Category: Blog

Old El Paso Deep Fried Quesadillas and Salsa for Game Day

 

Looking for a tasty crowd pleasing treat for Game Day? These Old El Paso Deep Fried Quesadilla’s and Salsa treats will be be welcome treat. I confess, I’m not a huge sports fan, but I always make sure Certain Someone and any guests we may have lack for nothing in the food and drink categories. Using some Old El Paso ingredients, I created this appetizer of a quesadilla’s  that’s amplified by frying .

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This recipe has just a few uncomplicated steps with a little going a long way.

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Old El Paso Deep Fried Quesadillas and Salsa for Game Day
 
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Take the basic quesadilla up a notch on game day. Cut into wedges, and deep fried until golden and puffed, these will provide a tasty and filling treat as you root for your favorite team.
Author:
Serves: 40 pieces
Ingredients
  • 1 package of 10 Old El Paso Soft Tortillas
  • 8-9 oz of grated Queso Chihuhua or any Mexican Style Melting Cheese
  • 1 12 oz jar Old El Paso Sliced Jalapeño Peppers
  • 2-3 eggs beaten
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 6 oz Panko style bread crumbs
  • Canola Oil for deep frying
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1 16 oz jar of Old El Paso Thick and Chunky Salsa
Instructions
  1. Assemble 5 tortillas with the grated cheese and a minimum of 4 jalapenos on each one. Do not over stuff with cheese, but have enough.
  2. Top each with other tortilla and prepare to grill on a dry skillet, indoor grill or Panini maker.
  3. Grill each quesadilla lightly until cheese has melted and fused the tortillas, but not very crispy. The grilling time should be a little less than how you would normally grill a quesadilla.
  4. Remove and continue until all 5 are grilled.
  5. Let cool.
  6. Using a sharp knife cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and set aside. You should have 40 wedges.
  7. Preheat deep fryer or frying pan with oil to 350-370 °
  8. In a small bowl beat the eggs and milk together.
  9. Dip a few wedges at a time into the beaten egg mixture. Coat both sides.
  10. Take the egg covered wedge and then dredge through Panko Crumbs making sure it’s evenly coated. If you want it extra crunchy, repeat the process and double dip.
  11. Deep fry a few at a time in small batches until deep golden and slightly puffed.
  12. Drain on paper towel lined tray and sprinkle with salt.
  13. Keep warm in warming oven at 200 ° until ready to serve.
  14. Serve with Old El Paso Thick and Chunky Salsa as a dip.
Notes
Be creative with the cheeses. You can buy jalapeño infused cheeses.
If you want to really dress these up, serve also with guacamole and Sour Cream.
These can be made ahead in stages ( grilling and cutting), then deep fried right before serving.
Or these can make together entirely hours before, and reheated in a 375 ° oven until hot.
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Please be sure to check out the Old El Paso site for more great ideas.

Disclosure: I have been compensated by General Mills to develop recipes for the  Old El Paso  product line. My opinions are my own.

Pillsbury Chocolate Almond Crescent Rolls

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How was your Thanksgiving ? I have to say its one of my favorite cooking holidays, even if I’m just cooking for two. Things are picking up at this time of year, and I love quick tasty ideas to whip up. Certain Someone and my new work colleagues declared this recipe for Pillsbury Chocolate Almond Crescent Rolls a winner. I adapted a hero recipe from Pillsbury and added my own flair to it. It immediately took me back to my favorite snack as a student in Paris, Pain au Chocolate, with a luxurious almond twist, so perfect for the winter holidays.

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The Pillsbury Chocolate Almond Crescent Rolls take one back to a French Boulangerie. Warm flaky Crescent Rounds filled with chocolate and almond paste are sure to be holiday breakfast or brunch treat.

Check out some more Pillsbury Crescent recipes here.

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Pillsbury Chocolate Almond Crescent Rolls
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Pastry
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 Package of Pillsbury Crescent Rounds
  • 7 oz or less of Almond paste
  • 1/ 2 cup milk or dark chocolate chips
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 teaspoon heavy cream
  • ½ cup blanched slivered almonds
  • Confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
  2. Take out a non stick baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat
  3. Carefully unroll the Pillsbury Crescent Round Dough,
  4. Taking each round, unroll it to make a long strip.
  5. Add pinches of almond dough along the strip and top with chocolate chips.
  6. Carefully roll back into a round and place flat on the baking sheet.
  7. Seal edges.
  8. In a small bowl beat egg and cream to form an egg wash.
  9. Brush the egg wash over tops and sides of each roll.
  10. Top each roll with blanched slivered almonds.
  11. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
  12. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
  13. Dust with confectioners sugar.
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Happy Holidays. I really enjoy thinking outside of the box and creating these recipes for General Mills. Don’t stress these holidays and learn to utilize tasty shortcuts when the occasions call for it.

