Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds using a large spoon and then proceed to cut the butternut squash into 1/2-inch pieces using a large knife. See how easy that can be?

Sidebar: While sauteing the sage and bacon (see delicious photo above), the smell of cooking bacon made me crave breakfast food.  Something inside me kept screaming SAGE & BACON OMELET... so I think Sunday breakfast could be interesting this week - stay tuned!

Tips:

• To make this a vegetarian recipe, eliminate bacon and cook sage leaves in olive oil for 1-2 minutes to infuse flavor of sage into the cooking oil.
• Penne/ziti are boring! Mix it up with farfalle ("bowties") or campanelle (“bells”). Try using wheat or whole grain pastas to enhance the nutty flavor.  This dish would also go famously atop a bed of cheese tortellini.
Go for it - add a little extra Parmesan cheese and bacon to make the dish more savory.  There's loads of time until bathing suit season truly begins...
• Don't forget to toast the almonds. It's the little things in this recipe that add tremendous flavor and make this dish memorable.

Rating: 5 out of 5 

Thanks for reading Part III of this week's Three Free Thursday! Feel free to send in recipe suggestions for Three Free Thursday on Twitter to @RecipEngineer or by e-mail RecipEngineer@gmail.com

Three Free Thursday Part I: Cheesy Baked Pasta With Spinach and Artichokes

Happy Three Free Thursday, Blog Readers!   To recap the process, on the first Thursday, I select three free recipes from sources on Twitter.  On the following Thursday, I report back via blog entry the full results of my adventures in the kitchen and let you know if you should try these recipes at home. Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheesy Baked Pasta With Spinach and Artichokes 

Source: @Real_Simple

Link: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/cheesy-baked-pasta-spinach-artichoke-00000000031335/index.html

It is bright, blue-skied afternoon as I prepare to cook up some new hearty pasta dishes featuring savory cheeses and winter vegetables. Despite local retail stores being stocked full of early spring/summer inventory like light pastel-colored cotton cardigans and even short shorts (gasp!), it is still winter in New England. While I may desire a brightly-colored trench coat, I still need that boring old wool coat.  It's still brutal out there and there are ten calendar days left until spring truly begins,  so let's send out the final winter root vegetables and hearty comfort foods out with a bang.  This Three Free Thursday, I'm making two pasta dishes - @TestKitchen Pasta w/ Butternut Squash & Sage and @Real_Simple Cheesy Baked Pasta with Spinach and Artichokes.

Findings:
This @Real_Simple Cheesy Baked Pasta With Spinach and Artichokes recipe is simple as promised.  The entire cooking time was under twenty minutes much of which was completely hands off. I wouldn't make it for a dinner party, but this recipe does well as a quick weeknight meal. The dish is sinfully cheesy and an excellent way to get more nutrient-rich spinach into your diet during the bleakest part of the year.

The best way to make this recipe more interesting - explore new pasta shapes. Simple dishes are a great way to experiment with new pasta shapes and try out different thicknesses, lengths and styles of pasta. I'm constantly amazed by the number of different, crazy pasta shapes that are available and how adults react when child-like enthusiasm when presented with a dish containing an unusual pasta shape. Does anything beat watching adults enjoy a bowl of "wagon wheels"?   I read in the New York Times last December about an interesting new book called “The Geometry of Pasta” by Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kenedy.  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/29/dining/29pasta.html I plan to obtain a copy of this interesting, new book soon and would love to review as part of this blog. 
   

Tips:

• Reheat slowly (either in a microwave on low power or in a warm oven)with a sliver of butter on top to avoid drying out the dish.
• Substitute fresh spinach and 1/4 cup of cream for frozen spinach if, like myself, you MUCH prefer fresh greens to the frozen variety.
• Add shredded chicken to make this a filling dish with a healthy source of protein hidden under all that luscious cheese.

Rating: 3 out of 5  

Thanks for reading Part I of this week's Three Free Thursday! Feel free to send in recipe suggestions for Three Free Thursday on Twitter to @RecipEngineer or by e-mail RecipEngineer@gmail.com