Pesto Puffs

                Well, I recently had a dream come true. For the past 5 or so years, I have kept my fingers crossed that soon enough I would be able to host my first Thanksgiving. And so, last week  I lived my dream. I hosted my entire family-just about 40 people in all! It was wonderful, really! All the food was dynamite and even though it was like Kitchen Stadium in my house, I couldn’t have felt more happy and loved.  I can’t thank my family enough for all their efforts!

                But as all family gatherings go, there were some blunders! One of which was that we forgot to buy biscuits! No biscuits for Thanksgiving?!?! No stinkin’ way, we sent out Cousin James and he returned with about 8 packages of biscuits! 8 packages! Yes, that's 64 biscuits in all for all you calculators out there! Needless to say, we were well over the biscuit-to-person ratio!

                So what was I left with this weekend? Knee-high stuffing, piled-up ham and 15 pumpkin pies, well yes! But to that, let’s just throw in 3 extra packages of biscuits. Yikes! Even I, who has learned to love leftovers, was about to topple.

                Not to worry though, I shipped most off to family members and reinvented the biscuits into these little treasures. Oh man, what a winner! The pesto, which I bought at Costco, was strong enough to saturate and stand up to the buttery biscuit while the cheese provided just the right amount of ooze to counter the sesame crunch.  Need I say more? I doubt it, just go and see if you find any extra lurking cans of biscuits in your fridge. You never know, you may have an appetizer- in –the- making just waiting there. I know I did! Enjoy…

               

Pesto Puffs

Servings: 10 puffs

OBJ: TCW be able to create an appetizer using the unused cans of buttermilk biscuits found in her fridge

Ingredients:

1 package (7.5 ounce) buttermilk biscuits, separated

¼  C prepared pesto

½  C provolone/mozzarella cheese , cut into ½ inch cubes

1 egg, whisked

Sesame seeds

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 375, line cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray

2. Using a rolling pin, roll out each biscuit dough until it’s about a 4-4 ½ inch- long oval

3. Spread ½-3/4 tsp pesto in center of each dough, top with 2 pieces cheese...

4. Roll up starting at short end and twist edges good, then pinch seam to seal...

5. Place seam-side down on sheet

6. Brush egg wash on each piece, sprinkle with sesame seeds...

7. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown, some cheese may ooze if not sealed well enough (I love burnt cheese like that so I find this as a bonus!)

8. Transfer to a platter and serve!

 

The Saddle River Inn

Final Grade: A

            If there was a picture next to romantic in the dictionary, it would be undoubtedly be one of The Saddle River Inn. This space, hands down, was the most charming and quaint place I have ever dined at. Better yet, it’s the most magical place I’ve ever been to, period. Nestled off a busy road, the barn-like venue not only transports you to la-la land but hits you with a 1-2 culinary punch.

            After being thoroughly impressed by Bergen County’s first offering to us, Cafe Panache, we had no excuse but to try another reputable establishment in the area. Not to mention, it was our two year anniversary and I, no way, was going to cook for that one. And so, we took a recommendation from our seasoned source and trucked it up the GSP for an 8:00 reservation.

            From the moment we arrived, we were in awe. The dining room is, as mentioned earlier, like a barn. Now this might sound somewhat anti-romantic, but just picture an enlarged log cabin, cozy wooden upholstered chairs, oversized fireplace, and ornate chandeliers overhead. Que the classical please! Simply dreamy in both obvious and unassuming ways.

 

                                                          And the food? Top notch. We started with their signature Sesame Crusted Shrimp ($15) and Cannelloni ($10). The shrimp were presented elegantly yet were robust in flavor. The accompanying curry sauce was smoky and deep, which made for a welcome addition of the sweet pineapple confit. Although the seafood app was delicious, the cannelloni won the first round for sure. Piping hot and bubbling over with blistered cheese, this Italian favorite had us at first waft. The tightly wound roll had markings of perfection everywhere: al dente pasta sheets, freshly simmered marinara, creamy duo of cheeses and hearty beef crumbles. My only complaint would be the minimal size, so be warned- this is not a choice to share.

