Fruit Tart: Part One
Posted by Shelly Perry (08/12/2010 @ 1:52 pm)

I love these elegant desserts. Tarts remind me of the days when I lived in France and was able to eat beautiful food daily.
This is my first attempt at this recipe and my mistake was to make the crust too thick.
I should have used only half of the dough that this recipe makes.
Next time I will use half and freeze the other half for another day.
I also did not make the gelatin which tops off the fruit.
I will do so next time as I feel that it adds subtle flavor and it completes the presentation of the dessert.

This crust is delicious.
I used Martha Stewart’s Nut Crust recipe from The Martha Stewart Cookbook, Collected Recipes for Everyday 1995, Clarkson Potter/ Publishers, New York
Nut Crust
Makes two 8-10 inch tart shells or 12 2 1/2 to 3 inch tartlets
10 onces finely chopped nuts
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room tempeture
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
Butter tart pan or tartlet pans.
Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until well blended, using an electric mixer or wooden spoon.
Divide the mixture and press into the prepared pans.
Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the shells are golden brown.
Let cool on racks before filling.



Vanilla Custard
Recipe Courtesy of Not Derby Pie
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
seeds and pulp of one vanilla bean (reserve scraped bean for another use)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil.
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and vanilla bean pulp.
Set the bowl over the saucepan and continue whisking as mixture heats up.
After about 10 minutes of stirring, the mixture will have become thick enough that the mixing spoon or whisk will leave a trail.
At this point, remove the bowl from the heat and let the curd cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Then whisk in butter, one tab at a time, until it has melted into the curd and the mixture is smooth.
Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into the tart crust; use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the curd and distribute it evenly.
Arrange the strawberries in concentric circles over the curd, starting on the outer rim and working your way inward.
If not serving immediately, cover tart lightly with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator.
Remove the outer ring of the tart pan to serve, and plate with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.







Posted in: Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: berry tart, blackberries, custard desserts, custard filling, custard filling for tart, French desserts, fruit desserts, fruit tart, fruit tart recipe, Martha Stewart Nut Crust Recipe, Martha Stewart tart crust redipe, nut crust, raspberries, strawberries, Tart, tart crust, tart filling, Tart ingredients, vanilla custard, vanilla custard desserts, vanilla custard tart filling, vanilla tart filling

Whipped Cream Avalanche! Cheesecake in a Midwest Heatwave!
Posted by Shelly Perry (07/24/2010 @ 6:10 pm)

I should have given this a bit more thought!
I do not have air conditioning and we are in the middle of an incredible heatwave here in the midwest.
The heat index was 106 degrees! yesterday.

We were celebrating a birthday and this cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream is a favorite.

It did look great when I placed it on the table but by the time I picked up the camera it was sliding all over the place!
That was about 15 seconds!
One of the secrets to the greatness of this cheesecake is the crust.
The butter toasted pecans make the crust amazing and every time I make this the only request is that next time I make more crust!
Ingredients:
Crust
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup of pecans
1 1/2 cups graham crackers
Filling
3 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
Whipped cream prepared or homemade; we used Redi-Whip, it’s a nostalgia thing!
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Saute butter and pecans until they become aromatic and lightly toasted
Place graham crackers, sauteed pecans and butter in the food processor and mix until the texture is fine
Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes
Set aside; reset oven to 325 degrees
With an electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and flour together until well mixed
Add vanilla and beat until smooth
Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition
Beat until smooth
Add milk and mix until well blended
Pour the batter over the crust and bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes
Fell free to garnish with your favorite fresh fruit after the cheesecake has chilled in the fridge overnight
Don’t be shy with the whipped cream!
Put love in it and Enjoy!

