I want to start this out by sharing a little about my past.  I did not come from a life of privilege or wealth.  My Father was a hard working man, my Mother a homemaker and while we didn’t have alot as kids we were never short on love.  During my childhood the country was in the throes of the recession of the 70s.  Jobs, money, oil and food were all things in short supply.  My Father’s job was hit hard and he found himself out of work.  Unemployment was enough to pay the bills, but that was it.

When we went to look for help the Food Banks were dry, our Church was tapped, our family and friends were in no better shape than we were.  It was hard times.  I remember watching my Parents not eat for 3 days just to give my Brother and Myself the last can of beans. My parents sat where they thought we could not see them crying in each other’s arms. They were  wondering what they were going to feed us tomorrow and hoping for some kind of help.  This made a lasting impression on me as a child and I vowed that if I were ever in a position to help people… I would.  I did not want other kids or their parents to ever be sad over the last can of beans.

It was Christmas time 1977.  Our family had nothing, except for a 1 pound brick of butter, a box of powdered milk and a block of Government cheese that we got from standing in line for 2 hours in the rain and cold, outside a warehouse in Tacoma, Washington.  My Father had a penny jar from which they scrounged out enough money to buy some elbow macaroni from the Piggly Wiggly grocery store.  We were going to have Mac ‘n’ Cheese for Christmas, for this we were happy and grateful.

Around 7pm that night we heard a knock at the door.  My Father got up to answer it and standing at the door were strangers. Strangers holding a large box filled with food.

A turkey, stuffing mix, canned green beans, a head of iceberg lettuce, a tomato, a sack of potatoes, oranges, apples, cranberry sauce, gravy mix and a bottle of cheap wine (my Mom still has this wine in her fridge as a reminder).  We were all stunned, my Mother cried thankful tears while my Father humbly and graciously accepted the gifts.  Who were these people?  To this day I do not know, but their kindness and generosity made a profound impression.  This is also one of my fondest and most precious Christmas memories.

So this brings me to the present day.  That promise that I made to myself as a child… I have kept it.  Even in the lean years where I did not have alot to give, I know that I had more than some other people out there.  When the budget is tight it doesn’t hurt to pick up an extra can of food and drop it in the collection box at the Supermarket on the way out the door… I can afford that extra .89 cents and go without that candy bar or that soft drink if it means that a family that does not have… will have.

Feeling great about helping make happy tummies

So today I got up and I was reflecting back to that day when strangers came to my door and our family was fed.  Even though I give to charities every year, today I was especially moved to go the extra mile, fueled by the memories of the past.  I decided to take my budget for carousing and eating out for the rest of November and go buy food to feed the hungry.  So $150.00 later the back of our car was chocked full of fresh loaves of wheat bread, condensed milk, evaporated milk, soy milk, black beans, kidney beans, apples, potatoes, onions,  chicken broth, canned vegetables, diced tomatoes, cup of noodles, mac ‘n’ cheese, refried beans, peanut butter, tuna fish, 24 juice-box sized chocolate milks and love.

We pulled up to the West Seattle Food Bank after hours but they were kind enough to stay open and let us cart in our goods.  We came in and saw bags already on the long tables ready to go out for home deliveries to the hungry first thing in the morning.   They were especially thankful for the milk as we were told that they did not have many dairy products to give out.   They also informed us that those fresh loaves would be going out in the morning with some of the bags.  This all made me very happy to hear, as I was hoping that Rasmus and I had gathered up a well rounded supply of food.

At the loading bay & inside the West Seattle Food Bank

So why am I sharing this?  Because I feel wonderful inside.  Tomorrow when I wake up, some hungry family will be getting a bag filled with the kindness of strangers.  Not just me but from all the strangers who have given to those who need it most.  There will be no wondering if they will go to bed hungry that night or tears shed over bare cupboards.

1 can or 100 cans.  $1 or $100…. Every little bit helps feed those in need.