            Dinners were well received and exemplified additional technique and care from the kitchen. I went with the Lamb Tenderloin ($36) while the Mr. went with the Pekin Duck Breast ($32).  My meat was seared beautifully and remarkably tender. The gnocchi surrounding the lamb would leave most wanting more; one because they were great and two because the plate contained a mere 5! Five gnocchi? I have two words for that: not cool. The duck was dynamite and fortunately had more to offer in the starch department. The sweet potato crepe was exceptional with its velvety texture and crispy edges. Not to be overlooked was the black peppercorn sauce that hovered perfectly between subtle and striking. A true testament to the talent behind the tables.

 

            As with any celebratory dinner, we found room for dessert. The apple tart was simple enough to satisfy our sweet tooth yet light enough to let us fully enjoy. The house made vanilla ice cream was a treat indeed which was apparent from our fork fight over it!

 

            The wait staff was impeccable. Not even one moment passed where we had to question or remark about a thing. They had the knowledge, experience, and demeanor that made us feel like royalty. Which I guess is quite fitting as the occasion was our Wedding and I truly got my Prince Charming that day…xo

 

The Saddle River Inn is located at 2 Barnstable Court, Saddle River, NJ. It is a BYO establishment. More information can be found at www.saddleriverinn.com .

Total score 23/25

Final Grade: A

A: 21-25    B: 16-20    C: 11-15   D: 6-10    F: 0-5

Restaurant Rubric

	1	2	3	4	5
Food Taste	Bland, boring, overcooked, underdone	Very little flavor, not much aroma	Flavors apparent, basic ability to please palates	Flavor worth discussing, chef’s use of ingredients impressive	Great flavor, taste lingers and leaves diner wanting more
Restaurant service	disrespectful	Inattentive staff, no regard for wait time	Staff average in helpfulness, timing alright, either more/less needed	Staff knowledgeable and attentive to needs without asking, timing very well executed	Remarkable and noteworthy, service so good you forget it is ever an issue elsewhere
Food Presentation	Cover it up please	Sloppy and the eater can tell little thought went into it	Descent presentation: looks alright, not worth a picture but enough to make you hungry	Admirable, it is apparent the chef plated with a consideration for presentation	Presentational talents are here. Looks beautiful and too good to dig in
Prices match quality	Prices are too high for quality	Prices are still too high but not outrageously	Some items are priced accordingly but not all	Most items are priced accordingly	All items are matched accordingly
Would I go back?	Not a chance ever	Nope	Maybe	Looking forward to it	What time should I arrive?!?

 

Watch Me Grow

       Great product alert: House of Pasta Frozen Pizza Dough. I probably should have blogged about this long ago as I have been faithfully using it for years now. It rarely, if ever, fails to impress me. Honestly, it turns out way better than any homemade dough I’ve ever made and is so reasonably priced, it is just a gem! You can find it in the freezer section of your grocery store, usually by the frozen pizzas and from my experience, it is also usually on the bottom shelf!

            All I do is either 1)- oil it and bowl, cover and let defrost in fridge overnight then let finish defrosting on counter for about 4 hours or 2)- oil it and bowl, cover and let defrost at room temperature all day and viola- it grows and grows and amazes me! It is like an edible science project!

            So I must apologize for the delay of this post, although some of you who know me on a day-2-day basis already have been let in on this fantabulous find. Anywho, now we all know where to find the next best thing to happen to your cooking since nonstick pans! J Enjoy….

