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Getting the Shot and Pantry Chicken

Posted on June 16, 2010 by amydeline

The timer on the oven buzzes. I move my 20 month old off my lap, stand up, trip over a firetruck and head to the stove. I open the door and pull out the baking dish. Insert meat thermometer. 165 degrees. Perfect. Move the chicken to the cutting board. Begin cutting the kids’ chicken. Crash. Splash. Scream. The 20 month old just exploded his sippy cup of milk.  It’s all over the floor. He’s screaming. Leave chicken on the counter. Get paper towels. Push the dog away from the milk and begin cleaning the floor as it continues to drip from the chair. Get more paper towels. Push the dog out of the way again. Continue cleaning up the milk. Clean up dog slobber. Console the screaming 20 month old. My three year old urgently needs a different hoodie. Right. Now. Refill the sippy cup of milk. Finish cutting the boys’ chicken. Seat the boys for dinner. Begin cutting my piece of chicken. The three year old just finished his milk and threw his empty cup on the floor. He burps. The 20 month old is yelling Look, Mommy, Look! He’s forked his chicken and a large clump of couscous.  He’s very proud. So am I. Finish cutting my piece of chicken. The phone is ringing. I don’t pick up. Place a scoop of couscous on my plate. Plate the chicken. Bring it to the table. Oops. Forgot the balsamic. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Pick up my camera. Take the picture. Fifteen minutes after I took the chicken out of the oven. My food is cold. So much for getting the shot while the food is fresh.

Anyways…

Tonight’s dinner is a pantry meal.  Well, technically most of the ingredients came out of the fridge, but they were all there.  I didn’t need to purchase a single item. The idea struck me earlier in the week when I saw a picture of a chicken breast, stuffed with something that I had assumed were dates.  It turned out to be olive tapenade; not dates at all. But, the idea of chicken stuffed with dates stuck with me. Then, I remembered that I had dried figs in the fridge, leftover from the salad I made a couple weeks ago.  And I had goat cheese from this week’s strawberry salad and prosciutto from the vodka sauce and walnuts from the chicken salad.  Ooooh!  This was getting good. I’ve almost always got chicken in the freezer. Stuff all those yummy things in the chicken. Pop it in the oven. Voila! Dinner!

You can adapt this recipe with whatever you’ve got on hand. Sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olive tapenade, dates, roasted red peppers, any type of cheese, ham, and bacon would all make delicious stuffings! The possibilities are infinite. Odds are you’ve got something in your fridge or pantry that would work wonderfully

Stuffed Chicken Breast – Pantry Meal Style

Ingredients

  • Chicken Breasts
  • Balsamic Glaze*
  • Salt and Pepper

For the stuffing:

  • Prosciutto, chopped
  • Goat Cheese, crumbled
  • Dried Figs, chopped
  • Walnuts, chopped

* You can purchase balsamic glaze or make your own.  Simply pour some balsamic vinegar into a small pot and simmer until it has reduced by at least half.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a ziploc bag or between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap. Pound the chicken with a mallet (or heavy pan) until flattened to about 1/4 inch thick.  Place a mound of the stuffing on the chicken, closer to one side.  Starting with the end that has the stuffing, roll the chicken. Tuck in the ends and secure with toothpicks, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Place on a baking dish and cook until completely cooked through, about 25-35 minutes.  A instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the middle of the chicken, should read 165 degrees.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve with rice or couscous.

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Shrimp and Asparagus in a Lemony Basil Alfredo Sauce over Fettucine

Posted on June 16, 2010 by amydeline

Something about the warm weather makes me crave seafood. This is the only time of the year when I think I’d have any chance of making it as a vegetarian, or more accurately a pesceterian. Though, I’d definitely end up missing burgers and grilled steaks and bacon and… Oh, nevermind!  I’d make a terrible vegetarian. But, I do love seafood in the summer! It’s fresh and light and tastes great with summery lemons. With that in mind, I offer you Shrimp and Asparagus in a Lemony Basil Alfredo Sauce over Fettucine.

The sauce is a basic creamy alfredo sauce, with the addition of basil and a little lemon juice and zest. Lemon zest is the bright outer peel of the lemon (not including the bitter, white pith). It is full of concentrated lemon flavor. You can skip the zest, but it really deepens the lemony flavor and looks lovely in the sauce. So, I definitely recommend it. To zest your lemon, thoroughly wash it and then use a zester to remove the thin outer layer of the peel.  If you don’t have a zester, you can use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to carefully remove the outer peel. Then, cut the peel into small strips.

