Adventures in Puff Pastry

Is it me or does puff pastry make things seem more “culinarily” complex?  But the secret is out… its super easy to work with and makes things light and fluffy, and who doesn’t want that?

1 package…2 recipes..huge success

Let’s change things up and start with Dessert first.  Palmiers.  These cookies bring along great memories of beach houses, coffee and early morning volleyball (that’s for you McGrath’s).

Ingredients:

Top/Right: Palmiers, Left: Spinach Pinwheels

From the freezer/fridge:

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry (found in freezer section)

1 egg

From the cupboard:

½ cup (ish) of sugar

1 tbsp of cinnamon

Throw it all together:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Sprinkle about 1/3^rd of the sugar on a clean surface.  Lay the puff pastry over the sugar and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to stretch, thin, and press in the sugar from below, keeping the dough in a square shape.  Add the rest of the sugar and cinnamon to the top of the pastry dough, and disperse with your hand.   Fold the two outer edges to the center, repeat.  It should look like two halves of four layers.  Fold one side over to complete.  At this point I freeze the dough for about 10 minutes (makes it easier to slice).  Slice the dough in quarter inch segments and lay them on a greased cookie sheet. (be sure to saw the dough back and forth in order to not smash the layers together).   In a separate bowl mix the egg with a bit of water to make an egg wash and brush the tops of the cookies with the wash.  Bake cookies for 8 minutes and then flip the cookies, add a bit more egg wash and then bake for another 8 minutes… Bake times may vary so keep an eye for a golden brown surface.  Enjoy!

Spinach Pinwheels

Usually boxes come with 2 sheets of pastry so I used the second for a savory appetizer. 

Ingredients:

From the freezer/fridge:

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry (found in freezer section)

1 egg

1 box of thawed, drained spinach

½ cup of feta cheese (I use reduced fat)

¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (be creative, any fillers can be used)

From the cupboard:

S/P to taste

Pepper flakes (optional)

Throw it all together:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Lay out the pastry sheet on a clean surface, roll with pin to stretch out a bit.  Disperse the spinach, cheese, tomatoes, S/P, pepper flakes on the pastry dough .. leave a 1 inch boarder on top portion of the dough.  Create an egg wash and brush the 1in border with wash.  From the bottom, roll the dough and press the border to create a seal.  You can freeze the dough for about 10 minutes or longer to make the slicing easier.  Slice the dough in quarter inch segments and lay them on a greased cookie sheet.  Brush the top of the pinwheels with the egg wash.  Bake for 18 minutes.. keep an eye on them for golden brown coloring and remove as needed. 

I served them on the side of sliced tomatoes and fresh mozz.

Bon Appétit!

Easter Feast with Special Guests

In an attempt to prepare an Easter feast for my best friends, the Sindayen’s, I got a bit adventurous with the menu.  Lamb? Why not?

There is an unspoken rule in the kitchen that you should not prepare something for the first time on dinner guests.. but hey, they’re family J

Ingredients:

From the fridge:

3 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary (chopped)

4 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

5 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)

3 Tbsp Lemon juice

3.5-4 lbs leg of lamb (no bone, trimmed)

From the cupboard:

2 Tsp Olive Oil

S/P

Butcher twine

Throw it all together:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees, prepare a roasting pan with a foil liner for easy clean up.

Combine the rosemary, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and s/p.  Rub the lamb with the mixture, roll the lamb and tie with the butcher twine.  Place on the roasting rack and cook for about 70 minutes (I should have kept it in for longer).  Meat thermometer should show about 140.  Let the meat rest for about 15 before cutting into it. 

Surprisingly, it turned out pretty well!  Especially when accompanied by Lindsey’s family recipe for Mac’n’Cheese..mmm mmm.

Welcome back Jesus!

WW pts+ = 6 pts per 4 oz.

Seattle aka.. Foodie Heaven!

3^rd time’s a charm... not to underplay the first 2 times but as I embarked on my third visit to Seattle I had pre-established expectations of what to expect in terms of the food scene…. And I still managed to be blown away!  I try not to make vacations all about the food, but I stopped fighting the inevitable the minute my foot stepped off the plane. 

Granted, the landscape is quite breathtaking and the company was top notch (not to mention hilarious at times…let’s just say, good thing we packed our stretchy pants J )  but a minute didn’t go by when we weren’t completely satisfied or FULL  after the last tasty bite.  Let me guide you through this food Epic and hopefully you’ll find an opportunity to frequent some of these gems.



Fresh OJ, Pancakes, and
 Donuts from Lola's



Late night arrival called for late night delicacies at Lola.  Quail, octopus, coconut, oh my! This is my third visit to Lola and every time my taste buds are jazzed with great flavor! To our benefit, we stayed in the Hotel Andra which shares the building with Lola, so we were pleasantly surprised when our birthday breakfast in bed (compliments of the Gambrell men) was from the breakfast menu of my new favorite restaurant!  I’m not much of a pancake lover, but these were so flavorful and paired with Lola’s famous donuts (featured on the Food Network).  In mid-“Carb Coma” we ventured to a WA state park to enjoy the landscape and seascape… and walk off our donuts. AKA making more room in our tummies.

Arrival of the ladies…We met the rest of the ladies at Lola’s sister restaurant (Several great Seattle restaurants owned and operated by Tom Douglas), Dahlia Lounge.  It just so happened that the waiter shared a birthday with my mom so he treated us to a huge slice of coconut cream pie, which followed our tasty cocktails and grilled cheeses.

Shopping, coffee, wine, cheese, Italian food, and more cheese led us into the rest of the weekend…

What would a vacation in Seattle be without a food tour in Pikes Place Market?  I could go on for days about this tour!  Essentially, you get all of the culture and best tastes of the market without having to fight the lines and you are led through the street by a very knowledgeable and fun tour guide from Savor Seattle Tours.  Food so tasty we had to purchase some to bring home with us, especially that smoked salmon.   In true fashion, we followed the tour with a beer tasting at the local Pike Brewing Company.  I’m pretty sure that this afternoon will keep us full clear into the next week.. but alas.. there’s always room for more in Seattle.



Ahi app from Etta's



We stuck with the theme of Tom Douglas’ restaurants to celebrate our last night in the city.  Etta’s is on the water and known for the seafood.  Sangria, Ahi, pasta and more delighted our palettes for the last time.

So long Seattle.. until the next time!

WW+.. not applicable :)