 

House of Pasta Frozen Pizza Dough, 32 ounce

Servings: 2 frozen doughs 

Procedures:

1. Take out one dough, place in large bowl

2. Lightly oil dough and sides and bottom of bowl

3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, let defrost in refrigerator overnight then take out and let fully defrost and rise/poof at room temperature for at least 4 hours OR let defrost at room temperature all day: 6-8 hours (FYI-placing dough in warm spot(window with sunlight, under light, etc.) speeds up this process)

4. Once it has risen, punch down and roll out on a floured surface

5. Top as you like and bake on preheated pizza stone, enjoy!

****If still not poofing up after 4 or more hours at room temp., it may be too cold in your kitchen. All I can say is it will need more time- it will poof eventually. If not, it could be a bad batch maybe. In that case, uumm….order a pie! ****

 

****To see what package looks like, click here. I couldn't find their website and this was the only image I could find. ****

 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

              Isn’t odd how every fall we all become obsessed with pumpkin? Pumpkin-picking, pumpkin patches, pumpkin-flavored coffee, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin air fresheners, etc. You name it, I bet someone infused pumpkin into it somehow! And I am part of the majority here and cannot lie when I say, “I love me some pumpkin!”

                To be more honest, I actually love pumpkin-flavored edibles more than, say, pumpkin fragrance! Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the smell of um, the harvest?!? But I have to wipe my drool when I see pumpkin pie, pumpkin cappuccino, pumpkin ravioli, etc.

                Funny thing is that throughout my whole love saga with this fruit, I’ve only made something with it once! Pumpkin Spice Spread is don’t-miss-ridiculous! Seriously, it’s a recipe I hold near and dear. Anyway, back to my lack of pumpkin-ality, so not cool, I know. Well, here is to my # 2 pumpkin recipe…..

                Verdict?….More like a spiced pumpkin cupcake. Tasty? Of course! Does it need a bit tweaking? Maybe a touch, but pretty darn good anyhow! Should you try? Duh, I am publishing this! Well, if you aren’t a fan, I do hope to remake soon…..but for now, just add more frosting! Enjoy…

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Adapted from: Cooking Light

Makes: 16

 

OBJ: TCW be able to finally make something “pumpkin-y” this season

Ingredients:

2 ¼ C flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

1 C packed light brown sugar

¼ C unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 (12 ounce) container whipped cream cheese frosting

1 TBS cinnamon mixed with 2 TBS granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line cupcake pan with liners

2. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, set aside

3. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat brown sugar, butter and vanilla together well on medium speed.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend after each addition

5. Add pumpkin puree and blend well

6. Fold in flour mixture

7. Spoon mixture into cupcake pan, filling each almost full. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out completely clean

8. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on wire rack until completely cool

9. Frost each cupcake and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture

 

Cheddar Smashed Potatoes

            Guess what? No, Food Network didn’t hire me yet! No, I didn’t find another slow cooker recipe yet either! Okay, I’ll stop…..The news is that I’ve moved! YooHoo!!!! New house, new town, new kitchen, new goodies from my Shower that I haven’t used, new neighbors…..Ohmygoodness, I’m knee-deep in boxes and smiles to say the least!

                So this clearly explains why there wasn’t a post last week. I do apologize. No more tears my friends; I somehow managed to whip something up for today. This is my first blog post from my new kitchen! So since I wasn’t about to dabble into Crème Brulee or Lobster Thermidor this week, I went with something hearty, easy, and a good for a cool evening. The results were awesome, although this recipe makes a ridiculous amount of spuds for 2 people! No sweat though, I plan on frying up the remains this weekend for some crispy croquettes to munch on! Now if I could only find that box with my Fry-Daddy?!? Enjoy….

Cheddar Smashed Potatoes

Servings: 6-8

OBJ: TLW demonstrate an ability to use her new electric hand mixer

Ingredients:

8 red potatoes- quartered or halved

½ C Whole milk + ¼ C fat free half and half

3 TBS unsalted butter

¼  tsp dried parsley

1/2 -3/4 C shredded cheddar

Procedures:

1. Place potatoes in large pot of water, bring to boil, let cook 20 minutes or until fork tender

2. Meanwhile, heat butter and milk & ½ and ½ , set aside warmed

3. Once potatoes are cooked, strain, place back in pot, add ½ butter/milk mixture, cheddar,  parsley, s and p and use mixer to blend – adding more butter/milk mixture as needed- blend to a chunky consistency of your liking

4. Top with additional cheddar, cover pot to let melt, bring to table and enjoy!

 

 

 

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

        

        I know, another Crock Pot/Slow Cooker recipe. I apologize for the monotony. It is just that once I take that big ol’ magic machine out, I am more likely to use it. You agree?

