Recipe: Assorted Recipes (7) - 10-03-97 Recipe Swap (updated)

7 ASSORTED RECIPES
Recipe Swap - October 3, 1997

RECIPES IN THIS FILE:
Basil Breakfast Strata
Basic Pesto
Apple and Pear Compote
Mrs. Field's Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
Tomato-Basil Pasta
Gordon's Succulent Soy Sauce Chicken

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BASIL BREAKFAST STRATA
Source: Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook
Makes 6 servings

1 cup milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 day old loaf Swiss peasant bread or French bread cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
2 cups arugula leaves (1 bunch)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound basil torta cheese, thinly sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup Basic Pesto (recipe follows)
4 eggs, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

ONE DAY BEFORE SERVING:
Mix the milk and wine in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 or 2 slices of bread in the milk mixture. Gently squeeze as much liquid as possible from the bread without tearing it. Place the bread in a 12 inch round or oval au grain dish and cover with a slice of prosciutto, several arugula leaves dipped in olive oil, some slices of basil torta, and a few tomato slices. Drizzle sparingly with pesto. Repeat the layering, overlapping the bread slices slightly, until the dish is filled Beat the eggs with salt and pepper to taste and pour evenly over the layers in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

THE FOLLOWING DAY:
Remove the dish from the refrigerator and let warm to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Drizzle the top with the heavy cream and bake until puffy and browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve immediately.

BASIC PESTO
Makes 2 cups

2 cups fresh basil leaves
4 medium size cloves, garlic chopped
1 cup walnut meats (or pine nuts)
1 cup best quality olive oil
1 cup freshly grated imported Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated imported Romano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Process the basil, garlic, and walnuts (or pine nuts) in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or in 2 batches in a blender, until finely chopped.

With the machine running, pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream. Add the cheeses, a big pinch of salt, and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process briefly to combine.

Remove to a bowl and cover until ready to use.

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APPLE AND PEAR COMPOTE
Source: Rebecca Radnor
Makes 2 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large apple, unpeeled, cored, diced
1 large pear, unpeeled, cored, diced
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup pure maple syrup

Melt butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add apple, pear and spices; cook, stirring often, until fruit begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add lemon juice and rind; cook 1 minute longer.

Add syrup, heat through and then remove from heat.

Serve hot over griddle cakes.

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MRS. FIELD'S BLUE RIBBON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes 12 cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt.

In separate bowl, cream together the brown sugar, sugar, and butter. Add eggs and vanilla extract and blend until smooth. Combine the flour mixture and the sugar-butter mixture and mix. Add chocolate chips.

Using a SILVER, not black, cookie sheet (Mrs. Field's says it makes ALL the difference), scoop out the dough onto the cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. Separate the mounds well.

Put into 300 degree F oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. Do not overbake or raise temperature of oven. This will make soft, chewy cookies.

TIP FROM MRS. FIELD'S:
Put a piece of bread into a tupperware container with the cookies for storage and they'll stay soft and chewy.

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MRS. FIELD'S CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PECAN COOKIES

5 cups oats, uncooked
2 cups butter
2 cups white granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
3 cups pecans, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 bags (12 oz each) chocolate chips
1 (8 oz) Hersey Milk Chocolate bar, grated

Measure oats, then put small amounts at a time in a blender, and blend to a fine powder; set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; set aside.

Mix together flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda; mix into creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate and nuts; mix.

Make golf ball-size cookies, and place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-10 minutes. Cookies should be soft in the middle when taken out of the oven.

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TOMATO-BASIL PASTA
From: MaryLu

1 1/2 cups seeded and chopped plum tomatoes
1 envelope instant chicken broth base
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup (or more) chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
Pasta
Parmesan cheese

Mix the tomatoes, chicken broth powder, garlic, basil and olive oil. Let marinate at room temperature for about 40 minutes.

Make what ever pasta you like - I find the bow ties work well with this. When the pasta is done drain it BUT DO NOT RINSE IT!

Mix the hot pasta with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle on lots of Parmesan cheese.

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FlaPearl: This recipe was featured on Regis and Kathie Lee a few months ago and is YUMMY!

GORDON'S SUCCULENT SOY SAUCE CHICKEN
Source: Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, 1990's
Makes 4 servings

"This recipe is also great with pork, veal, and beef ribs!"

1 whole chicken
FOR THE MARINADE:
1 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground white pepper
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup peanut oil

Mix marinade ingredients in a closed container, refrigerate at least overnight.

Marinate chicken in sauce 1 hour before roasting.

Cover chicken with foil and roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Remove foil, add 1/2 cup water and reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Baste chicken every 20 minutes, adding water to the pan as needed. Continue roasting until skin is brown and crispy, and chicken is done. Total cooking time is 1 1/2 to 2 hours.