So I am challenging you all and having a giveaway.  I want you to go without a luxury, be it a day or a week or a month and use that money to buy food to donate or to donate the dollars directly to your local Food Bank.  No amount is too small, every little bit helps.  Then I want you to tell me and the world about it by writing a blog post*** about it.  Then come back here to nommynom.com and post a link to your blog post in the comment section of this post.

Feel Good by Giving – Giveaway Rules
Giveaway – what do you get:
One winner to receive (1) $50 Amazon Gift Certificate

How to be Involved:
Go without a luxury for a day, week or month & use the money to Feed the Hungry. No amount is too small!

How to Enter:
Write a blog post about your donation, post your link in the comments section of this post.***

How Winner is Picked: Random Number Generator

Entry Deadline: December 20th Midnight PST

Winner Announced: December 24th

Find a Food Bank:
Washington State Food Banks
Northwest Harvest
Mama’s Health US Food Bank Locator
Feeding America
Feed Melbourne

***You do not have to have a Food Blog to enter, all types of blogs are welcome to participate.  If you do not have a blog, you can use the “Note” feature on Facebook & tag Kelly Cline, then comeback here and post the link.  If you have neither a blog or a Facebook profile you can email your entry to: giving[at]kclinephotography[dot]com

It is with a very heavy heart that I, along with many others,  bid farewell to a magazine that threw open the doors of an exciting culinary world for me to explore. You can read more about the shuttering of Gourmet Magazine here.

It nearly has me to the point of tears, it’s like saying goodbye to a life long friend who had an instrumental hand in the changing of my life and my career path.  For if not for Gourmet Magazine I never would have seen my first shots of food porn or have learned that life is more than Meat, Potatoes & Gravy.  Gourmet Magazine has been in my home since the late 80’s, always there to offer up a recipe to impress friends and family, to inspire me to create something new of my own design or to whisk me off to some exotic destination where photos and explicit descriptions would set my mouth to water and my mind to wander.

My life as a food photographer and food stylist, well I think it was just fate, some luck and a whole lot of passion for food.  I’ve always loved cooking and entertaining, for me there is no greater satisfaction than feeding loved ones and seeing the bliss of something delicious that I prepared swathing over their palettes, or hearing the “yum, ohh mmm” sounds coming from them.  That is the greatest reward for me as a cook.  I put love, attention and my passion for food into everything I cook and I love it when those things are conveyed to the plate successfully.

It was on one occasion that I had a large dinner party at my house where I had served a hazelnut dusted ahi tuna steak wrapped in prosciutto that my friends sat looking at their plates in awe.  I insisted that everyone dig in but my guests insisted that the food was too pretty to eat and said that I needed to take a picture before they ate.  So I dug out my old Polaroid camera and snapped a quick picture.  For dessert we had Gourmet Magazine’s Apple Pie 1993, before serving it up I decided to try my hand at staging a shot in the kitchen before bringing out the slices to be devoured.  I had alot to learn and my curiosity in the world of Food Photography & Food Styling was sparked, or better still… it was ignited.

Over time, off and on, I tried my hand at documenting my own personal culinary journey.  This was in the days long before blogging existed so my documentation ended up in several 3-ring binders and photos in ziploc bags inside the binders, most of what I shot was a quick snap on Polaroid or using my old Canon 35mm film camera.  I didn’t have the luxury of fancy lighting, so I learned to make due with available light.  I learned that props were a key in creating a great mood to an image, because let’s face it who wants to look at a bunch of food photos on the same bunch of hexagon black plates circa 1990?  So the collection of new dishes began.

Can you believe I still don’t have enough props?

And with new dishes… well that meant napkins, silverware, cookware, colorful papers, baskets, towels, cutting boards…  enough stuff to fill a 10′x15′ storage space with prop goodies

Oodles of boards

Years later, my passion for food and photography would lead me down a road that would change who I am forever.  Magazines like Gourmet were there to inspire me, to make me think outside the box and to stop cooking from a box.  To this day I relish every savory, beautiful bite that this world has to offer.  I am a food geek, a food stylist, a food photographer, a lover of the origins of food, a supporter of farmers and artisan food producers.  All of which I would be none the wiser, if not for the enlightenment given by publications like the one whose cover so elegantly and deliciously closes forever.
Goodbye Gourmet, thanks for everything.

