Daring Bakers

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream

This month's Daring Bakers challenge was definitely a challenge. I've learned so many definitions as well as baking techniques. For example, a filbert is a hazelnut, and the gateau is this particular cake. I made the cake over a process of 2 days, and my feet were so ready to rest after I got finished. The cake was like none other I've ever had... not my favorite because of the texture of the cake. It has a grainy texture because of the ground nuts, and the cake itself was dense. Just because it wasn't the best cake I've ever had didn't keep me from eating it. The praline buttercream was probably the best buttercream I've ever put in my mouth, and the ganache was to die for. If you don't have hazelnuts, you can easily substitute a different kind of nut.


Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream
From Great Cakes by Carol Walter

Recipe:
1 Filbert Gateau
1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with dark rum
1 recipe Praline Buttercream
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 recipe Apricot Glaze
1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using
3 tablespoons filberts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Filbert Gateau
Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.

Recipe:

1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned
2/3 cup cake flour, unsifted
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
7 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided (¼ & ¾ cups)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. grated lemon rind
5 lg. egg whites
¼ cup warm, clarified butter (100 – 110 degrees)

To make the clarified butter, place butter in a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Lett butter melt completely (without stirring), and skim the solid fat off of the top.

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan. I only had a 9 inch pan, and it worked fine.

Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside.

Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.

Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute. Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute.

Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). * It must be a deep bottom bowl and work must be fast.* Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds.

With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. **If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.

Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely.

*If not using the cake right away, wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If freezing, wrap in foil, then the bag and use within 2-3 months.

Sugar Syrup
Recipe:
Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers

1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake. *Can be made in advance.

Praline Buttercream
Recipe:

1 recipe Swiss Buttercream
1/3 cup praline paste
1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)

Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.

Swiss Buttercream
Recipe:

4 lg. egg whites
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice
1 tsp. vanilla

Place the egg whites in a large bowl of a electric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.Remove from sauce pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until it’s a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside.

Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become toooooo soft.*

On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy.Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.

Wait! My buttercream won’t come together! Reheat the buttercream briefly over simmering water for about 5 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon. Be careful and do not overbeat. The mixture will look broken with some liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Return the bowl to the mixer and whip on medium speed just until the cream comes back together.

Wait! My buttercream is too soft! Chill the buttercream in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and rewhip. If that doesn’t work, cream an additional 2-4 Tbsp. of butter in a small bowl– making sure the butter is not as soft as the original amount, so make sure is cool and smooth. On low speed, quickly add the creamed butter to the buttercream, 1 Tbsp. at a time.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, store in 2 16-oz. plastic containers and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.

Praline Paste
Recipe:

1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless
2/3 cup Sugar

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter. Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. **Remember – extremely hot mixture.** Pour onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle.

Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch, and then process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make the paste, process for several minutes. It will be a peanut butter consistency (below). Store in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place. Do not refrigerate.

Apricot Glaze
Recipe:

Good for one 10-inch cake
2/3 cup thick apricot preserves
1 Tbsp. water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.
****I used raspberries instead of apricots because I love raspberries with chocolate. You can substitute any fruit preserve you want.

Ganache Glaze
Recipe:

Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top and sides of a 9 or 10 inch layer or tube cake

6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt
6 oz. (¾ cup) heavy cream
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreay, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)
¾ tsp. vanilla
½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside.

Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!


Assembling Cake

Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.

Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream.

Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp knife with an 8-inch blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.

Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it on the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.

Decorate the cake with praline buttercream, fresh berries, and chopped hazelnuts.

Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I made truffles with the leftover ganache.
Refrigerate leftovers. Once ganache is hard, scoop a ball out with a melon baller. Roll into a ball with your hands and place back in the fridge to harden (it melts really quickly). Sprinkle crushed hazelnuts on top.

Country Fried Steak

AKA "Chicken Fried Steak"
I made this meal for Aubrey's birthday supper because it sounds like a "manly meal" and it's southern (which he loves). I actually printed this recipe in 2006 from the Cooking Light website, and I just got around to making it. There's actually a sweet note on the back of it that Aubrey wrote to me dated June 21, 2006, which was 8 days after he proposed to me.
The recipe says to use frozen mashed potatoes, but I just mashed up some potatoes that we had left over from a couple of weeks ago. Aubrey really enjoyed this and said it was very filling (unlike some of the other light recipes I've tried).