Shrimp and Asparagus in a Lemony Basil Alfredo Sauce over Fettucine

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Shrimp, deveined and peeled
  • 1 small bunch of Asparagus
  • 1 box Fettucine pasta

For the sauce:

  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2-3 Tbsp water
  • 1 Shallot, diced**
  • 5-7 Basil Leaves, chopped**
  • 1 Lemon, zest and juice
  • 1 1/2 cups Light Cream
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper

** Chop the shallot the same way you would chop a small onion. Click on the Photo Guides tab to view step-by-step photos of how to chop an onion and how to chiffonade basil leaves.

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the fettucine, al dente, according to the package directions.

Steam asparagus, chop into small pieces, and set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add shrimp to the pan and cook about 5 minutes until they are completely cooked through.  They will be pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Add a small amount of water to the pan, over medium heat, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits of shrimp stuck to the pan. Continue scraping the bottom of the pan until the bits are loosened and water has mostly evaporated. **See note below.**

Then, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.  Add the chopped shallot and cook until slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the cream and the zest.  Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly.

Add the cheese, basil, and  the juice from 1/2 the lemon (about a Tbsp) to the sauce. Stir to combine.

Continue simmering for a few minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a bit more cream or milk to thin it out.

Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add a bit more lemon juice, if desired.

Add shrimp and asparagus to the sauce for a few seconds to reheat.  Toss the fettucine in the sauce.

(Serves 4)

** This step is called deglazing. Those little caramelized bits in the pan are called sucs. There’s some yummy flavor in those sucs, as long as you don’t burn them. The cool water will sizzle in the hot pan and help loosen the sucs while you scrape them up. This step will prevent the bits from burning on the bottom, while preserving the shrimpy flavor for the sauce. A bit of stock or white wine would work well for this step too, but water is just fine. If the sucs burn, clean out the pan before cooking the shallot.

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Posted in Culinary Techniques, Food, Fruit, Main Course, Recipes, Seafood, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

How to Slice an Avocado

Posted on June 15, 2010 by amydeline

Avocados are are in the middle of their peak season right now. Amongst other uses, they are wonderful in salads, guacamole, sandwiches or smoothies. I added a little avocado to my Caprese salad today and next week, I’ll be making a chilled avocado soup. Now is the time to enjoy this delicious and nutritious fruit!

In case you were wondering the easiest way to get to that avocado-y goodness, here’s a little photo guide…

Using a sharp knife, cut the avocado in half lengthwise all the way around the pit.

Gently twist the halves to separate.

Carefully give the seed a whack with a sharp knife, so that the knife sticks in the seed.

Holding the knife in one hand and the avocado in the other, give a little twist to loosen and remove the seed.

Use your fingers to gently loosen the avocado from its skin.

Lie the avocado on its flat side and slice or dice it!

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Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella Caprese

Posted on June 15, 2010 by amydeline

Were you worried that this was going to be another strawberry recipe??? Don’t worry, we’re all strawberry’d out for now. Today, I’m thinking tomatoes!

On a warm, late spring day, nothing beats a fresh Caprese salad drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinaigrette. It just might be my perfect warm-weather lunch!! Throw in some beautiful, ripe heirloom tomatoes and it’s even better!

There’s no big secret of a recipe here!  Slice up some ripe tomatoes and a bit of fresh mozzarella.  Add a few basil leaves and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Check out my basic balsamic vinaigrette recipe here.

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds

Posted on June 14, 2010 by amydeline

Dear Yesterday’s Strawberries,

I feel compelled to offer you the sincerest of apologizes for my actions.  In choosing to engulf you in a layer of sugary gelatin, I disrespected your fresh-picked strawberry goodness. It was a mistake. You’re good enough.  You’re sweet enough. And, doggone it, people like you. I’m going to make it up to you! Today, I will enjoy your brethren in all their unadulterated natural goodness in a salad of fresh spinach and strawberries, adorned with goat cheese and almonds, and dressed in a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. It’s the least I can do!

Sincerely,

The Gourmand Mom


Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • Baby Spinach, washed
  • Strawberries, quartered or sliced
  • Goat Cheese
  • Almonds, sliced

For the Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette:

  • 1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 3 ripe Strawberries
  • 1/2 Tbsp Honey
  • 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
  • Salt

Directions

In a blender or food processor, combine oil, vinegar, strawberries, cinnamon and honey. Blend until well combined. Season with a sprinkle of salt. To compose the salad, toss the spinach with a small amount of dressing. Top with strawberries, crumbled goat cheese, and almonds.