Disclosure

*I have a received compensation from General Mills and my opinions are my own.

 

 

Pillsbury Crescent Rockefeller… Ideas for Holiday Entertaining

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Certain Someone and I love Oysters Rockefeller. It’s one our favorite steakhouse appetizers. I love the elegance and refinement of bubbly oysters baked in their shells on a salt bed with spinach, a splash of Pernod, butter, cheese and garlic. The origins of the original dish are clouded in a veil of secrecy. It was created at the famous Antoine’s in New Orleans and named in honor of the richest man in land, John D Rockefeller because the secret ingredients were so rich. Many have tried to replicate it, but no one has, as the original recipe is a secret. Some say there is no spinach, while others say watercress and spinach. All we do know is the sauce is a blend of green  produce and the chefs at Antoine’s insist there is no spinach. Most versions I have sampled have spinach and it works all right for me and is easily attainable for the average home cook. One day I hope to have the real deal.`An anise flavored spirit like Pernod is optional, but I would highly urge you to use , as it pairs wonderfully with shellfish.

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Oysters Rockefeller has always been a special treat when dining out, or for a special occasion, like the holidays. Here I take a classic variation of Oysters Rockefeller and take out the fuss of shucking and shells, by using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls as a bed for luscious oysters and tasty stuffing. This will make a wonderful addition to holiday table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pillsbury Crescent Rockefeller
 
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A variation of the classic Oysters Rockefeller
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Seafood
Ingredients
  • 1 package Pillsbury® Crescent Butterflake 8ct
  • 4 tablespoons butter salted
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3/ 4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
  • ¾ cup fresh spinach
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon celery seeds
  • Kosher Salt to taste
  • Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan plus an additional ¼ for topping
  • ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon Pernod
  • 1 small approximately 8 oz jar of fresh shucked pasteurized oysters
  • Non stick spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the minced shallots, garlic and soften for 1 minute.
  3. Add the chopped parsley, spinach, kosher salt, pepper, fennel seed, and celery seed. Cook and stir until spinach and parsley have just wilted. This will take only about 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. In a glass bowl, add the spinach mixture, ¼ of the parmesan cheese, Pernod, and the Panko bread crumbs.
  6. Pulse until smooth with an immersion blender. You may also use a food processor with this process.
  7. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Set aside.
  9. On a clean surface, unroll crescent rolls.
  10. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick spray.
  11. Using two serving spoons take a triangle of dough and fold to fit into spoon curve. Add some parmesan on both sides and press spoons together to form.
  12. With each dough shell pressed and molded, lay at an angel in the muffin tin. You can continue to press edges together with fingers. This is your crescent dough shell.
  13. Add a oyster to each “crescent dough shell”.
  14. Add a generous spoonful of spinach mixture to each oyster on crescent dough shell.
  15. Top with more shredded parmesan cheese.
  16. Place in oven and reduce heat to 375 F after 2 minutes.
  17. Bake for 8 minutes until the dough is very golden and the oysters start to bubble.
  18. Remove from oven.
  19. Carefully remove each Crescent Rockefeller from muffin tin and place on a baking sheet with lined with parchment or a silpat.
  20. Place back in oven for an additional few minutes to crisp up the edges and underside of the dough base.
  21. Serve with lemon wedges immediately.
Notes
There may be some additional filling or oysters. The recipe can be easily increased
Pernod is traditional is Oysters Rockefeller and works well with oysters. It can be omitted, but will alter the traditional taste. Other anise flavored spirits can used as an substitution.
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Disclosure

*I have a received compensation from General Mills and my opinions are my own.

Apple and Toasted Almond Pillsbury Crescent Waffle Bites with Cardamom Whipped Cream

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner and holiday planning is in overdrive. I was commissioned by Pillsbury to come up with some food ideas for the classic Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. I remember loving these as child. They are a great medium as short cut if you are really not  baking inclined.