It’s been a long, wonderful road and I’ve come a long, long way.  Looking forward to the rest of the journey.

Apple Pie
adapted from Gourmet Magazine 1993 via Epicurious
(Please visit Epicurious for the full instructions & original recipe)

• about 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3/4 cup tablespoon sugar
• 4 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice of half a lemon
  
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• milk for brushing the crust

Lately, I have been trying my hand at Danish cuisine. Why? Well this summer I will be going to visit my other home in Copenhagen for the very first time. You see I imported myself a hubby from Denmark and I have been wanting to give him a little taste of home. Also, to practice cooking Danish food so I can (hopefully)  impress our friends and family in Demark.

He has been a good sport in teaching me the ways of the Dane, including not laughing too hard when I try to speak Danish with my American accent. Except when I mispronounce words (some of them sound almost the same!) like somehow “pillow” was coming out of my mouth as “f*cking”.  We made a series of funny phrases a while back called Dare to Danish.  Head on over if you want to learn to speak some Danish.  Be warned that these lessons will probably get you some weird looks… or more likely a kick in the butt.

In the meantime, I’m going to teach you a little Danish here today.
The word Bikse loosely translated means “to throw together”
The word Mad means “food”
Put them together and you have Biksemad (pronounced Bic-sa-mel) which means “thrown together food”

Every time we cook a roast, especially a pork roast, Biksemad comes up as a possibility to deal with the leftovers.  In Denmark, Biksemad traditionally is all the leftovers bits from a roast dinner: Meat, Potatoes, Carrots, Onion, Gravy… etc. all thrown together and topped with a fried egg.  Typically sweet pickled beets are served on the side along with a little ketchup.

Last night we had a lovely pork roast, baby white potatoes and onions with a chanterelle mushroom gravy.   I thought I would give Rasmus a little taste of home with my own take on Biksemad.  I used our leftovers, put them into individual serving dishes, cracked an egg over the top, baked it and topped it with fresh herbs and a little Tuong Ot Toi (Vietnamese Garlic Chili Sauce… yes yes I know it’s not very Danish but it’s sooo good and besides this is my own spin on Viking leftovers)  This isn’t so much a recipe as it is a process of well… throwing things together.

Biksemad

• 4 to 5 cups of Left-overs, roughly chopped to bite sized pieces (any Roast Meat & Vegetables)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of Left-over Gravy
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Teaspoons of Tuong Ot Toi – Vietnamese Garlic Chili Sauce
• 4 sprigs of Fresh Herbs, any will do I used Rosemary

Preheat oven to 350°. Start out by warming up the left over meat & veg in a skillet on the stove top or int he *gasp* microwave until warm to the touch.
You can make this in one casserole pan or by using individual serving dishes, just give them a swipe with some olive oil to prevent it from sticking.
Now toss the leftover Gravy with the warmed up leftover roasted bits of Meat & Veg until everything is evenly coated.  Pour it into the baking dish. Crack your eggs over the top and place it in the oven for about 12-15 minutes to set the egg white.  You should be left with a lovely runny yolk.
Take out of the oven and top each egg yolk with a 1/2 teaspoon of Tuong Ot Toi and finish it with a garnish of fresh herbs.

You can certainly sub the Tuong Ot Toi with Tabasco or Ketchup if you wish.

The mix of the rich yolk breaking down and coating all the rest of the ingredients adds a luxurious decadence to this dish.  The tangy heat from the chili sauce just elevates the flavor and bring the whole thing alive.  Really truly great comfort food, brought to you by your local Viking-wife.

What the heck is a Vineyard Pie!?  It’s grape laden wonderful bliss, that’s what.  Recently, I entered a pie contest for which I will share pictures and stories at a later time.  Since the contest, I have had numerous requests for the recipe of my Vineyard Pie and so everything else must take a back seat while I share the secrets of my unusual grape pie with my friends.  This recipe is entirely original and my own.

