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Listed below are the 6 recipes that were added to the class on August 19, 2010 - Easy Summer 30 Minute Meals:

 

CHUTNEY CHICKEN SALAD 

*This salad should not be put together any sooner than 2 hours before serving. 

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup Mango Chutney (Truffles & Trifles)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teasoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

¼ cup fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon salt

4 cups torn cooked white meat of chicken or turkey (I buy rotisserie chicken at Publix)

½ fresh pineapple, cut in bite-size pieces or canned if fresh is not available

½ cup silvered almonds, toasted

 

  1. Combine mayo, chutney, curry powder, lime zest, lime juice, and salt.
  2. Toss with other ingredients, except almonds.
  3. Refrigerate until serving, and then sprinkle with almonds.    

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 

Measuring cups – wet and dry       Sharp knife           Cutting board

Small baking pan                           Serving platter      Small bowl

Microplane (zester)                      Reamer                  Measuring spoons

 

BLUE CHEESE AND PEAR BRUSCHETTA 

2 ripe pears

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

2 ounces crumbly blue cheese (1/3 cup)

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 baguette (12 inches long) cut into 1/3” thick rounds

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted.

 

  1. Rinse pears but don’t peel them.  Cut them into very small dice and place in a small bowl.  Sprinkle pears with lemon juice and toss.  Add parsley, blue cheese, and oil and toss gently and thoroughly.  Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside.  (this can be prepared hours in advance)
  2. Preheat broiler.  Arrange bread sliced in single layer on baking sheet and toast under broiler until lightly browned and crisp, about 1 minute, per side.
  3. Spread each toast round with a teaspoon of mascarpone.  Top with generous tablespoon of diced pear mixture, mounding it up high and pressing it firmly.  Finish with a sprinkling of walnuts and serve. 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 

Measuring spoons               Cutting board                Bread knife

Baking sheet                      small bowl                      Reamer

Teaspoons

 

CHERRY TOMATOES STUFFED WITH HERBED CHEESE 

3 dozen cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons purchased pesto

1 small garlic clove, smashed with meat pounder

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 tablespoons fresh chives

1 – 8 ounce package low-fat cream cheese, softened

4 ounces chevre (good goat cheese). Room temperature

Fresh parsley or dillweed sprigs

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon.

 

1.     With a serrated knife, cut off top 1/3 of each cherry tomato on stem side.  Hollow out with a grapefruit knife.  Invert tomatoes on paper towels and set aside.

2.    In a food processor, combine pesto, garlic, 2 tablespoons of parsley, chives and tarragon.  Process for 15 seconds; add cream cheese and chevre. Process for another 45 seconds or until filling is smooth.

3.    Place filling in pastry bag fitted with star tip and pipe into each tomato.  Garnish with fresh parsley.  Makes 36.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time, up to 2 hours.  

Carbs per serving 1; 40 calories; total fat 3g; cholesterol 8 mg; sodium 38 mg;

 

HOMEMADE FISH STICKS 

1-1/2 pounds                    tilapia filets (about 4)

1 large                            egg, beaten

2 cups                                      panko crumbs

2 teaspoons                     chopped fresh dill

¼ teaspoon                      coarse salt

¼ teaspoon                      ground black pepper

Olive oil cooking spray

 

Dipping sauce:

½ cup                              mayonnaise

2 tablespoons                  chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon                    chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon                    Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon                    fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon                       capers, rinsed and chopped

¼ teaspoon                      coarse salt

¼ teaspoon                      ground black pepper 

Lemon wedges for serving

 

1.      Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil; set aside.

2.    Cut tilapia in half along the center line.  Cut each half in half again, creating 4 pieces per filet.

3.    Place beaten egg in wide, shallow bowl; in another bowl, combine panko, chopped dill, salt and pepper in a separate wide, shallow bowl.

4.    Dip tilapia pieces into egg, shaking off excess.  Dip into panko mixture, pressing until fully coated.  Place fish onto prepared baking sheet.  Spray generously with olive oil cooking spray.  Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

5.    While fish bakes, make dipping sauce.  Whisk together mayo, dill, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small pretty bowl.

6.    Serve hot fish sticks immediately with sauce.

 

EASY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES © copyright Marci Arthur 

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup sugar

36 milk chocolate kisses

 

  1. Combine first 3 ingredients; shape into 2/4-inch balls.  Place on parchment covered baking sheets.
  2. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (LESS FOR CONVECTION – 25% less).
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Immediately press a chocolate kiss in center of each cookie.  Let cool.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

LEMON CUPCAKES WITH LEMON BUTTERCREAM© copyright Marci Arthur 

3 sticks of unsalted butter

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla paste

4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Zest of 2 lemons – zest lemons before you squeezed them for juice.