 

            So since I haven’t put it away since BBQ Beer Chicken, I decided to use it and hence, found this recipe. Verdict: it is a slam dunk worth a standing ovationJ

            I added 1 ½ cups chicken broth but the original recipe calls for 1 ¼ to 1 ½- They came out juicy-uicy, but the amount of broth was significant so you sort of have to let the drippings drip before you layer on your fajitas. BUT, if you were to serve over rice, the results were perfecto! I, honestly, wouldn’t change the broth amount either way, but as your kitchen side-kick, I just want to keep you best informed. Enjoy...

 

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Slightly adapted from: Stacy Makes Cents

Serves: 4

OBJ: TCW be able to make a great Tex-Mex dish without the hassle

 

Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced

2 peppers, green & red, sliced

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 ½ C chicken broth

½ tsp salt

2 TBS cumin

1 ½ TBS chili powder

Juice of 1 lime

Tortillas

Fajita toppings: sour cream, salsa, guacamole

Procedures:

1. Combined sliced onions and peppers in the bottom of greased Crock Pot

2. Lay chicken on top in single layer, and then add chicken broth

3. Sprinkle everything with salt, cumin and chili powder

4. Sprinkle lime juice over

5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, (FYI- I cooked for 10- they were great)

6. Uncover Crock pot, shred chicken with 2 forks, mix gently into juices and peppers/onions

7. Bring to table and assemble with the tortillas and toppingsJ

 

BBQ & Craft Beer Fest 2012



 

BBQ & Craft Beer Fest, Monmouth Park

            Think you love BBQ? Do ribs, pork, brisket and chicken all seem to fall under the same, “low and slow,” category in your mind? If you answered a yes to those two questions, then I have one more for you…Could you handle 24 dishes, finger-lickin’ smothered and smoky, in 2 hours? Well, I don’t know how you answered that one but I do know someone who handled, better yet conquered, an intimidating amount of BBQ…

            And that someone is me, a Jersey Biter who literally had her hands full while judging at Monmouth Park’s BBQ & Craft Beer Fest. It was one event that I’ll, my stomach especially, never forget. From ribs to pork, brisket to chicken, pig candy to gumbo, we ate, analyzed, debated and eventually crowned this year’s 2012 winners. Let’s get to the nitty-gritty…

DRJ Ribs

        Best ribs went to DRJ Catering of Toms River for their Dry Rubbed Rib Platter. The hefty ribs were hickory, apple and oak smoked and succulent to say the least.
 

Memphis Pig Out Pulled Pork

             Best pork was awarded to Memphis Pig Out of Atlantic Highlands for their BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. Their plate-full of shredded pork was by far my favorite of the day. Juicy would be an understatement for this melt-in-your-mouth heap of happiness.



Ben's BBQ Catering Company Smoked Brisket

 

              As for best brisket, the winner was Ben's BBQ Catering Company of Newark for their Smoked Brisket.  The hearty slabs of meat were impressively smoky, fittingly.



Local Smoke Whole BBQ Chicken

 

               And to round out the meat awards, best chicken went to Local Smoke of Cookstown/Neptune with their Whole BBQ Chicken. I honestly was salivating when going through my pictures as this bird was down-right delicious. The dry rubbed and smoked chicken was one to remember, for sure.



Ben's BBQ Catering Company BBQ Gumbo over Rice

 

             A best barbeque specialty award went to Ben’s BBQ Catering Company for their BBQ Gumbo over Rice. The flavors never seemed to stop while with each spoonful the heat escalated nicely.

            Needless to say, I had my fill of BBQ that afternoon. I don’t think I ate until lunch the next day! The funny thing was my first thought when I opened my lunch:  Man, I wish I took leftovers!

Yum yum...

  

                  To read more about this event and see additional pics, check out NJ.com .