Posted in: Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: butter, cheesecake, cream cheese, dessert, dessert recipe, eggs, graham crackers, milk, pecans, recipe, Redi-Whip, strawberries, whipped cream

Anna’s Breakfast Potato, Veggie and Egg Scramble with Cheese!
Posted by Shelly Perry (07/22/2010 @ 11:17 am)

Not only is my BFF Anna is a great cook but she is the hostess with the mostest!
We invade her lovely home for long weekends and she manages to entertain us like royalty!
One of her specialties is this casserole, of sorts, or breakfast scramble.

She par cooks potatoes in the microwave
Chops and sautes any vegetables on hand, usually: red peppers, asparagus, leeks, and mushrooms and sets those aside
Then dice the potatoes and combine in a large skillet the cooked veggies, potatoes, some cheese then crack a few eggs on top
Turn the heat down to low and cover to allow the eggs to cook.
You’re finished!
You can also do this in the oven in a lovely casserole dish for a more elegant presentation.
Or cook the eggs seperatly and serve on top.
Either way it’s delicious!

Posted in: Indulgences, Ingredients, Inspirations, Parties, Recipes
Tags: asparagus, breakfast, breakfast casserole, breakfast dishes, breakfast recipes, cheese, eggs, leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, red pepper

Pizza Perfection! Goat Cheese and Spinach with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Sauce! Pepperoni with Fresh Oregano! The Perfect Margarhita Pizza!
Posted by Shelly Perry (07/21/2010 @ 7:21 pm)

We have making pizza down to science here.
And I must admit that this is due to the secret weapon in my kitchen; My Daughter!

She has the perfect touch when it comes to preparing the dough; which we buy at a local pizzeria, and she has the perfect touch when it comes to layering the ingredients!

She gets the dough just right. Thin but not too thin and she has a light touch with the cheese, which is key to proper cooking.

Her specialties include but are not limited to the Margarhita and pepperoni pizzas.

We were so confident with our skills that we threw these pizzas on the grill! First time ever and they were perfect!

Fresh oregano made the pepperoni especially delicious for th meat eaters but the overwhelming favorite was the Margarhita with basil fresh from the garden and fresh mozzarella.




I tried my hand at something a bit more fancy; spinach and red onion with mushroom and goat cheese topped off with a balsamic vinegar reduction.

The reduction came out perfectly, it was my first attempt! I simply poured about 1 cup of balsamic vinegar into a small frying pan and on meduim heat let it cook until it started to thicken.

My mistake was to pour it over the pizza before baking. I should have drizzled it over the pizza when it was finished cooking to keep the thick texture that I so proudly created!

Lightly blanche the spinach before layering on your pizza. It can dry and burn if you don’t.

Tr your hand with your favorite ingredients. Be patient. Cook with loved ones and Enjoy!
Posted in: Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: balsamic vinegar, balsamic vinegar reduction, basil, fresh mozzeralla, fresh oregano, goat cheese, goat cheese pizza, grilled pizza, Margarhita pizza, mozzarella, mushrooms, olive oil, oregano, pepperoni, pizza, pizza dough, pizza on the grill, red onion, spinach, tomato

Strawberries, Blueberries, Bananas, and Whipped Cream on Waffles!
Posted by Shelly Perry (07/21/2010 @ 6:17 pm)

This simple yet delicious treat serves as a breakfast or dessert .
The strawberry topping is made with fresh strawberries, sliced placed in the blender with sugar to taste and pureed to perfection!

This is not a diet meal to be sure but is easy to whip up and will make everyone feel special!

Summer Fun! The Best Drink Ever! Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka Cocktails with Bruschetta!
Posted by Shelly Perry (07/12/2010 @ 1:10 pm)

The possibilities are endless with this Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka from Pinnacle.
We mixed ours with fresh pineapple, coconut milk and pineapple/coconut juice.
The secret to the amazing taste was, of course, the vodka but we were careful not to add anything too sweet.
Fresh ingredients are a must. And the juice we used from Hortex is great because they are natural with no added sugars.


