by Kathy Douglas | Jun 21, 2021 | Entrees
Garlic scapes are one of our seasonal favorites. Made into a Pesto, we tossed it with warm pasta, pan-seared shrimp, tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and parmesan cheese.
Garlic Scape Pesto
1 cup garlic scapes, sliced into 1” pieces
1 cup toasted pine nuts, divided
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¾ cup basil leaves
Juice of one medium lemon
Salt to taste
Pasta, of choice
Grape tomatoes
Shredded parmesan cheese
Seared shrimp
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, and deveined
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoons coarse salt
pinch freshly ground pepper
Load in a high-speed blender the garlic scapes, ½ cup toasted pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and basil leaves process until smooth. Add salt to taste. Scrape down the sides of the blender so everything is incorporated. Set aside.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and heat until oil is hot. Arrange a single layer of shrimp in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until underside is golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Turn over, and continue cooking until other side is golden brown and shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Combine the warm pasta with shrimp and pesto. Top with the remaining pine nuts, grape tomatoes, and shredded parmesan cheese.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 14, 2021 | Desserts, Holiday
Spoil Dad with these rich chocolate malt brownies topped with chocolate ganache and bananas sautéed in caramel sauce. They’re the perfect dessert for showing your love on Father’s Day!
For the Brownies
INGREDIENTS
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for pan
Cocoa powder, for the pan
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup malted-milk powder
1 teaspoon expresso powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg, plus one large egg yolk
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter and lightly flour with cocoa powder a rectangular 8-cakelet pan and set aside.
In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter, then set over simmering water. Whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted-milk powder, expresso powder, salt, and chocolate chips; set aside. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the sugar and eggs in the mixer bowl until thickened and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add melted chocolate mixture and vanilla; mix to combine, about 30 seconds more. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
Evenly add the batter into the prepared pan, filling each opening 2/3-3/4 full. Spread the top of each brownie evenly. Depending on the size of the pan, you should get 7-8 brownies out of the batter. Place in the oven and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on it, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for ten minutes or so, then carefully remove and transfer the brownies to a wire rack to cool.
Make the topping while they cool.
For the Topping
INGREDIENTS
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the chocolate to a bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat stirring occasionally. Pour over the bowl of chopped chocolate, let the chocolate mixture stand for 1 minute; then stir until smooth.
Let the ganache set for 20 minutes, then pour evenly over the brownies. Let the brownies cool until the ganache is set, at least 1 ½ hours.
To Serve
INGREDIENTS
4 small bananas
1/2 cup caramel sauce, homemade or high-quality
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice the bananas, then split by slicing each piece in half again down through the banana length wise. Add the caramel sauce to a sauté pan over medium heat, cook until melted.
Add the bananas and cook until just starting to soften. Place the brownies on a plate, then top with a banana slice on each brownie. Drizzle over the caramel sauce left in the pan and serve immediately. Makes 7-8 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 8, 2021 | Desserts
This dessert is like a trip to the Islands! Delish mini Pineapple, Banana, and Coconut Cakes filled with vanilla cream cheese icing and topped with toasted coconut.
For the Cakes
INGREDIENTS
Butter, softened for the pan
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 cup Dark Moscovado sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg plus one egg yolk, beaten
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an eight welled mini cake pan.
Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted coconut. Divide batter evenly among the eight mini cake pan.
Place in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the Frosting
INGREDIENTS
8-oz.cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
To Serve:
INGREDIENTS
Toasted coconut pieces (if desired)
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice each cake in half. Use about half the frosting on the bottom of the split cake halves and then place the tops back on the cakes. Add the remaining frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the remaining frosting on top of the cakes. Add the toasted coconut pieces (if using) and serve.
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