For something purchased, there’s no question. It’s fudge from Doug Murdick’s in Traverse City [Michigan]. Not Murdick’s–Doug Murdick’s. The best fudge you’ll ever put into your mouth! http://www.dougmurdicksfudge.com/
1. Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
3. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.
4. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
5. Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.
6. Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef’s knife.
7. Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time. Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely.
Preheat the oven to 400o F.
Butter one large soufflé dish or deep casserole, or 8 (6-ounce) or 6 (8-ounce) individual ramekins, then coat with the 3 Tablespoons of parmesan.
Melt the 2 ½ Tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour, whisking constantly for about 2-3 minutes, until it bubbles and begins to smell toasty. Remove pan from the heat, then add the hot milk all at once, whisking vigorously to blend.
Return the pan to the heat, whisking constantly, and bring to a simmer, cooking until mixture is fairly thick (about 2-3 minutes).
Whisk in the spices and remove from the heat.
Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time.
Whisk one-quarter of the whipped egg whites into the cooked mixture. Then fold the remaining ¾ of the whites in rapidly, but delicately, and add in the remaining ½ cup parmesan as you fold.
Pour the batter into prepared dish(es).
Place baking dish(es) on a sheet tray and put into oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375. Bake 20 minutes for small ramekins, 30 minutes for large casserole dish. Bake until top of soufflé puffs and is brown. Serve immediately (although Alex likes it cold as well, and has been known to take leftovers to school for lunch the next day.)
This recipe is time-consuming, but not difficult. Several short cuts can be employed to make it go faster if you’re pressed for time (see below), but the results of the original are worth the effort. For a hearty meal, use 6 2-cup ramekins or mini soufflé dishes. For kids, or if you prefer something lighter, use 12 1-cup ramekins. The pies can be prepared a day ahead and baked just before serving.
Crust
· 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 2 sticks unsalted butter or one stick butter and 1 stick Smart Balance 50/50, cut into pieces when cold and allowed to come to room temperature
· 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into pieces when cold and allowed to come to room temperature
Chicken
Filling
To Finish
To make the crust, mix flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and cream cheese; blend until moist clumps form. If making 6 large pot pies, form into a 6-inch log. If making 12 small pot pies, form into a 12-inch log. Wrap and chill.
To prepare the chicken, place all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a bowl to cool. Strain cooking liquid into a large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3 cups of stock – about 1 hour. When chicken has cooled, discard skin and bones. Cut meat into ¾ inch pieces. Return meat to bowl. When stock has finished reducing, you may use it at once OR cool it and refrigerate overnight to allow fat to rise to the top so that you an remove fat with a flat spoon or table knife.
To make filling, heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, peppers and onion; cook until soft. Transfer to bowl with chicken. In the same skillet over medium heat, Heat 2 Tablespoons oil. Add mushrooms and sauté until just brown. Add to the bowl with chicken. Mix in green beans, green onions, and chopped rosemary.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 3 cups stock, then milk, half-and-half, and soup base; bring to a boil. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Stir 3 cups sauce into chicken mixture, reserving remaining sauce for another use. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes (if using) and mix well.
To assemble the pies, divide filling evenly among baking dishes. Cut prepared dough crosswise into either 6 or 12 pieces, depending on how many pies you wish to make. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece to fit the top of your ramekin with enough overlap to fold over the edge. Cover each dish with a dough round. Press overhanging dough around the edges of the dishes to seal. (Can be made up to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to a day.)
Preheat oven to 350°. Beat 1 egg. Brush top of each pie with beaten egg. Cut 3 slits in each pie so that steam can escape. Bake about 45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
Possible Short Cuts:
· 10 ounces farro (about 1 ½ cups)
· 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
· ½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2- inch pieces
· ½ cup pitted black olives
· 2 medium tomatoes, diced
· 1 (14-ounce) can white beans (Great Northern, Cannellini, etc.), drained and rinsed well
· ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
· 3 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives
· 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
· ¼ cup tasty olive oil
· ¼ cup champagne vinegar (or other flavorful white wine vinegar)
· 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
· Ground black pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan, combine farro with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes more. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl.
While the farro is cooling, cook green beans in salted, boiling water for 1-2 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
When the farro has cooled, add green beans, olives, tomatoes, Parmesan, chives, and parsley; stir to combine.
To make the dressing, mix vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk or shake to combine. Pour vinaigrette over the farro salad. Toss and serve.
Serves 4 as a main dish or 6-8 as a side dish.
Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion if you’re using fresh onion, if not, wait to add dried onion. Cook 5 minutes or so, until vegetables start to get tender. Add garlic and dried onion (if using) and cook, stirring one more minute. Add chicken stock and parsley. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until vegetables are soft. Put cooked noodles in individual bowls and pour soup over noodles.
Serves 6.
Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Drop in asparagus. Boil 1 minute. Drain; rinse with cold water.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour over asparagus.
May be kept covered in the refrigerator for about a week.
Serves 4 to 6
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter sides and bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Butter one side of each bread slice and layer in pan alternately with croissants (6 slices bread, croissant slices, 6 slices bread).
In large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed beat eggs until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and beat at medium speed until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low and add cream; mix until smooth.
Pour egg-cream mixture over bread and croissant slices. The slices will absorb egg-cream mixture slowly, so continue adding liquid until all is in pan.
In a small bowl combine cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon sugar. Sprinkle sugar-spice mixture over the bread pudding.
Fill a baking pan larger than the 9-by-13-inch bread pudding pan halfway up with hot water. Place in oven. Set bread pudding pan in the water bath. Bake 45-50 minutes or until custard is set. When set, remove bread pudding from the oven, and discard water in larger pan. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
Yield: 12 servings
Peel the garlic cloves and cut each lengthwise into 3 or 4 slices. With a small sharp knife, cut deep slits in the meat and insert a slice of garlic into each slit. Use about half of the garlic slices, then turn it over and insert the rest of the garlic slices in the other side. (I get impatient and put them all in on one side.)
Preheat a heavy pot and brown the meat in it in a little oil. Add the wine or water, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Cook the meat about 2 hours, or until very well done. (I’ve pulled it off shy of 2 hours and it was fine).
The secret to a really good pot roast is to let the meat boil nearly dry at a late stage in the cooking process; after this add just enough water to produce about a cup of pan juices. Pot roast that has been overcooked, or allowed to cook without any water for more than a minute or two, will be dry, even though there is enough fat. Meat cooked this way is very flavorful and does not really need seasoning, even pepper.
Always cut roast across the grain of the meat, not with the grain. Flank steak can be cut against the grain and at a slant for larger pieces. Freezes well. Try to freeze whole. Upon thawing, slice cold meat and gently warm up on stove top in juices.
Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. Pass a pitcher of the pan liquid when you serve the meat.
Serves 6.
Brown meat and onions in a non-stick skillet. Place in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Serve with noodles or baked potatoes.
Makes 6 servings.
Rehfwitz Recipes 