Carla’s Strawberry Napoleon

Ingredients

• Puff Pastry
• 1 package frozen Puff Pastry (two sheets), thawed per package instructions
• 1 tsp Butter, melted
• Strawberry Compote
• 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1/4 cup super fine granulated sugar
• Zest from ½ lemon
• Pastry Cream
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 egg yolks (room temperature)
• 2 Tbls butter (cubed)
• 2 tsp good vanilla extract
• icing
• 1-1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 Tbls water (add up to ½ tbls more if needed)
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 cup chocolate chips or melting chocolate
• 
  

Instructions

• Puff Pastry
  Gently roll the puffed pastry on floured surface to 1/8” thickness. Cut into 24 rectangles (12 each sheet). Transfer the pastry to parchment or silpat lined baking sheets being sure there’s a small distance between pastries.
  Cook per package directions – until lightly browned. Remove and allow to cool completely.

Strawberry Compote

Place the strawberries and sugar in a medium pot with a pinch of salt. Cook 9-11 minutes until the sugar is dissolved – use a potato masher to break up the berries as it cooks. The liquid should reduce by half and it should thicken so you see the bottom as you stir.

Cool then cover the compote with plastic wrap, pressing plastic onto top of the compote to prevent a skin from forming. Place it in refrigerator until well chilled or even overnight.

Pastry Cream

Have everything at hand and ready when you start – having a helper makes it easier. You’ll have a few minutes of intense cooking but it’s worth it.

Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming. Quickly whisk in the sugar, cornstarch and return to a low boil.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and temper with 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture by whisking the eggs and slowly dribbling the milk mixture into it - stirring constantly - to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the milk pot on the stove and continue to whisk as the mixture returns to a boil. Continue to cook until thick about 3 minutes.

Strain the cream through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl (this gets out any lumps from the cornstarch). Add the butter, cut into bits, and stir until it’s melted. Add the vanilla and stir until creamy.

Let the cream cool for a few minutes and then cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic onto top of cream to prevent a skin from forming. Place in refrigerator until chilled or even overnight.

Icing

In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar to remove lumps. Add water and lemon juice and stir to create a smooth icing.

Assembly

You can do this in three layers, but I prefer two. With a plastic reclosable bag or pastry bag, pipe the cream into the center of a puff pastry. Top with strawberry compote. Then dip a puff pastry into the icing, let the excess drip off, and place it on top of the compote.

Next drizzle chocolate over the top (heat in a double boiler or microwave and pipe it with a plastic bag or bottle). Use a knife or toothpick to draw through the chocolate and icing layer left to right, right to left, and then left to right again.

Serve immediately.

MAKE AHEAD:

Make the cream and strawberry compote the night ahead. Bake the puff pastry and make the day of and assemble just before serving.

Apple Brown Betty with Almond Whipped Cream

What is an Apple Brown Betty? It’s a dessert made with layers of spiced apples, brown sugar, and a  buttered crumb of some sort. Generally if a bread product is used it’s a Betty. If it’s an oatmeal topping, it’s a fruit crisp. The Apple Brown Betty (it can be made with other fruits too like cranberry, blueberry, raspberry, etc.) dates back to the early 1800′s and is said to have been created in the American colonies.

Ingredients

• Apple Betty
• 3 lbs tart apples (like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Gravenstein - about 9 medium), washed, peeled and sliced
• 10 slices good quality cinnamon-raisin bread, cubed
• ¾ c packed brown sugar
• ½ c butter, melted
• 1 tsp almond extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ⅛ tsp salt
• WHIPPED CREAM
• 1 c heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbls sugar
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• ½ tsp almond extract

Instructions

Place uniformly sliced apples in the bottom of an ungreased 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the Apply Betty ingredients - toss to mix. Dump the Apple Betty mixture on top of the apple slices.

Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until apples are tender.

