PPQ: Petite Pavlovas

     Last weeks, I made Creme Brulee for the first time ever. The main reason why I had never made it before was because I was afraid of the kitchen torch. Isn't that funny? I just would think about all the times my Mom would tell me not to play with fire. Then she went and bought me the kitchen torch one year for Christmas. I didn't use it because I needed the butane. So, the next year (I am serious that a whole year went by) my Mom bought me the butane. Then there was no excuse but to try it out. It wasn't as scary as I thought. I did think it was sort of cool. 

      Since I could make the Creme Brulee, then I figured I could make the pavlovas too. Don't worry I didn't try the kitchen torch on it. This weeks Project Pastry Queen pick was by Emily at A Gift Nutmeg. The pavlovas are not hard to make but please use caution when it is in the oven. It could brown too dark. 

     I will share something that surprised me. My husband liked it. Yes, my husband who doesn't eat fruit and occasionally the hidden vegetable liked this dessert. My youngest daughter likes the pavlovas. She keeps asking for the big marshmallow dessert. I took a vote if the family wanted a lemon filling or a raspberry filling. The raspberry won.

 

Petite Pavlovas with Raspberry Cream and Fresh Fruit
Meringue
4 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. With a pencil, trace four evenly spaced 4 inch diameter circles onto the parchment paper. Flip the paper over but make sure you can see the tracing.
4. In a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and the pinch of salt on high speed for 2 minutes. The meringue should have formed soft peaks.
5. Continue to beat the meringue at high speed, while adding 1/8 cup of sugar at a time. The meringue is ready when stiff peaks form.
6. Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper using the penciled circles as a guide. 
7. The meringue circles should have a 1 inch rim.
8. Bake the meringue for about 1 hour. Check the meringues after 30 minutes to ensure they aren't turning brown.
9. After the meringue has baked, keep them in the turned off oven for at least one hour or over night.

Filling and assembly:
1/2 cup of raspberry or berry jam
1/2 cup of whipped cream
fresh blueberries, strawberries, or other fresh fruit.

Directions:

1. Mix the jam with the whipped cream. 
2. Spoon on top of the meringue and top with the slices of fresh fruit.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen Cookbook.  
 **Use the left over egg yolks for Creme Brulee**

The inside of the pavlovas

Did you already know..............
-The dessert is named after the famous Russian ballet dancer 
  Anna Pavlova.
-The dessert was first created in 1926 after Anna Pavlova toured 
  New Zealand and Australia. 
-The desert is a meringue based dessert with a crisp crust but a soft filling.

Orange Chicken

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today is the Chinese New Year. It is now the year of the Dragon. The Oriental Dragon is a symbol of good fortune. I wish you all some good fortune. 

 When we order Chinese, I normally do not order Orange Chicken. It is just too expensive to try something new unless it is at the buffet. My oldest daughter is always asking me to cook up a Chinese dish. My oldest daughter loved this dish. We served our chicken with rice.

Orange Chicken
For the marinade and sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth, low sodium
1 1/2 tsp orange zest, finely grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water

For the chicken coating
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cup canola oil

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, add the chicken broth, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Whisk well.
2. Remove 3/4 cups of the mixture and add to a large zipper lock plastic bag.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the bag and remove the excess air before sealing. 
4. Refrigerate for only 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. Heat the saucepan mixture over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water until smooth.
7. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. 
8. Continue to simmer until the sauce becomes thick and translucent about 1 minute. Remove from heat to cool.
9. Whisk the egg whites until frothy and add to a pie plate.
10. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat the oil to 350 degrees.
11. In a second pie plate, combine the cornstarch, baking soda, and cayenne pepper. 
12. Drain the chicken of the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. 
13. Coat the chicken in the egg whites and then coat in the cornstarch mixture. Shake off any excess coating.
14. Carefully add the coated chicken to the hot oil. Work in batches so the oil isn't over crowded.
15. Turn the chicken in the hot oil.
16. Cook the chicken until golden brown or until cooked through about 5 minutes.
17. Remove the cooked chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. 
18. Make sure the oil is at 350 degrees before repeating with the remaining chicken.
19. Coat the cooked chicken pieces with the sauce.

Recipe adapted from Smells Like Home. Originally found on Cooking at Home with America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.

 Did you already know...........
-People born under the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Dragon are suppose to be warm hearted, energetic, charismatic, lucky at love, and egotistic.
-People born under the Dragon are natural born leaders.
-Some famous people born under the Dragon sign are Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, John Lennon, and Bruce Lee.

Football Crackers

My husband loves football. He watches it while he eats his dip and crackers. I decided to give his traditional snack a creative twist. The kids preferred this twist. Can you tell what we will be watching this weekend?

 My oldest daughter is very creative so she took the football themed twist to another level with her background.

Football Cheese and crackers
3 slices of cheddar cheese
1 package of chicken sausage, buffalo style
1 sleeve of crackers
food dye

Directions:

1. Take the cheese and using a biscuit cutter press only half of the cutter into cheese. 
2. Flip the cheese over and cut into the second part of the cheese to form the shape of a football.
3. Cook the sausage according to the directions. Slice the sausage into 1/2 inch circles.
4. Top each cracker with the cheese and sausage. Can add dressing in between each layers to hold the items together.
5. Top the cheese with food dye to look like the stitching of the football if desired.

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven. 

 Did you already know...........
-Football evolved from rugby and soccer.
-In 1869, Yale and McGill played the first game of football.
-In 1892, the first professional football player was paid $500 for one game. 

Banana Bread

When I was a little kid, we lived in Hawaii. In our backyard was a banana tree. My Mom said any time we saw a banana on the tree we wanted it. We did not want to eat it when it was ripe. Today I still prefer my bananas with a little green on them. When they are all yellow, bananas seem slimy to me. My children enjoy their bananas the same way I do. 

If we still have any bananas that are ripe, I will either cut them up and freeze them. They make a great addition to smoothies. I will also make banana bread for gifts.

Banana Bread
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 2 loaf pans.
3. Cream sugar with the butter until well blended.
4. Mix in the eggs and blend well.
5. Add the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
6. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just moistened.
7. Bake the loaves for one hour on the lowest position rack in the oven.
8. Check with a tooth pick and it should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf.
9. Allow the loaves to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. 
10. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
11. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days or 10 days in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.

Did You already know..............
-A cluster of bananas are called a hand.
-Banana beer is available for purchase.
-Americans on average purchase 28 pounds of bananas a year.
-A pound of bananas are roughly 3 medium bananas.

Chicken and Rice Soup

My husband hasn't been feeling the best lately. I asked him if he wanted me to make him some soup. His request was Chicken and Rice. I have made this recipe several times before for him. My husband loves rice. He prefers rice over noodles so this is his favorite chicken soup.

Chicken and Rice Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped 
3 carrots, shredded
2 celery stalks with tops, chopped
2 cups of rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp flour
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded
3 cups of water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper


Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large pot.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add one cup of rice and stir for 1 minute so the rice toast.
5. Clear a corner of the pot with no vegetables. 
6. Add 1 Tbsp oil and add the flour to a corner of the pot. 
7. Stir the flour and cook for 1 minute.
8. Add the chicken stock and water. Cook for 5 minutes.  Stir.
9. Add the other cup of rice and stir. Cook for 10 minutes.
10. Add the cooked chicken and season to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Did you already know........
-The flu vaccine lasts at least a year.
-Over 200 viruses can cause the common cold.
-Many studies have shown hicken soup and other hot liquids will make a person with a cold feel better.