So like I was saying, this was a pie intended for a contest but for me it was really an opportunity to think outside the box and do something… different.  The contest rules stated that the fruit had to be in season.  Immediately my mind went towards things such as pears, apples, plums and the like and then something unexpected creeped into my cranium.  Grapes.  Yep… grapes.

And so I started to do some research.  Was it possible to make a pie made of… Grapes?  Well it turns out that it is, and Concord Grapes seem to be a big deal to pie makers in areas such as Maryland.  My mind was already made up.  Grape Pie, here I come!  In researching recipes I found that the process in which those East Coast pies were made, had a very “jammy” interior.

I most certainly did not want to create a pie that was a big crust covered piece of Grape Jam.  I wanted the grapes to shine, taste fresh, sweet and have a cherry pie like texture.  Upon tasting and re-tasting grapes I decided that a mix of gapes was my ticket to success.  Concords lend their characteristic grapey flavor, Red Grapes for a nice sweet tart and firm fruit and Black Grapes for their honey-like sweetness.

***photo by Rasmus Rasmussen

After putting all these grapes together it struck me that I practically had myself a vineyard of grapes at hand.  Then a light bulb went off in my head… Ooooo!  Wine!!  So I grabbed some different sweet wines from my pantry to taste along with one of each of the grapes.  I liked the flavor of the Port but I went with a Blackberry Dessert Wine from Pasek Cellars, which is a local Cellar located in Mount Vernon.  The Blackberry Dessert Wine added a lovely fruity note that was a lovely accent to the Grapes.

So now it was on to prepping and making pie crust.  My pie crust had additions of Almond Flour, Buttermilk, local Leaf Lard and homemade Butter.  This filling would taste really wonderful in just about any crust, because this pie is totally all about the filling.  This filling could even be turned into a successful Cobbler or Brown Betty as well. (I’ll share the crust recipe in a later post about the Pie Contest)

***photo by Rasmus Rasmussen

In the East Coast grape pies, they squeeze out the centers of the Concord, run it through a food mill to remove the seeds… yadda yadda.  I didn’t want grape mush, I wanted these Grapes to be berry-like.  So to prep I washed the grapes, dried them and cut them in half.  Once in half the Concords revealed their little seed and a quick flick of the fingernail the seed was history and I was left with a lovely purple plump grape.  The Black Grapes & Red Grapes were seedless, but I cut them in half anyway so the filling had a consistent mouth feel, and I didn’t want to have grapes bursting in someone’s mouth and squirting out.

This pie was my great experiment.  It has been at least 10 years since the last time I made a pie from scratch, including the crust.  It is the first time I have ever invented a recipe for a pie and the first time I have ever had a grape pie tickle my tastebuds.  This pie has a light yet subtly rich flavor, not overly sweet.  The Grape flavor is not jammy, as my husband Rasmus put it “You can really taste the freshness of the grape.” and he is absolutely right.  The grapes still have a fruity pop, yet their flavors have melded together.

Vineyard Pie

• 1 double crust recipe of your favorite Pie Crust
• 1 1/2 cups Concord Grapes, seeded & halved
• 1 1/2 cups Seedless Red Grapes, halved
• 1 1/2 cups Seedless Black Grapes, halved
• 1 1/2 cups Organic Cane Sugar
• 1/2 cup Dessert Wine or Port
• 1/4 cup Tapioca Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• Zest of 1 Orange
• Juice of 1 Orange
• 1 Egg White for brushing the pie crust (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine all ingredients together and stir to coat everything evenly.
Put your bottom crust down into you pie pan.  Ladle the pie filling into the unbaked pie crust, being careful not to overfill it.  The filling should form a mound, flush with the edge of the pie pan and rising gracefully to an inch over the rim at the very center.  If you happen to have extras, save them to make small tarts with your leftover pie crust trimmings.
Place the top crust onto the pie and crimp the edges closed.  Cut a few slits to act as vents for your filling.  If you want a shiny topped pie, now would be the time to put your egg white onto the top crust, using a pastry brush.
Place the pie onto a baking sheet, to catch any spillage.  Make a foil “tent” for the top to protect it from over browning, make sure there is at least an inch of spacec between the pie top and the foil so that the pie has breathing room.