This recipe was fairly “freehand”.
I used one fresh pineapple which I cut the night before and placed in the freezer; huge tip! Freezing the pineapple make the drinks amazing!
In the blender place half of the cut and frozen pineapple
1/2 can of coconut milk
1 cup of juice
1 cup of Pinnacle Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka
Blend until creamy and frothy
Some enjoyed some whipped cream on top!





These brushetta are fantastic! My friend has this recipe down to a science and we are able to whip these up really fast:
1 baguette sliced about 1/4 peices
olive oil
3-4 fresh garlic cloves
3-4 tomatoes
fresh basil leaves
fresh mozzerella
Slice the bread and rub with garlic cloves on bothe sides
Use enough olive oil to lightly cover both sides
Toast lightly under the broiler
Chop tomatoes and basil and mix with some olive oil and salt to taste
Top toasted bread with tomato mixture and shredded fresh mozzerella and serve!
Posted in: Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: baguette, basil, bruschetta, coconut, coconut milk, Hortex, olive oil, pineapple, Pineapple coconut cocktails, pineapple coconut juice, pineapple juice, Pinnacle Vodka, Pinnacle Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka, summer cocktails, tomato, whipped cream

Fruity Cocktails, Amazing Pizza, 200 Fabulous Gay Men and Me!
Posted by Shelly Perry (06/22/2010 @ 7:42 pm)

A dream come true!
Me in a sea of men surrounded by the most glorious pizzas, ever and tropical fruity cocktails served up by a cute bartender with attitude!
Luxe was host to the G2H2 Happy Hour event in Cleveland , Oh.
The food was amazing! I know it’s a social thing but given the “circumstances” I had plenty of time to focus on the food and drinks!

This portobello mushroom, spinach, goat cheese and balsamic reduction pizza was my favorite.
Chef Marlin Kaplan knows that a light touch of fresh potent ingredients is the way to go!

I couldn’t get enough of this pizza and made myself a fixture at the buffet!

This is definitley something that I want to try at home.

Chris was adorable and he knows the food.

This tomato basil was fantastic; fresh and delish!

The setting was elegant but casual.

Sweetheart! Jen kept the fresh hot pies coming my way

Tomato and herb.

Chicken, rosemary and goat cheese was a big hit.

What would the evening be without a spunky bartender serving up the one-liners with the best mojitos in town?!
Lee was a delight!
Posted in: Chefs and Restaurants, Indulgences, Inspirations, Parties
Tags: balsamic reduction, Chef Marlin Kaplan, chicken rosemary, Cleveland happy hour, cleveland restaurants, G2H2, Gay happy hour, goat cheese, happy hour, Luxe Cleveland, mushroom spinach pizza, pizza, portobello mushrooms

Tuna Tartare, Passion Fruit Martinis and a Magical Night at Le Colonial, Chicago!
Posted by Shelly Perry (06/18/2010 @ 8:55 am)

Le Colonial, Chicago is a treat for the senses.
The exotically luxurious atmosphere is the first hint that you are in for something special.

These Passion Fruit Martinis were incredibly fresh and delicious! Floral and fruity yet light and refreshing on a warm summer night.

Tuna Tartare with wonton crisps was light and satisfying and tasted fantastic with our cocktails….round 2!

Romance was in the air so sharing an entree of vermicelli and seafood in coconut curry seemed like the right thing to do!

What put this dish over the top for me were the copious amounts of fresh basil and cilantro; a garnish, I know, but for me a side dish or side salad!
The aroma of fresh herbs and the delicacy of the spicy coconut broth made my tastebuds tingle!

