Polenta with Port-Poached Quince and Blue Cheese

Quince is in season! Used traditionally to make tarts, preserves and sweet treats, quince can also be found in many Middle Eastern stews and in many tapas recipes coming from Spain and Uruguay.
 
The tannic skin makes this fruit inedible when raw, however when cooked it turns into sweet and fragrant goodness. It also has a grainy texture much like a pear when cooked adding texture to your recipe applications.
 

Some say that quinces were the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. It is also noted that Ancient Romans gave quinces to their lovers as a sighn of commitment. In ancient Greece it was customary to toss quinces into bridal chariots and thought to be a gift from Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

Their flavor profile is comparable to vanilla, ginger, lemon, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.

Polenta with Port-Poached Quince and Blue Cheese
Origin: Cooking Light
Makes 14 individual appetizers

Ingredients:
1 cup apple juice
1 cup tawny port
1/4 cup sugar
1 rosemary sprig
1 cup chopped cored peeled quince (about 1 medium quince)
Cooking spray
1 (16 ounce) tube of polenta, cut into 14 (1/2 inch) slices
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Method:
1.  Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add quince; reduce heat to medium-low (mixture will just barely simmer), and cook 45 minutes or until quince is tender. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Strain quince mixture through a sieve into a bowl, reserving quince and liquid; discard rosemary. Return liquid to pan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 1/4 cup; keep warm.

2. Preheat broiler.

3.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange polenta slices in pan in a single layer; sprinkle with pepper. Cook for 8 minutes or until lightly browned; turn and cook an additional 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Place polenta rounds on a baking sheet. Top each round with 1 tablespoon quince and 1 teaspoon cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Place rounds on a platter, drizzle evenly with the reduced poaching liquid.

Pumpkin Grahamwich Treats

Origin: Snackpicks.com

Ingredients:

8 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup light brown sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

1.       Mix cream cheese until smooth and add the brown sugar and pumpkin puree. Blend with mixer or blender until smooth.

2.       Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.

3.       Place the pumpkin mixture in a bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

4.       Spread pumpkin mixture in between graham crackers or your favorite cookie.  

Kielbasa Sausage and Pumpkin Layered Casserole

Kielbasa Sausage and Pumpkin Layered Casserole

Makes 1 9 x 13 large pan – serving sizes will vary.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups pumpkin pie filling

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4  cup parmesan cheese

2 packages kielbasa sausage

1 package square wonton wrappers

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

Light Cooking Spray

 

Method:

1.       Preheat oven to 375̊.

2.       Cut the kielbasa into small chunks and brown in pan with onion and garlic. Set aside to cool.

3.       Mix ricotta, pumpkin pie filling and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese together. Reserve the remaining mozzarella cheese for the layers.

4.       Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish and place one layer of wonton wrappers in the dish.

5.       Chop the cooled kielbasa mixture in the food processor.

6.       Begin layering with kielbasa mixture, cheese and pumpkin mixture and mozzarella cheese.

7.       Top with another layer of wonton wrappers and lightly spray them with cooking spray.

8.       Repeat with 2 - 3 more layers and wonton wrappers (5 and 6 above).

9.       Use remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese to top the last layer of wonton wrappers.

10.    Cover with foil and bake in oven on  375̊ for 1 hour or so. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the cheese on top.

 

For a different twist: You can always roll the mixtures in the wonton wrappers and bake like enchiladas instead of layering like lasagna.

Fiery Roast Beef and Mascarpone Baguette

This taste the best if you marinate the roast beef in the sauce over night.

Ingredients:


10 slices thinly sliced roast beef

1 French baguette

1 container of Mascarpone cheese

1 cup grape jelly

8 oz cream cheese with herbs

3 tbs sriracha sauce

1 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Method:

1. Mix grape jelly, cream cheese, sriracha sauce and red pepper flakes in medium size bowl until creamy.

2. Cover each slice of roast beef with jelly sauce mixture (refrigerate overnight if you have time).

3. Cut baguette and spread thin layer of Mascarpone cheese on top.

4. Slice cold roast beef into strips and top the baguettes.

 

Lasagna Cupcakes

This is a borrowed recipe from www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com
makes 24 cupcakes

 Ingredients:

1/3 # ground beef

24 wonton wrappers (you can find round shaped varieties in the Asian markets or you can simply cut them round using a drinking glass as the template)

1 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

1 3/4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

 3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup pasta sauce

basil leaves for garnish


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

 2. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

3. Brown beef and season with salt and pepper -- drain.

4. Reserve 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese for the top of your cupcakes.

5. Layer your cupcakes beginning with a wonton wrapper, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and mozzarella in each. Top with meat and pasta sauce.

6. Repeat layers and top with reserved Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses.

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown.

Adouille Sausage Mediterranean Tapenade Roll Ups

 makes about 1 dz pieces


Ingredients:


5 Andouille sausages

½ cup Chef OH Mediterranean Olive Tapenade – available at Costco

2 cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Your favorite cheese (goat for gourmet look and feel or sharp cheddar for more of a kid friendly flavor profile)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to directed temperature on crescent dinner roll instructions.

2. Boil sausage and chop in food processor. Combine with tapenade.

3. Unroll crescent dinner rolls (do not separate into triangles) and simply layer with sausage and tapenade mixture and cheese.


4. Roll up and bake per directions on crescent roll container (some vary depending upon which brand you purchase).

                                                                                               

Mixed Marble Potato Amuse Bouche with Dill Sauce

makes about 4 dz pieces

Ingredients:

2 lbs mixed marble potatoes (you can find these in specialty markets and higher end grocery stores -- and if you can’t find them, simply use Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them in quarters)

¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tbs of your favorite gourmet sea salt blend

2 tbs olive oil (less if you prefer)

Oven roasting bag

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 ̊.

2. Combine all ingredients in roasting bag and bake until slightly tender.


Dill Sauce

 makes about ½ cup

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped

1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

 1 tbs lemon juice

 Fresh ground pepper to taste


Method:

1. Rinse and slice the scallions.



2. Mix together with remaining ingredients.