Ingredients:
3 TBSP fat-free milk
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 (4-ounce) sirloin cubed steaks
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 and 2/3 cups frozen mashed potatoes
1 and 1/3 cups fat-free milk
2 cups mushrooms, quartered
2 and 1/2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 (14-ounce) can fat free, low salt beef broth

Directions:
Combine 3 TBSP milk and egg whites in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 4 ingredients (1/3 cup flour through pepper) in a shallow dish. Working with 1 steak at a time, dip in egg mixture; dredge in flour mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining steaks, egg mixture, and flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove steaks from pan; keep warm.

While steaks cook, prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions, using 1 and 1/3 cups milk. Keep warm.

Add mushrooms to pan; saute 3 minutes. Combine 2 and 1/2 TBSP flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and broth, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon over steaks. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak, about 1/3 cup gravy, and about 1 cup mashed potatoes)

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 436 (30% from fat); Fat 14.7g (sat 5.1g, mono 4.8g, poly 2.2g); Protein 38.2g; Cholesterol 189mg; Calcium 147mg; Sodium 759mg; Fiber 1.9g; Iron 4.6mg; Carbohydrate 34.7g

Happy Birthday!!!

Strawberry Cake

Aubrey's birthday was earlier this week, and he mentioned that he wanted a strawberry cake with strawberry icing. I used the same icing recipe from the Sprinkles cupcakes (below), but I used a Paula Deen recipe for the cake. The cake turned out really good. I'm finished looking for strawberry cake recipes because this will be the one I make from here on out. Aubrey said it's the best strawberry cake he's ever had. Since it's a buttercream icing, it needs to be refrigerated. Take it out about an hour before you serve it.

Ingredients:
1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3-ounce) box strawberry flavored instant gelatin
1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Sprinkles Strawberry cupcake buttercream icing

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 2 round 9-inch cake pans.In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread buttercream in between the layers and on the outside of the cake.

The icing recipe is at: http://maryanna-bishop.blogspot.com/2008/07/sprinkles-strawberry-cupcakes-sprinkles.html#links

Citrus Chicken

I've been searching on the Cooking Light website for recipes, and I came across this one. It's a perfect summer dish with the different citrus flavors mixed with the thyme. The marinade is very light in taste and perfect for drizzling over the fresh spinach leaves. I did make one small change that added a few more calories. I've never had any luck when cooking in PAM only. It burns way too quickly, so I added olive oil to cook the chicken in.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
1 tablespoon olive oil Cooking spray
6 cups bagged prewashed baby spinach

Directions:
Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour 1/4 cup juice mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag. Seal; let stand 5 minutes. Add oil to remaining juice mixture; stir well with a whisk.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 1/2 cups spinach on each of 4 plates. Divide chicken evenly among servings; top each serving with 1 tablespoon juice mixture.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Info: CALORIES 183(24% from fat); FAT 4.9g (sat 0.9g,mono 2.8g,poly 0.7g); IRON 2.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 50mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.1g; SODIUM 278mg; PROTEIN 27.4g; FIBER 2.1g

Panfried Grouper with "Pecans"

I've been waiting to make this recipe for so long. I found it on the food network website. Believe it or not, it's not as easy to come across fresh fish as you'd think with us living near the gulf. I went to 2 fish markets today with no luck, but the third one was a charm. This original recipe uses almonds. That's why I put "pecans" in quotations for the title. I had extra pecans on hand, so instead of using almonds, I decided to help clean out my kitchen. The pecans turned out just perfectly, and this is surely a recipe that I'll keep around. I made 1 and 1/2 pounds of fish with this recipe, and I used up all of the pecan crusting. If you make the whole 3 pounds, I'd double the recipe for the dredging ingredients.

Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless, skinless grouper fillet, or substitute snapper or orange roughly
1/2 cup unpeeled slivered almonds or pecans
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small bunch flatleaf parsley, coarse stems removed (I used thyme)
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions:
Rinse the fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Check the fish for bones and remove with tweezers, if necessary. In a food processor, combine the almonds, allspice, salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, and paprika. Pulse until finely ground, but do not overprocess or the nuts can become oily. In a shallow baking dish, spread out the nutspice mixture. Dredge the fillets in the mixture, one at a time, shaking off the excess.
In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Fry the fillets for about 3 minutes on each side, until light brown. With a slotted spatula, remove the fish to a warm platter or individual serving plates and scatter with the parsley sprigs. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

Gelato is Italian for "ice cream." It doesn't contain as much air as American ice cream, so it has a denser texture. My friend Meredith (and former roommate) and I went to Italy when we were in college, and we absolutely loved walking into the local gelaterias to get gelato.
This recipe (from Giada De Laurentiis) may be the best homemade ice cream / gelato that I've ever put in my mouth. It's really creamy unlike some ice creams that can become really hard after re-freezing. This was a really easy recipe for me to pick out since it has Nutella in it. I absolutely LOVE Nutella. FYI: It's right next to the peanut butter in the grocery store.
The recipe says to add the crushed hazelnuts for garnish, but I added about 1/4 cup into the batter about 2 minutes before it was finished, and I added a little extras for garnish.



Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish

Directions:
In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes

Sprinkles is an amazing bakery in Beverly Hills, CA that makes wonderful cupcakes. I've never been there, but maybe one day I'll go. Apparently they charge around $3.50 for a cupcake, but I've got the recipe for their strawberry cupcakes right here. The icing is one of the best I've ever had... sweet and creamy strawberry buttercream. The cupcake is really good, but dense. If you like dense, you've got to try this one. If you like light and fluffy, you may want to use a different cake recipe... But definitely use this buttercream recipe. I topped my cupcakes with a strawberry malted milk ball, but sprinkles would be cute, too! Next time I'll either double the cupcake recipe or half the buttercream recipe because I've got lots of extra frosting in my fridge.

Ingredients:
Cupcake
2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature

Icing
1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Cupcake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Icing
Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Asparagus & Chicken Carbonara

I saw this recipe in a Real Simple magazine. It's actually a Cooking Light recipe AND took only 45 minutes to cook (including preparation). I went a little heavy on the pepper because I love it.... and I think it made the dish. I usually boil chicken breasts when I make dishes that call for chicken, but never again. Well, never say never, but it sure made it a lot easier... and there is some leftover in the fridge to add to a salad or another dish. I'll definitely make this again because it's so good and easy.

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
2 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small onion)
1/4 cup dry vermouth (I didn't have this, so I used cooking Sherry)
2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast meat
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (...or pepper, to taste)
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
Cook pasta in boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente; add asparagus during final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Combine reserved cooking liquid, egg substitute, and milk, stirring with a whisk.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add vermouth; cook 1 minute. Add pasta mixture; stir to combine. Remove from heat; stir in milk mixture, chicken, and cheese. Place pan over medium heat, and cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, salt, pepper, and bacon. Serve immediately.
Yield 5 servings.

Nutritional Info (per serving): CALORIES 416(23% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 3.7g,mono 4.4g,poly 2g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 236mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.9g; SODIUM 700mg; PROTEIN 34.7g; FIBER 3.1g

Potato Smashers

Aubrey and I had some leftovers from this weekend, so all we really needed was a side item. I've had this recipe saved from a KRAFT recipe magazine. These would also make great snacks. You can put a dollop of sour cream on top, which would be a good addition. Unfortunately we didn't have any in the fridge. Sad! These are really good, but next time I'm going to substitute olive oil for the dressing.

Ingredients:
8 small new potatoes (3/4 pounds), about 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter
1/2 cup water
4 slices Center Cut Bacon
2 Tbsp Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
Place potatoes and water in 2-quart microwaveable dish. Microwave on high 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 8-10 minutes or until crisp, turning frequently. Drain on paper towels.
Drain potatoes; place on work surface. Press each potato with bottom of small bowl or saucer to flatten to 1/2-inch thickness.
Heat dressing in skillet on medium heat. Add potatoes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Meanwhile, crumble bacon. Turn potatoes over; sprinkle evenly with cheese and bacon. Cover skillet with lid. Cook an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings (2 potatoes each).

Aubrey made these squash patties (his "secret" recipe that he got from his grandmother). :-) They are delicious and have the consistency of crab cakes.

Watermelon Sorbet

Aubrey's grandmother gave us some watermelon, and someone sent me this recipe for a sorbet. It tastes just like a frozen watermelon with a hint of lime, and it's super easy.

Adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
5 pounds seedless watermelon, cut into small chunks (6 cups)
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lime
Pinch salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup

Directions:
Using a blender, puree the watermelon; you will need 4 cups watermelon puree.
In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup watermelon puree, the sugar and lime peel to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves; season with the salt. Pour in the remaining 3 cups watermelon puree, then whisk in the corn syrup until incorporated. Pour the watermelon mixture into a 9-inch metal cake pan and freeze until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.
Let the frozen watermelon soften at room temperature for 5 minutes. Using a butter knife, break up the frozen puree into 2-inch pieces. Transfer the pieces to a food processor in batches and pulse until smooth. Store the sorbet in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 week. Let stand for 5 minutes before scooping.