The music, the martinis, the warm summer breeze…

Posted in: Chefs and Restaurants, Indulgences
Tags: asian fusion, basil, Chicago restaurants, cilantro, coconut, coconut curry, exoctic drinks, exotic restaurants, fruit cocktails, fruit martinis, Le Colonial Chicago, lobster, martini's, passion fruit, passion fruit martini, shrimp, tuna tartare, vegetarian, vermicelli, Vietnamese food, Vietnamese French fussion, Vietnamese restaurants

Pink Girlie Cocktails and Hot Smoked Salmon Spread!
Posted by Shelly Perry (06/08/2010 @ 11:29 am)

Hot smoked salmon is the key ingredient to this light, savory dish that is tasty and sooo girlie!
We topped whole wheat crackers with the delicate creamy and sublte flavors of the salmon spread.

My dear, BFF shared her favorite recipe with me and I will share it with you.
Ingredients
6-8oz hot smoked salmon finely chopped
1 Tbspn fresh dill finely chopped
1 Tbspn fresh parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
1/4- 1/2 cup of Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove crushed
A sqeeze of fresh lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
The real secret to the success of this recipe is to mix the mayo, garlic and lemon together very well before adding to the salmon.
Mix well and serve chilled!

Pink and girlie all around when friends just want to have fun!

This delicious pink cocktail was inspired by a magical elixir we had at Le Colonial.
We tried to approximate the light tropical flavors of the passion fruit martinis we ordered and serve them “family style”!
We mixed a high quality, low sugar coconut pineapple juice with a light berry juice mix, and added vodka and fresh lime.
The result was sublime!

Posted in: Cocktails, Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: Chicago restaurants, coconut, dill, Hellman's Real Mayonnaise, hot smoked salmon, Le Colonial, Le Colonial Chicago, lime, martini recipe, martini's, parsley, pineapple, salmon, salmon recipe, salmon spread, tropical fruit drinks, vegetarian, whole wheat crackers

Meatless Monday! Picnic Style! Potato Salad, Eggplant Burgers and Corn on the Cob with Garlic Butter
Posted by Shelly Perry (06/07/2010 @ 4:45 pm)

This amazing potato salad recipe has endured a handful of incarnations.
Originally, it included bacon so I, a vegetarian, have been on a quest to replace that bacon flavor with a handful of substitutions.
I have tried avocado in the dressing, toasted pine nuts, immitation bacon; spices. You name it.
Nothing really captured not only the flavor of the bacon but the crispy texture or greasy mouthfeel, either.
Fried leeks were my next attempt to capture all of these elements that have always seemed to be missing from the veggie version of this very popular dish.

Recipe:
Chop and boil 4 lbs. of red skin potatoes
Chop 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper
Chop 7-8 green onions
Chop 1 red onion
Fry 2 leeks until crispy
Add ingredients together when cooled
Mix togehter about 2 cups of Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise with about 2 Tbsn of yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Learning about leeks was the next step.
My very knowledgable girlfriend gave me some useful tips when dealing with leeks:
Clean them very well as they have dirt in between the leaves and use only the white to bright green portion when frying or using for salads.
The dark green leaves can be used for soups and stews.







This corn on the cob cooks on the grill. What could be easier!?
Open the husks and remove the silk
Mix together butter and crushed garlic and rub all over the corn
Close the husk and place on the grill. Delicious! and Easy!

I used 1 medium eggplant and sliced into thick planks.
Then dredged them in flour, egg wash and Italian style bread crumbs and fried until golden.
Then I place them on a baking sheet and kept them at about 325 degrees until we were ready to make our burgers.
I toasted the buns with a bit of olive oil and made a mayo/spicy barbeque sauce to serve on the side.


My very handsome date, Wolf!

Posted in: Food on a Budget, Healthy, Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: butter, cooking on the grill, corn, corn on the cob, eggplant, eggplant burger, French's Yellow Mustard, garlic, Hellman's Real Mayonnaise, mayonnaise, Meatless Monday, olive oil, orange bell pepper, picnic food, Potato salad, potato salad recipe, red bell pepper, red onion, red skin potato salad recipe, red skin potatoes, scallions, vegetarian burger, vegetarian meal, yellow belle pepper, yellow mustard

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