Meanwhile, In a mixing bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and almond extract and continue beating until soft peaks form. Refrigerate

Serve the warm apple mixture with the chilled whipped almond cream

Potato&Leek Soup

Recipe Type: Soup

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

No vegetarian in the family? Use chicken stock and add some shredded or cubed chicken.

Ingredients

• 5 cups fat-free vegetable or chicken broth or stock
• 6 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I used onions from my freezer stash)
• 2 leeks – bulb only (Cut into 1/2″ slices)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup 1% milk
• Fresh parsley, grated cheese, or leak to garnish

Instructions

1. Wash and chop the vegetables. In a large saucepan combine all ingredients except milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cover. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until veggies are soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove 1-2 cups of potatoes (if desired) being sure not to remove any leek (leeks are tough and not tasty unless blended). Put soup and vegetables into food processor, blender, or use hand blender (you may need to process in batches). Process until the vegetables are smooth. A hand blender works best as you can do it right in the pan.
3. When the soup is completely processed, return it to the pot and add the milk and reserved potatoes.
4. Stir until blended and heat until warm.
5. Garnish as desired and serve warm.

Chicken Penne Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 Tbl Olive Oil
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2” x 4” pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 16 oz low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 12 oz Golden Grain Hidden Veggie Penne
• 1 24 oz jar prepared chunky spaghetti sauce (or homemade)
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded and divided
• 1 Tbl fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add oil to the hot pan.

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper

Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned and internal temperature is 165 degrees (about 7 minutes total)

Remove the chicken and keep warm. Clean the pan and return it to the stove (not necessary if you’re not making the vegetarian version).

Add the vegetable broth and water to the pan; bring to a boil.

Add the penne, turn heat to simmer, cover and cook 7-9 minutes (stirring every 2-3 minutes) or just until the pasta is al dente stage.

Add spaghetti sauce, half and half, and ½ of the cheese. Stir until incorporated.

Remove the vegetarian portion and add the chicken back to the pan.

Sprinkle with reserved cheese and fresh basil

Kraft Fresh Take

Ingredients

• 1 pd small potatoes (washed, peeled if desired, and cut into bite sized pieces)
• 1 cup fresh green beans (washed and trimmed)
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 lb chicken breast tenderloin pieces
• Organic Olive Oil Spray
• Kraft Fresh Take Rosemary & Roasted Garlic Meal Kit
• Ranch Dressing
• Parmesan Cheese (grated)

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees

Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or spray with olive oil spray.

Rinse the chicken breast tenderloin pieces (the small pieces removed with the breast that have the large vein running through them usually – I strip the vein out)

Shake to coat in the Kraft Fresh Take mix a few pieces at a time; remove and place onto the prepared pan – pat the coating into place.

Place the chopped vegetables onto the prepared pan opposite the chicken, spray with the olive oil spray, then cover with the remaining bread crumbs and cheese – press down.

Bake the chicken and vegetables at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes (chicken should read 165 internally and the veggies and chicken should be browned).

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with Ranch Dressing.

Crustless Mini Quiche with Bacon and Tomato

Ingredients

• Organic Olive Oil Sprayfor ramekins
• 12 large Egglands Best eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 tsp Ground pepper
• 1 tsp Coarse salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup Feta cheese
• 12 slices bacon - cooked, cooled and crumbled
• 1 small tomato - seeded and chopped
• 2 scallions - greens chopped
• Parsley - fresh or dried

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 10 5oz ramekins placed on a baking tray; set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt pepper, and nutmeg; set aside

In prepared ramekins, divide filling ingredients. Add approximately 3/4 cup of the egg mixture over the filling and sprinkle with parsley

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes until the middle is almost set.

Remove and cool on a baking rack until the middle is completely cooked through.

Delicious Carrot-Based Juicing

                                                               

1. Wash and prepare the fruit/vegetables
2. Press the fruit and/or vegetables through a juicer
3. Stir to mix the flavors or chill
4. Serve and enjoy!