Make it a meal by adding a sliced chicken breast! I seasoned my chicken with a little salt and pepper. Then, I placed it in a baking dish, poured a bit of balsamic over it and baked in a 375 degrees oven. Perfect with the salad! Light, refreshing, and incredibly satisfying!

This is how to use fresh-picked strawberries!!

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Breakfast for Dinner – Chocolate Chip Bacon Pancakes

Posted on June 11, 2010 by amydeline

They say that breakfast is the most important meal. I say that it’s also the yummiest. Given the choice, I’d eat breakfast all day long every day. I could just kiss the genius who invented brunch, giving the world a valid excuse for eating breakfast at lunchtime (and drinking champagne along with it). And, some times it just feels right to have breakfast for dinner. As kids, some of our favorite nights were the ones when our mom cooked up Chocolate Chip Coconut Pancakes for dinner. We seriously felt like we’d hit the dinner jackpot.

Over here, we find plenty of excuses to host Sunday brunch, be we don’t have dinner for breakfast nearly as often as I’d like. (My hubby’s just not as enthusiastic about it as I am.) But, tonight, there’s a frozen pizza in the freezer for Mr. Anti-breakfast-for-dinner and I’m making Chocolate Chip Bacon Pancakes for myself and the kids! (Sorry, hubby.) And, yes, I said Chocolate Chip Bacon Pancakes. It’s like eating a chocolate covered pretzel, only meatier. Clearly, this isn’t the kind of dinner you’d make often, but it’s a fun treat every once in a while. Tonight feels like that kind of night.

The following recipe is a basic buttermilk pancake recipe.  You can substitute the chocolate and bacon with just about anything that strikes your fancy. So, if the idea of chocolate and bacon, married in perfect pancake harmony, doesn’t float your boat, try cherries with a bit of vanilla, or bananas and pecans, or blueberries.

Chocolate Chip Bacon Pancakes

Buttermilk Pancakes with Chocolate Chips and Bacon

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of Flour
  • 2 cups of Buttermilk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 Tbsp Sugar
  • 2 Tbps of Butter, melted
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup Bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

Directions

In a bowl, combine the buttermilk with the melted butter and beaten eggs. Slowly blend in the dry ingredients and stir until large lumps disappear. Stir in bacon and chocolate chips (or your filling of choice). Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease with a little butter. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and cook until small bubbles start to appear on the top and the edges are cooked. Flip and cook for a couple more minutes, until cooked through. **As you complete each batch, you can place the pancakes in a 200 degrees oven, to keep warm until all the batter has been cooked.

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Chicken Salad Sandwich – Waldorf Style

Posted on June 11, 2010 by amydeline

I’ve got something quick, easy, and incredibly satisfying for you today. A chicken salad twist on a classic Waldorf Salad…tender chicken, chunks of crisp celery, juicy grapes, sweet bits of apple, and crunchy walnuts blended together with a little mayo and a touch of mustard. It’s like a party in your mouth!

Waldorf Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of chicken tenderloins (or chicken breasts)
  • 1 cup Red Seedless Grapes, halved or quartered
  • 1/2 cup Celery, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dried Apple, chopped
  • 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/8 cup Mustard
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Place chicken tenderloins on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook in a 375 degrees oven for about 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. (You can also use chicken breasts for this recipe, but they will probably need to cook longer, depending on size.) Allow chicken to cool. Then, cut or pull the chicken into small pieces.  Combine chicken with the mayo and mustard. Stir to combine. Add walnuts, grapes, apples, and celery. Mix until well combine.  Taste and then add salt and pepper to season.

**Adjust quantities of any ingredient, as desired.

**You can use fresh apples instead of dried apples. Just toss chopped apples in a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.

Serve on your favorite bread or roll.

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Farmer’s Market Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Posted on June 10, 2010 by amydeline

Let your three year old hold the reins at the farmer’s market and you’ll end up with an extra handful of strawberries and a big bunch of rhubarb. Though, not exactly the heirloom tomatoes and basil I was planning to purchase, the strawberries and rhubarb are both seasonally and flavorfully perfect.  The kid knows what he’s doing.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Walnut Streusel Topping

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Rhubarb Mixture:

  • 4 cups of Rhubarb, stalks only, chopped into half-inch pieces
  • 4 cups of Strawberries, halved or quartered
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

For the Streusel:

  • 1 stick of Butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup Chopped Walnuts
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions

For the Strawberry-Rhubarb Mixture – Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine strawberries, chopped rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a bowl. Pour into the buttered baking dish.

For the Streusel – Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts in a bowl. Pour the butter over the mixture.  Stir to combine.  The mixture should be crumbly.