1 cup buttermilk – we will make our own*

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2-12 cup muffin tins with cupcake liners (use a color that will go with cupcake color).

 

  1. In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with flat paddle, beat butter for 30 seconds and then add sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Don’t cut back on time – you want mixture to be almost white and super fluffy.  This is critical to outcome of cupcakes.
  2. While butter and sugar are mixing, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
  3. After butter and sugar have mixed sufficiently, with mixer running, add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition.  Add vanilla, lemon juice and zest.
  4. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating until fluffy incorporated.
  5. Fill cupcake pans almost to top – these cupcakes are super fine and will not have a domed top.
  6. Bake about 20-25 minutes (less if using convection), until toothpick comes out clean.  Do not overbake even a bit or they will lose moisture.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Frost with lemon buttercream and top with fruit and a mint leaf. 

LEMON BUTTERCREAM 

2-1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

 

  1. Beat butter, lemon zest and lemon juice in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment.  Beat until creamy.  Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating to spreading consistency.  Makes 2-3/4 cups.
  2. Frost cooled cupcakes and then top with slices of strawberries, or raspberry with a mint leaf. 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 

2 – 12 cup muffin tins         Microplane zester                   Cutting board

Electric mixer using flat paddle and whisk attachments     Bread knife

Measuring cups                   Measuring spoons                     Cake liners

Cooling rack                         Cup to measure cupcake mixture out

Medium bowl                        Small bowl

   

MID-AUGUST NEWSLETTER

 

For the past two weeks I have been putting up teases on Facebook, about a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT that we had to make.

 

THE TIME IS HERE:  Music fades in – and a drum roll please.

 

Truffles and Trifles is honored to announce that it is joining forces with Wolf-Sub Zero appliances.

 

Wolf and Sub Zero are the gold standard of appliances and we are deeply honored to have them choose us to showcase their product.

 

By having ovens and stoves the quality of Wolf at Truffles and Trifles, we know we will be able to offer you the very best in cooking experiences when you come to our classes.  That the food you make will be of the highest quality.  That you will be expanding your repertoire of techniques whether you are a novice or an expert.

 

And best of all Wolf and Sub Zero are made in the United States.  This is very important to us, assuring us that the standards established by Wolf will be maintained with our new stoves.  

 

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INCREDIBLE UP-COMING CLASSES UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST:

 

AMAZING SUMMER ITALIAN:

Menu:
Bruschetta Tart
Ceci with garlic and sage
Crispy sausage-stuffed olives
Asiago dip with Crostini
Mixed Greens, Radicchio and Endive with Lemon Dressing
Caprese Gratin
Pasta and Scallops
Fresh-made Ravioli with home-made pesto
Chicken with Asiago, Prosciutto & Sage
Italian Crepes with Shredded chicken and Balsamic sauce
 
 

 

WHAT A NIGHT OF SUSHI:

AN AMAZING NIGHT OF EVERY KIND OF SUSHI.....PRIZES AWARDED FOR BEST DESIGN.

 

 

JULIA CHILD SUMMER IN PROVENCE:

 Menu:
Mediterreanean bouillabaisse
minature walnut-cheese pastries
Zucchini. sun-dried-cheese tart
Goat cheese and sun-dried tomato tart
La salade verte
Gateau of crepes
Gougere au jambon
Pommes de terre
Provencal stuffed tomatoes
Meringues with citrus filling with raspberries
Profiteroles with ice cream, whipped cream and caramel sauce

 

 

TAIL GATING EVENING:  THE BEST OF GRILLING AND FOODS TO GIVE THE BEST FOOTBALL PARTY POSSIBLE.

Slow cooked ribs; grilled green beans and tomatoes; Caesar salad;  apricot ribs; Montana hamburgers with Onion Rings; Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Sauce; Grilled Shrimp Cocktail; Pulled Pork; Flank steak filled with prosciutto, fontina cheese and grilled with a red wine reduction; Chutney chicken salad; Cowboy beans; The best brownies in the world; French vanilla ice cream; Cupcakes.

 

 

BAKING WORKSHOP: BAKING basics – techniques and equipment: Pie dough with fillings, Pate’ Choux, Brioche, Cranberry-walnut-pumpkin bread; Finnish Pulla; hazelnut biscotti;  Gingerbread with lemon sauce; vanilla chiffon roll with chocolate filling; Rugelach; chocolate ruffle cake; Savarin and cheesecake and more…….