Bake the pie for 45-50 minutes.  Remove the foil tent and finish baking the crust until it is browned to perfection, right around 5-10 minutes more.
Let this pie cool completely before serving, as the Tapioca needs time to set properly.

This is a great alternative to Apples, pears & Pumpkins and makes wonderful Fall pie, the colors and flavors… well it’s just down right beautiful.  Hope you enjoy!

***A special Thank You! to Rasmus Rasmussen for taking the shots of me in action.  You are the bestest! Biggest piece of pie is for YOU!

I am in “Hurry-Mode” today, so this post is going to be quick and to the point as I have to scoot out of here in just a few minutes… but not before I steal a moment share this recipe with you.  Although it’s fast, it has a lovely complex layer of smoky flavors.  The smoke hits you first, then the sweet of the tomatoes, then the richness of the chicken and beans and it finishes with a nice little kick of heat from the chili flake.  Quick, healthy, cheap, delicious comfort food folks!

I had to make a quick hot dish today and well it sort of slipped my mind.  So I started looking in the fridge and around the pantry to see what i had just laying around that I could throw together in less than 30 minutes.  Now before you scoff at me for using canned beans and tomato sauce… this is a QUICK meal here and well sometimes a shortcut here and there isn’t all bad.  (Besides it’s not like I’m throwing aerosol cheese in a can into the recipe… I’m looking at you Sandra Lee) This is something you can throw together on the stovetop, finish up getting things done and have it ready to serve in half an hour.  It’s gunna taste like something that has been stewing and melding all day long.  Perfect for those days when you are just too busy to be bothered.  This recipe was birthed from grab some of this and some of that and do it as fast as I can.

Smoky Chicken Chili

• 1 cup Onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Red Pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup Roasted Piquillo Peppers, chopped (can sub roasted peppers)
• 2 cups Grape tomatoes (or Cherry tomatoes cut in half)
• 1 cup  Smoked Chicken, diced (can sub smoked Turkey)
• 1 15.5 oz. can of Black Beans, low sodium
• 1 15.5 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Crushed Garlic
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon Red Chili Flake (add more if you want it spicy)

Get your large skillet or Dutch Oven type pan out, set the heat to Medium High on the stove top.  Put the Olive Oil, Garlic and Onions into the pan and quickly sweat the aromatics.  Add in all the rest of the ingredients, give it a good stir and let it simmer on Medium heat making sure to stir it every now and again.  You could certainly turn it to low for a longer simmer if you are not in a hurry.  Add some fresh parsley for garnish, if you like.

That’s it.  Crazy fast & easy!  It’s also good cheap eats!
Enjoy!

Oooh this Summer has been a busy one, and now we are already in to Fall.  Good thing we preserved some of Summer’s gorgeous basil.  So what to do with all that lovely Basil Paste we just made a few weeks back? I’ve got a little something up my sleeve that puts an answer to that very question.  This time we are going for a bit of an unconventional twist on the classic Gremolata. 

Usually a classic Gremolata is a dry or sometimes wet combination of chopped parsley with citrus, garlic and salt.  Ours will be a little different thanks to the basil and a little wet thanks to the Olive Oil our Basil Paste base, but that’s okay because the flavor is sensational either way.  You certainly could use fresh Basil if you have some handy.  So what we will be creating here is Emerald Summer Sunshine on a spoon, my friends.

Basil Gremolata

• 2 Tablespoons Basil Paste or 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic, finely minced
• Zest of 1/2 Lemon
• Twist or two of Fresh Cracked Pepper
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together thoroughly.

It just doesn’t get any easier than this.  This is amazing on fish, chicken, tofu, toasted baguettes, mixed into a vinaigrette or any other creative way you want to put it to use.