Sprinkle the streusel topping over the strawberry-rhubarb mixture. (I used a 9 inch round baking dish and had a bit of extra streusel, but it should be just the right amount for a 9 x 13 baking dish.) Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 40-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Warm Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Delicious! I wonder what my three year old will come up with next week!

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Linguine with Littleneck Clams and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Posted on June 9, 2010 by amydeline

Tonight, I’m serving up a minor variation on my regular Linguine and Clam Sauce.  The basic ingredients are the same; garlic, onion, pepper, white wine and clams. But, today I’m using fresh clams (where I often use canned, chopped clams). I’m also incorporating a little anchovy for added flavor and garnishing with slow-roasted grape tomatoes. If anchovies are a deal-breaker for you, skip them. I’ve made this recipe tons of times without them, but they really do add a nice touch to the dish. They dissolve into the sauce and add a really nice savory flavor. If you decide to omit the anchovies, be sure to season your sauce with a bit of salt.

If you’ve never used fresh clams before, don’t let them intimidate you!  They are as easy to cook as it is to open the canned clams. And, they make a show-stopping presentation. Just follow a few simple rules to ensure safety:

  • Keep the clams refrigerated until ready to use.
  • Thoroughly wash clams in cool water.
  • Carefully examine each clam and discard any cracked or open clams.
  • Discard any clams that don’t open after steaming.
  • Personally, I prefer to purchase most seafood on the day I plan to use it, so it’s as fresh as possible.

And, if fresh clams aren’t available to you (or you’re just not keen on their tough exteriors), then go ahead and use canned clams. You can usually find them near the canned tuna, sardines, and such. They work wonderfully in this recipe!

Linguine with Clams and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 box of Linguine
  • Littleneck Clams (40-50)
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 Anchovy Fillets, chopped
  • 3 cloves of Garlic, minced
  • 1 small Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Green Pepper, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup White Wine
  • 3/4 cup Clam Juice
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • Crushed Red Pepper
  • Salt (optional)
  • Slow-roasted Tomatoes (recipe follows)
  • Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Rinse clams in cold water.  Examine and discard any open or cracked clams. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook linguine until al dente. Heat olive oil in another large pot. Add anchovies and onion. Stir until anchovies dissolve and the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and green pepper. Cook for about a minute. Add white wine, clam juice, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Carefully, add the clean clams to the pot and cover. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, until the clams have opened. Remove and discard any clams which do not open. Season with crushed red pepper and additional salt, if desired. Serve the clams and sauce over the cooked linguine.  Garnish with slow-roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. (Serves 4)

For the Tomatoes:

Cut grape tomatoes in half, lengthwise. Toss in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet, cut side up. Cook in a 250 degrees oven for about 90 minutes until deep red and reduced in size. If you’re short on time, you can increase the heat and shorten the cooking time!

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Amy vs. Baked Alaska – The Showdown

Posted on June 9, 2010 by amydeline

A tumbleweed rolls across my kitchen floor. A strange man sits at the table, whistling ominously on a stout brown jug. I step into the room, spurs glimmering. A pair of wooden saloon doors swing closed behind me with a screech. (Funny…I don’t remember installing those doors.) I tip my hat and glare at my adversary.

**Flashback twenty or so years.** A gawky teenager, dressed in leggings with slouch socks and gleaming white faux-Keds, moves easily about the kitchen. Her side-pony sways with every movement. A well worn Better Homes and Gardens Dessert cookbook, circa 1973, sits open on the counter. Bolstered with confidence after the roaring success of the previous week’s Lemon Meringue Pie, she is busy preparing Baked Alaska, never pausing for a moment to consider what lie ahead.

My adversary stands before me, dressed in gleaming white. It snickers, taunting me. I stick my tongue out and make a sour face. My weapon is drawn.

Cyndi Lauder blares in the background as the eager teen approaches the open oven, her fluffy, white creation in hand. She pops it in the oven and dances awkwardly about the kitchen for a few minutes.  The timer beeps. She bounces over to the oven, opens the door, and shrieks. Her siblings come running into the kitchen.

I belt out my battle cry and approach the snickering adversary. I take it in my hands and approach the piping hot oven. Not this time!  Not this time! I place it in the oven and close the door.

The teen and her siblings stare in horror at the tray of melted ice cream. It looks nothing like the picture in the cookbook. A single tear falls from the teen’s hazel eyes.