  

 

APPETIZERS:

 SZECHWAN SALMON CAKES WITH A GINGER DIPPING SAUCE; CRABMEAT APPLE AND MANGO ON APPLE CRISPS; DIJON MARINATED SHRIMP; TOASTED COCONUT CHICKEN BITES WITH DIPPING SAUCE; PESTO AND PEPPERCORN ROTOLO; ROAST BEEF AND COUSCOUS WRAPS; GOAT CHEESE SPREAD; PEAR BRUSCHETTA; TOMATO, PANCETTA TART AND FINGER DESSERTS: MINI TART TARTS; GINGERBREAD WITH LEMON SAUCE; STRAWBERRY FRANGIPANE AND MINI CONES OF ICE CREAM.

 

  

The first thing is I hope you all become a fan of Truffles and Trifles if you do Facebook – why?  I post Cooking Hints everyday on our site.  They have become very, very popular.  Just go to Facebook and put in Truffles and Trifles and become a fan.

 

Some recent hint:  When buying a sheet pan, always buy a heavy rimmed half sheet  pan.  They are durable and bake evenly, not too quickly which is very important.

 

Have trouble getting waffles out of waffle iron – use two wooden skewers.  Stick one on each side of waffle and they pop right out.

     

 

ENJOY THE FOLLOWING RECIPES:

 

INCREDIBLE BRAIDED BREAD WITH BRIE © copyright Marci Arthur 

This is a fabulously simple but elegant recipe and people will rave about how clever you are and only you and I will know the truth.  That you are!!!!

 

1 loaf of Bridgeford Bread

1 l0” round of French Brie

A very good jar of preserves

Sliced almonds

Heavy whipping cream

1 egg

 

Preheat oven to 350. 

  1. Allow the bread to thaw, and then cut into three equal strips.  Lengthwise.  Braid them and put on a cookie sheet.  Place a cake pan upside down on parchment paper in center of cookie sheet.  And pull braid around and using water or milk glue the two ends together.  Beat egg with 1/3 cup of whipping cream.
  2. Using a pastry brush, brush surface of bread.  This will give bread a wonderful golden glaze.  After glazing, sprinkle ¼ cup of sliced almonds over surface of unbaked bread, and then bake until golden for about 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in another oven or same, put Brie on parchment paper and slightly hollow center.  Pour preserves in hollow and spread across the top. 
  4. Do not put in oven until the last 5 minutes of the bread baking.  Bake for 15 minutes or until hot and soft but not runny.  I find this works well to place Brie on top of the bottom of a removable tart pan.  You can place bread around it easily and you can easily place on another serving platter and cut it without a care in the world. 

 

ZESTY CARROTS 

2 pounds                carrots, peeled and sliced

2/3 cup                 Hellman’s mayonnaise

2 tablespoons        grated onions

2 tablespoons        prepared horseradish

¼ teaspoon             sea salt

½ teaspoon             freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon             Worcestershire sauce

1 cup                     Panko or fresh bread crumbs

¼ cup                     butter, melted

 

1.     Cook Carrots in boiling salted water to cover in large saucepan 5 minutes or until tender.  Reserve 3 tablespoons liquid, and drain.  Spoon carrots into a 2-quart baking dish.  Set aside.

2.    Combine mayonnaise, reserved carrot liquid, onion and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Spoon over carrots.

3.    Combine melted butter and breadcrumbs; sprinkle over casserole.

4.    Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serves 8. 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 

2 qt. Casserole dish       Cutting board               Knife              Measuring spoons

Measuring cups              Large saucepan            Colander         medium bowl

Small bowl for mixing bread crumbs and butter

 

GOURMET MACARONI AND CHEESE 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish

2 shallots, diced

¼ cut all purpose flour

2-3/4 cups milk (only whole milk)

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided

¾ cup Gruyere cheese

¾ cup fontina cheese

¾ cup Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/2” pieces

Pinch cayenne pepper, more to taste if desired

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste – make sure you do this

12 ounces spiral pasta

½ cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

 

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter 8” square dish.
  2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallots and sauté until tender and aromatic, about 5 minutes.  While butter is bubbling, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking, whisking constantly until mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 3 to 5 minutes.  Take pan from heat and add ¾ cup of Parmesan with the rest of all the cheeses – Gruyere, fontina and Gorgonzola, whisking to help cheese melt gently into the sauce.  Stir in prosciutto and cayenne with salt and pepper.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until pasta is tender outside but still uncooked in center, about 5 to 7 minutes – at most.  Drain pasta in colander, rinse until cold running water to stop the cooking, drain well.  Stir pasta into cheese sauce and pour into prepared dish.
  4. Stir together bread crumbs, parsley and remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan and sprinkle mixture over top of pasta.  Bake until pasta is heated through and browned on top, about 30 minutes.  If top is not browned, put under broiler for a minute, watching very carefully not to burn.
  5. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
  6. Makes 6 servings.