So how do we hold on to the flavor of this Summer gem without going the same ole Pesto route? I’m about to show ya…

Don’t get me wrong now, Basil Pesto is one of my favorite condiments. But there is sooo much more you can do with Basil.   I’m going to give you a super simple recipe to preserve your basil and turn it into a base ingredient for many other Basilicious condiments and recipes. And yep… I’ll be throwing a Pesto recipe at ya in the very near future.

Basil Paste

• 3 Cups Basil Leaves, washed and well packed
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Stuff this all into a food processor equipped with chopping blades and pulse until the Basil is blended to about the size of a peppercorn. You may have to scrape the sides of your processor, the consistency should be a similar to a tomato paste.

Refrigerator Storage: Pour the Base Paste Base into an air-tight container, spread evenly and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. You can store it for 3-4 days in the fridge this way.
Freezer Storage: Prep ice cube trays by either rubbing or spraying the insides with Olive Oil. Place roughly 1 Tablespoon in each compartment, cover each with a thin layer of Olive Oil, cover and freeze. Once they are set after a couple hours, pop them out of the trays and place them in a zipper top freezer bag. These will keep beautifully in the freezer for 6+ months.

Round these parts we call these guys Steamer Clams, elsewhere folks call them Cherrystones and Little Necks, but here in my neck of the woods we call them good ole Steamer Clams. And no matter what you call them, they make me go “nom nom nommy nom”.

My very first taste of these guys was when I was a kid and our family would go camping at Penrose Point State Park.  We would forage the rocks at low tide looking for these little things.  As a child I had no idea that I was hunting for my dinner while I turned over rocks and dug my little fingers into the substrate.  It was not until my Dad brought out a big pot, filled it with water, set it to boil and then dumped out day’s work into the pot to cook that it finally started sinking in.  He called me over so I could watch the magic happen, the shells popping open one by one… it was like watching popcorn pop, Sea Popcorn!

My Dad would have Mom melt up the butter.  Then he’d reach in the pot with his bare hands and gingerly snatch a treasure bearing shell from the pot.  He scooped out the insides with a regular old fork, dipped it in the liquid gold and then turned to me with that alien looking thing dangling off the end of the fork, glistening with butter.  His eyes as wide and mischievous  as his grin “Go on, take a bite.” And with much trepidation, I closed my eyes, opened my mouth and prepared to taste something horrible.  I chewed,opened my eyes and looked at him in amazement.  This explosion of buttery, sweet and briney all hit my palette at once.  I was in love and have been ever since.

Every time I make steamed clams, I think of my Dad and thank him for making me take a bite.  Miss you, Dad.

Steamed Clams

• 3-4 lbs Live Steamer Clams
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Shallot, finely chopped
• 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
• 2 Cups Dry White Wine
• 8-10 oz. of low sodium Chicken Stock
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into pats
• 3 Tablespoons Basil Paste – or Pesto

You can scrub the outside of your clams if you like, I rinse and pull any seaweed, but don’t bother scrubbing because it adds to the flavor of the broth.  Take your clams and put them in a big bowl or non-reactive metal pan.  Put a little sea salt in the pan and put it under the water faucet in your sink and let cold water slowly run into the pan, this will help your clams to expel the sand they are holding and give them some oxygenated water to breathe while you prepare the rest.

A really large skillet works best, place your garlic, shallots and oil into the skillet or pan over a Medium-High heat.  Sweat the aromatics and add the wine 1 cup at a time, let the wine reduce down to half before adding the second cup, then let the second cup of wine reduce down to half.  When adding your chicken stock only add the first half of it, let it reduce down to half then add the second half, no need for this part to reduce.  Give it a good whisking, and while whisking constantly add the butter.  Once the butter is melted add the Basil Paste, give it a quick whisk to distribute.
Take your clams out of their cold sea salt water bath.  Just use your hands it’s the easiest way.  Make sure to give them one last quick rinse under the running water to get any additional sand or debris off of them.  Place them carefully and as evenly as possible into your bubbling sauce and cover tightly, if you don’t have a lid use some foil.  Let them steam for 10-13 minutes.

Important: Do not eat any clams with closed shells.  Do not try to force them open to get at them.   Toss any unopened clams as they are not good to eat.