After five eternal minutes, I open the oven and…

My Baked Alaska

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Baked Alaska

Here’s how it’s done…

The Cake

You can use just about any flavor or type of cake for the base of the Baked Alaska. A giant cookie or brownie base would probably work nicely too!  I went searching for a dark chocolate cake recipe for my Baked Alaska. I landed upon a truly fantastic recipe from Hershey’s for Deep Dark Chocolate Cake.  This is probably the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted. I will definitely be using this cake recipe for future birthday cakes! I made one 9 inch round cake for my base and several cupcakes for the kids to make their own mini Baked Alaskas.

Mise en place - Everything in its place

Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

Chocolatey Cake and Cupcakes

The Ice Cream

You can use any flavor(s) of ice cream in your Baked Alaska.  To prepare the ice cream, spray the inside of a bowl with Pam or lightly coat with vegetable oil. Then, line the bowl with plastic wrap.  This step will make it easier to remove the ice cream dome. Allow the ice cream to soften slightly.  Then, spread the ice cream in an even layer on the bottom of the bowl, being certain to fill all gaps.  Place the bowl in the freezer until the ice cream has refrozen. If using more than one flavor, freeze each layer before adding the next flavor. I layered dark chocolate ice cream with fresh raspberries, raspberry sorbet, and milk chocolate ice cream.

Raspberry Sorbet Layer

Waiting for the ice cream

The Meringue

Meringue is a mixture of egg whites and sugar, beaten until thick and glossy. Cream of tartar is frequently added as a stabilizer, but is not absolutely necessary. Egg whites should be beaten to soft peaks before incorporating the sugar.

A few tips for a successful meringue:

  • Bowl and whisk should be pristinely clean as even the slightest bit of residual fat can prevent the whites from developing.
  • Stainless steel, glass, or ceramic bowls will all work well.
  • Make sure that no trace of yolk enters the mix. Crack each egg into a ramekin or small bowl first, so if a yolk breaks, you won’t waste the whole batch.
  • Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature before beating.
  • Before beating, add 1/8 tsp of Cream of Tartar per egg white to help stabilize the whipped whites.
  • Beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form.
  • Use about (but no less than) 2 Tbsp of sugar per egg white.
  • If possible, use superfine sugar as it will dissolve more easily into the egg whites.
  • Gradually add sugar a spoonful at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks will hold their shape. The meringue should be smooth and glossy.

Soft Peaks

Stiff Peaks

** I used 8 whites, 1 tsp cream of tartar, and 16 Tbsp sugar, which made enough meringue to thoroughly cover my large Baked Alaska and two of the kids’ Baked Alaska cupcakes.

The Assembly

Once the cake is baked and the ice cream is thoroughly frozen, carefully turn the bowl over and lower the ice cream dome on top of the cake. I scooped out a shallow bed for the ice cream dome to sit in, in the hopes that it would provide a better insulating seal for the meringue. This step may not be necessary, but it worked! Once the ice cream cake is assembled, allow it to freeze until very firm. I left mine in the freezer overnight. Once frozen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare the meringue.  Working quickly, coat the ice cream and the cake thoroughly in meringue, being careful to spread the meringue to every edge. You can use a knife or the back of a spoon to create decorative designs in your meringue.

Cake with a shallow bed for the ice cream

Cake with Ice Cream

The Final Baking

Bake on the lower rack of a 450 degree oven for 5-6 minutes until the exterior begins to brown.

Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve. It holds well in the freezer.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Baked Alaska with Raspberry Coulis

A few other notes and tips…

  • Make sure your meringue thoroughly coats the ice cream and cake.  This is the most important part (and probably the aspect which caused my failure so many years ago). The meringue is what insulates the ice cream from the heat.
  • Make your ice cream dome with a smaller diameter than your cake.  Most recipes don’t mention this, but I think it helps to prevent melting.
  • Inspired by this link, shared by a friend, my kids made their own mini Baked Alaskas.  I used extra batter from the cake to make a few cupcakes.  Then, we scooped out the center and filled it with softened Raspberry Sorbet.  They coated their Alaskas with the extra meringue.  Then, I put them in the oven for 5 minutes at 450 degrees.  Worked out great, just make sure you help your kids thoroughly cover the entire cupcake.
  • I served my Baked Alaska with a Raspberry Coulis.  A coulis, (pronounced koo-LEE) is simply a sauce made by pureeing fruit or vegetables and straining.  For my sauce, I pureed a handful of raspberries with a Tbps of sugar. Then, I strained the puree and discarded the seeds.

Don't mess with this cowboy!

So, did anyone else try your own Baked Alaska??  I know at least one of you did and with grand success! Anyone else?  Tell us how it went!

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Posted in Baking, Cakes, Chocolate, Cooking with Kids, Culinary Techniques, Desserts, Food, Fruit, General Rambling and Such, Ice Cream, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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The Gourmand Mom

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