I've got 3 words for you...

I got back tonight from Albuquerque. I walked in the kitchen and saw those Meyer Lemons I bought over the weekend and immediately it occurred to me...thus the 3 words. "Meyer Lemon Martini". I made quick work out of squeezing a couple of those babies adding some vodka, shake, shake, shake shake a shake it!!!!The rest is history.

Meyer Lemon Martini

1oz. Meyer Lemon juice

2oz. vodka

splash of simple syrup

Shake it all up in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Rim the glass with sugar and garnish with a lemon slice if you wish.

Saturday Night Dinner

As I told you in my previous post, when I got home this weekend, all I wanted to do was spend the day in the kitchen. I was thinking about chicken and artichokes, roasted peppers, white wine...something along those lines. I searched for some recipes online, but none of them were what I really wanted. So, I set out to make my own. I started with the sauce. In order to make the sauce I wanted to make a roasted chicken jus. I originally had made the chicken jus last month when I made the Chicken Riesling recipe from Balthazar. Dan made spaetzle, and I think we both agree that it was one of the absolute best things we have ever eaten. The steps for making that dish for most people would require you to start a day or two ahead of the time that you actually want to eat. I didn't have that luxury yesterday, so I improvised, but if you ever have the chance and time to try the Balthazar recipe...do it!!!! Dan's mom is visiting from Michigan, so I invited them over to share my chicken creation and a zucchini gratin and some brownie cupcakes. Dan made the cocktails...a mixture of pomegranate juice reduction, grapefruit juice and rum. He experimented (as he usually does) and added some vanilla vodka, which made it really good. It was a good evening.

Chicken and Artichokes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 red pepper, roasted and diced

1 yellow pepper, roasted and diced

1 lb. mushrooms, quartered

1 small onion, diced

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chicken jus (recipe follows)

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup heavy cream

For the jus

2 oz. pancetta, diced

4-6 chicken wings

1/2 small onion, diced

1 garlic clove, diced

1 1/2 Tablespoons Herbs de Provence

2 1/2 cups water

2 Tablespoons butter

salt and pepper

In a large deep sided skillet, cook the pancetta until crisp. Remove to drain on a paper towel. Add the chicken wings and cook until browned. Add the butter and coat the chicken pieces. Cook until dark brown. Add onion, garlic and herbs. Cook for 3-5 minutes until onions soften. At this point, you should have a lot of crusty brown on the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to high and add 1/2 cup water. Scrape the pan to loosen the bits. Reduce until the pan is almost dry. Add another 1/2 cup water and reduce again. Now add the remaining 1 1/2 cups water and cook until sauce just begin to reduce again. Strain jus into a bowl. You should end up with about a cup of jus.

To assemble the dish

Begin by seasoning chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Saute in a skillet until browned and almost cooked completely through.

In a large dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until they soften. Add the chicken jus and the white wine and continue to heat. Add the roasted peppers, artichokes and herbs. In a small bowl combine cornstarch with water. Add to hot sauce and stir to combine. When mixture begins to thicken, add the heavy cream. Place chicken breasts in sauce and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes over low heat. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

The zucchini gratin is not my recipe...it's from "The Barefoot Contessa"

Zucchini Gratin

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound yellow onions, cut in half and sliced

2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick ( I use half zucchini and half yellow squash)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a very large saute pan and cook the onions over low heat until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered for 10 minutes or until tender. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 minutes more. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 x 10 inch baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs and the gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Brownie Cupcakes

I spent the last week in Arizona. It was beautiful and sunny and there were palm trees, in n out burger, etc., etc. There was a blizzard in Denver. This was one of those times I wished I was in the blizzard rather than gone because I could have actually stayed home. Like a snow day from school. Oh well. This morning I got up and wanted to cook everything I could think of. I went over to Whole Foods and they had Meyer Lemons...what can I make with those...oh yeah, Tara told me about some brownie cupcakes with cream cheese in them...I think I'll try my hand at those first!!! Here's the result. I'll think of something for those lemons later.

Brownie Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter

4 oz.(squares) unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

1 Tablespoon coffee liqueur

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth. Let cool slightly. Add the 2 cups sugar and the liqueur. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the dry ingredients and combine. Divide the batter between 12 paper lined muffin tins.

For the filling, combine all the ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Drop spoonfuls on top of each cupcake. Swirl a little with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Now, I'm getting to work on something for dinner, I'll let you know how that goes.

Cupcake anyone???

I had the luxury of being able to actually sleep in my own bed every night this week. I spent a lot of time in the car, and by Friday night, I had to get off the road. Most of you who know me well, may have from time to time been witness to the mild case of road rage that I tend to suffer from now and again. But on my way home one evening, I picked up some beautiful strawberries at the store. At the time I didn't really consider the fact that I would be gone from home for the next two weeks and that I would never eat 2 lbs of strawberries in 2 days. So, I did what anyone would do...I made cupcakes! Now, of course, eating 2 lbs. of strawberries would be much healthier than eating 12 cupcakes, right? That's why I'm sending them home with Dan. He doesn't know that yet, but he's getting them tomorrow when we go to LOLA!!!!!! I haven't seen Dan for 3 weeks, and we haven't been to LOLA in about 5 weeks, so I can't tell you how glad I am he's finally home and that we are going to my beloved LOLA tomorrow for brunch!!!! Ok, back to the cupcakes.

Strawberry Cupcakes

3/4 cup strawberry puree

1 1/2 cups flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Puree fresh strawberries in the food processor (I left a few little bits, so you could tell it was a strawberry...puree enough to equal 1 1/4 cups. You will need 1/2 cup puree for the frosting).

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder, set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined. In a small bowl, mix milk and strawberry puree.

With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add all the puree/milk mixture; mix until just blended. Add remaining flour and stir; until just blended.

Divide batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until just done, but not browned.

Let cool completely before frosting.

Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup strawberry puree

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 cups powdered sugar

dash of salt

With an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add puree, vanilla and salt. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Delayed inspiration...worth waiting for

So, it's been a very busy couple of weeks. I've been in Texas this week, working hard. It seems like when I get home on the weekends, the last thing I want to do is cook. Last weekend I didn't, as you may have noticed I skipped a week of blogging. This week I was inspired. A couple weeks ago I was canvasing the aisles at Whole Foods and picked up a bottle of Passion Fruit Nectar. I had no real intentions for it, but I knew I should do something with it. It took a couple weeks, but today it hit me. I kept thinking about something crumbly, cakey, fruity and here is what I came up with. I took my favorite crumb cake recipe and made them into cupcakes, or I guess muffins (whatever you want to call them). Then I made a kind of "curd" out of the passion fruit nectar. It was exactly what I wanted. Now, I have been really trying to eat healthy and exercise, so I want you all to try these because I did have to sacrifice myself and taste one to make sure it was worth sharing. Let me know what you think!!! I think using a lemon curd would be just as good!

Passion Fruit Crumb Cakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the milk, egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to dry and stir to combine. Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners.

In another bowl, combine

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Sprinkle large chunks of topping over each muffin. Bake at 325 degrees approximately 20 minutes.

Let cool completely.

Passion Fruit Curd

1/2 cup passion fruit nectar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter

In a heavy saucepan whisk together nectar, sugar and eggs.

Stir in the butter and cook over medium-low heat whisking constantly until the curd becomes thick. Transfer the curd to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the curd to help prevent a "skin" from forming. Chill the curd for at least 2 hours.
(If you want lemon curd, use 1/2 cup lemon juice and the zest from the lemon)

Place a spoonful of curd in the center of each crumb cake and then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.