To serve, place in a big serving bowl and be sure to have an empty bowl or “graveyard” to catch all the empty shells.  Have slices of baguette on the side to soak up all that gorgeous broth & enjoy!

This is about simplicity.  Perfect, fresh ingredients combined together to make a perfectly delicious snack.
This quick & simple little bite works well for a party appetizer, a snack or as a home cooking project with the kids.
Savor delicious simplicity.

Brie & Apple Melts

• 1 Baguette – sliced to 1/2″ thick
• 3-4 Tablspoons Unsalted Butter
• 8 oz Brie, rind removed, thinly sliced
• 2 Green Apples, cored, halved and thinly sliced
• Sprigs of Arugula
• Pinch of Black Pepper, freshly cracked

Cooking temperatures & times will vary depending on the oven or grill being used.
Lightly butter one side of the baguette slices.  You can either place them under a preheated 400º broiler or on a grill, either way you are going to let them toast on one side, until just golden brown.  Once toasted, remove them from the heat and top each slice with the apples.  Now you are going to take your brie and place it in the middle on top of the apple slices.  Return to the broiler (for the grill – protect the bottoms) for just enough time that the brie begins to droop a bit.  Once it starts to melt and droop remove from the heat, transfer the whole lot to a plate and top with springs of arugula and black pepper.

***Cook’s Note:  You can also add crisped pancetta or bacon bits to this recipe for a little added extra sumpthin’ sumpthin’

So you remember that Truffled Herb Butter we made a little bit ago right?  Well allow me to give you a turkey recipe that will make your eyes close and roll back up in your head while you uncontrollably go “Mmmm mmm MMM!” between bites.

Imagine a Turkey Breast that is juicy, succulent and melts in your mouth.  No really!  I’m not joking it’s possible… take a deep breath and open your mind.  Imagine mingling flavors of herbs, trace hints of earthy aromatic white truffles dancing around with the butter and natural juices of your Turkey.  Now imagine all that goodness spilling out on to carrots, potatoes, leeks… well pretty much any roastable vegetable you want to stick under it.  Now imagine a Turkey Breast that is quick and easy to prepare but tastes like you spent hours and will leave a lasting impression on those who nom it down.  Say it isn’t so?  Well…

Imagine no more and get your roast on.

Truffle & Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

• 1 recipe of Truffled Herb Butter
• 1 split Turkey Breast, bone-in and skin on, washed and patted dry
• 4-5 cups chopped Roasting Vegetables – baby potatoes carrots, onions, leeks, parsnips, celery, etc. cut no more than half inch thick
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Herbs, plucked from stems (I used rosemary, oregano, thyme & sage)
• Olive Oil, for drizzling
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Preheat your oven to 350.  Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Spread chopped vegetables on the parchment paper, then randomly sprinkle on your whole herbs (if you don’t have fresh you can use dried).  Now drizzle a little Olive Oil onto the vegetables and give them a quick toss to coat.  You do not want to over oil them as the juices of the Turkey will come down and join the party while it roasts.  Set this aside.

Now we move over to the Turkey Breast.  Slide a finger up under the skin to make a pocket, yeah it’s a little icky feeling up under there but it’s worth it.  Now take your Truffled Herb Butter and jam it up under the skin.  Press it around and get it in there really good.  Rub any excess you have on the outside of the skin.  Place the Breast on the vegetables, bone side down and skin side up.  Place in the oven and roast uncovered for 45-55 minutes (depending on the size of your breast).  Remove and let it rest uncovered for 5-10 minutes to let the juices settle.  Remove the bone and slice into portions and serve with the roasted vegetables. Serves 4

***Cook’s Note: You can sub out Chicken Breast and you could certainly use this as a treatment to a whole Chicken, Cornish Game Hen or even holiday Turkey.
You can easily double this recipe, and I would highly suggest it since between 2 people we… well we indulged.  Who am I kidding we could not stop eating this and it left us short for having Roast Turkey sandwiches the next day.
***Additional Note:  You don’t have to have truffles to make the butter, check out the Truffled Herb Butter link for alternative suggestions.