 

MACADAMIA CRUSTED SHRIMP ©copyright – Marci Arthur

– this goes nicely with a California Chardonnay with a lot of fruit taste. 

8 large shrimp (16 to 20 count)

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 large clove of garlic, smashed with meat pounder

1 small shallot, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Macadamia nut coating

Poache3d Pineapple Jalapeno Tomato Dressing

 

For the Coating:

½ cup fresh croutons, cut up pieces of left over French bread (peasant if we have it)

½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

 

For the Dressing:

¼ cup fresh pineapple, diced

1 clove garlic, smashed with meat pounder

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced without seeds

½ cup fresh tomato puree

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

 

¼ cup olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

1.     For the coating:  Toast croutons in a skillet with 4 tablespoons of olive oil until golden brown.  Set aside.  In the same pan, toast macadamia nuts.  Transfer croutons and nuts to a food processor along with remaining ingredients for the coating.  Process until the mixture has a grainy, cornmeal-like texture.  Set aside.

2.    For the dressing:  Place pineapple, garlic and sugar in a small saucepan.  Add 2 tablespoons of water and simmer for 5 minutes.  Drain and transfer to clean food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients, except for the oil, and puree.  With processor running, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

3.     While the grill is heating up, peel and devein the shrimp. 

4.    IN a bowl, mix the olive oil, mustard, garlic and shallot.  Toss the shrimp in the mixture to coat.  Grill shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until done, seasoning with salt and pepper.

5.    Off the grill, toss shrimp in the nut mixture to coat.  Serve with butter or Boston lettuces, topping with dressing.  Serves 4.

 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:                  Food processor             Measuring spoons

Measuring cups – wet & dry            Cutting board               Sharp knife

Medium skillet                                Small saucepan             Grill

Tongs                                             4 small bowls for coatings and dressing

Rubber spatula                               Sieve

RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE ©copyright – all rights reserved

  

2-1/2 cups                      all purpose flour

½ cup                              European unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon                       baking soda

½ teaspoon                      salt 

1 cup                               unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups                                      sugar

4                                    large eggs

1 cup                               sour cream

1 ounce                            red wine vinegar

½ cup                              buttermilk

1 ounce                            red food coloring

2 teaspoons                     vanilla pasta

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Mix through a sieve, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

3.    In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and add sugar gradually and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, until each is incorporated into batter.  Add sour cream, red wine vinegar, food coloring, buttermilk into sugar mixture and mix to combine well.

4.    Add flour slowly on low speed just blend to incorporate – DO NOT OVERBEAT.

5.    Spray 30 paper liners with Pam or other vegetable spray.  Fill halfway and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

6.    Cool on a rack for 5 minutes.  Then remove from pans and allow to cool completely. 

 

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING  

8 ounces                          cream cheese, softened

¼ cup                              unsalted butter

2 teaspoons                     vanilla paste

16 ounces                        confectioners’ sugar, sifted 

8 ounces                          White chocolate, melted*

 

1.     In bowl of electric mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, beat cream cheese until fluffy, adding butter and beating to incorporate. Add vanilla paste and then slowly add confectioners’ sugar, and beat until fluffy.

2.    Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and then refrigerated for 30 minutes.

3.    *Meanwhile, melt chocolate in stainless steel bowl over pot of simmering water.  Take cupcakes and dip tops into melted chocolate and set on rack to set.  Be sure cupcakes are room temperature before serving.     

 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 

30 cupcake muffin tins              Measuring cups          Measuring spoons

KitchenAid mixer with flat paddle & Whisk and 2 bowls

Medium bowl                   Saucepan fitted with stainless steel bowl   Rubber spatula                 

 

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Marci Arthur and Friends at Truffles & Trifles, Orlando, FL
Mardi Gras at Truffles & Trifles Orlando FL
Friends from High School Cherry Hill, New Jersey
 Marci Arthur and friends at Truffles & Trifles
Celebration at
Truffles & Trifles


 

In a glass bowl (nonreactive) that has been washed with boiling water to sterilize it, combine 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1-1/2 teaspoons of buttermilk (recipe below on how to make buttermilk**).  Cover bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.  Stir.


RECIPE FOR BUTTERMILK: 
1 CUP WHOLE MILK   
1-1/2 TEASPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE OR WHITE VINEGAR

STIR TO COMBINE AND ALLOW TO SIT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR 30 MINUTES, AND YOU HAVE BUTTERMILK.

 

 

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