Continue reading “Apple and Toasted Almond Pillsbury Crescent Waffle Bites with Cardamom Whipped Cream” →

A Tribute to A Woman Who Dared So Many To Be,To The Queen of All Daring Bakers, Lis

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I never actually physically met Lisa Cifelli, or more known as Lis, a co founder of the Daring Bakers along with Ivonne, but it’s weird looking back on the far reaching influence she had on my own life.Lisa passed away suddenly  too soon this week. Her tenacity, spunkiness, and spirit caused a ripple effect in my life, formed through  my curiosity as I stepped gingerly into the Blogosphere in 2007. You see I wasn’t much of baker, that was my my late mothers thing. But being inspired by bloggers such as Tartelette, a few Wilton Classes, I found the then small group of the Daring Bakers, which was just starting to catch a giant wave . I signed up and began the far reaching adventure of baking, challenging , and perfecting my overall culinary skills. I always had the food bug, but the Daring Bakers instilled in me a healthy sense of competition,accomplishment , and wanting to tackle, the until then hit or miss,science of baking.  Month after month we posted  at the stroke of midnight, took creative license on recipe challenges from world renown authorities, photographed, commented,waited for  and plotted the next months announcement. It was a dizzying ride. The group grew and grew the world over. Many Daring Bakers became accomplished in the culinary fields branching into food styling, launching their own  culinary businesses, writing books,signing up for culinary school, going onto television, food writing, or growing their blogs into super blogs.

As with any good thing, one can outgrow it. The small niche group expanded to over the thousands, and those from  a close community can start to feel jaded, lost,overwhelmed,disinterested,non challenged, or their individual lives just got to be too much , along with the expense and growing waistbands.  I remember once on Twitter, some smart ass tweeted how he avoided Daring Baker posting days on Tastespotting and Twitter because it was everywhere. Have you ever seen a thousand links and  interpretations  of a Yule Log in a single day? It was a like a flash mob of gluten, sugar, butter , and spice.Today’s Daring Bakers is still going strong and barely recognizable to many of the older past members. Not to mention the off groups, and events that splintered off the Daring Bakers.

When Kelly informed us Lisa’s passing on Facebook, we reminisced and I remarked how refreshing it was to blog back then with a genuine passion and yearning for knowledge and sharing. Today’s  activity of blogging is a more slick , cynical  world that’s more consumed with PR, page views, followers,stolen content theft,expensive camera  apparatus ,advertising  fill rates,shares, link backs, the limelight, and seemingly less about having and sharing an authentic culinary experience.

I left the Daring Bakers after participating in 22 challenges. I suspect I’m missing a few.  That’s  basically two years of my life where I met many friends both on social media and in real life in locals all over the world ( Sweden, Austria,Italy,New York, Chicago, Toronto, the UK, San Francisco). I learned so much about myself, the science of baking, blogging, photography, culture, and what I really want in life through these challenges. I think the cookbook publishers, camera manufacturers, web hosting sites ,Amazon, culinary schools, King Arthur’s Flour,Kitchen Aid, and bakeware companies should give a nod to the late Lisa Cifelli for adding boost to their industries, and inspiring so many  people to Dare to Be. Without the challenges of  the Daring Bakers , I would never have become so emboldened to start my own catering business, write for Ebony Magazine, attend French Pastry School, meet fellow like minded strangers in locals across the world, and develop a confidence in my abilities. Thank you Lisa.  Aside from sharing some emails and random comments, you will never know the impact you’ve had on myself and countless others.

Next time you dust off your rolling pins, take out your cake pans, and preheat your oven in this ever increasing gluten, fat and sugar intolerant world, think of  feisty Lisa, the Daring Bakers, and the ripple  effect she and Ivonne caused in this pool of ganache we swim through called life. She welcomed and encouraged all culinary persuasions to interpret a challenge and share. We Daring Bakers didn’t always agree, but my how we rose to occasion. I remember when I emailed Lisa about leaving the group, she said the door was always open to come back.

Rest In Peace. You truly made a lasting impression in this world.

It was fun flashing back on these Daring Baker Posts I completed. These posts show many personal and culinary evolutions.I still use many of these recipes today. I just might attempt that Gingerbread House again this holiday season. Enjoy.

Bostini Creme Pie

Potato Bread Adaptations

My favorite post. The Yule Log and the Misunderstood Rabbit/Rat

Lemon Meringue Pie

Juila Child’s French Bread

Dorie Greenspans Perfect Party Cake

Cheesecake Pops

Opera Torte, My Second Favorite Post

Danish Braid or Wienerbrod

EclairsLavash CrackersPizza

Shuna Fish Lyndon’s Carmel Cake

Sweet and Savory Tuiles

Floureless Chocolate Cake and Adzuki Ice Cream

Lasagna From Scratch

Cheesecake , A Winner Till This Day

Strudel, Hosted by Yours Truly

Marshmallow Cookies

Vol Au Vents

Cannoli

Gingerbread Houses