Valley Girls Cook!

A Mid Summer Nights Dream Come True...

2008-07-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Carrot Ginger Salad
Cheese Ball with Pears
Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes
Picnic Basket Bread - filled with chicken, swiss and Parmesan cheese, onions and spinach
Tomato and Tepenade Tartlets

2008-07-22T22:00:00.001-07:00

Another delicious dinner -- Obviously I am not a food photographer! Emily and I laughed as I tried to photograph this first salad, which we kept getting a shadow on, no matter where she held the plate.

Summer Squash Ribbons with Oregano, Basil and Lemon

So good! A must try for squash lovers. Kind of like eating linguini made from squash.

Summer Vegetable Tart with Goat Cheese and cream filling

The filling on this was DELISH! And it's healthy because it has vegetables on it, right??

Blackberry-Avocado Salad with Kiwi Dressing

Tessa wasn't thrilled with this salad, but we all LOVED it. The Kiwi dressing was mmmm good.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Jennie's home. She gave us a tour of her newly planted thriving garden, where she harvested all of the vegetables to make her fresh vegetable tart. Ar Ar. Thanks for hosting Jennie!

Milk Chocolate Creams

2008-07-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Prep: 5 minutes Total: 65 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients:
* 12 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped
* 1 cup light cream
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* Coarse salt
* 4 large egg yolks
* Strawberries and raspberries, for serving
Directions
1. Place chocolate in a blender. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Immediately remove from heat, and pour over chocolate. Blend until smooth. 2. Blend in vanilla and a pinch of salt. With the machine running, add yolks. Blend until well combined. Pour about 3/4 cup chocolate mixture into each of 4 serving bowls. 3. Freeze, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes. (The texture should be soft and creamy.) Serve cold with berries.
Helpful Hint
The egg yolks in this recipe are not cooked. This dish should not be prepared for pregnant women, babies and other young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.

Chevre, Marmalade and Ripe Pear Crostini

2008-07-22T17:11:00.000-07:00

2 oz chevre, such as Montrachet
8 to 12 crostini
1 ripe pear
2 to 3 tablespoons marmalade
(ginger, orange, or lemon)
Grated lemon zest or orange zest
(optional)

Spread some of the chevre on each crostini. Cut the pear lengthwise into havles. Remove the core and thinly slice the pear along the width of the fruit, producing half-moon shape slices. Arrange 2 or 3 pear slices in a fan shape on each crostini. Spread 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the marmalade over the top of each with the back of a spoon. Garnish with lemon zest or orange zest.

Makes 8 to 12 appetizers

Watermelon Salad

2008-07-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe originated from Wilson Farms in Lexington, Massachusetts. It came by way of my dear friends Brett and Erin Blake.

1/2 seedless watermelon, cubed
1 log goat cheese
1 bunch basil, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, chopped

Mix watermelon, basil and scallions, place in bowl. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Garnish with basil sprigs.

CHALLAH

2008-05-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons yeast
4 teaspoons sea salt
¾ cup honey
1 ¾ cups warm water
5-6 cups flour (added in batches)
1 cup oil
3 eggs

topping for bread:

1 egg, beaten
poppy seeds

This bread mixes up nicely in a Kitchenaid.
Measure yeast, sea salt, honey and water into a bowl, and stir. Mix in 2 cups flour. Stir in oil and eggs. Gradually add flour, until dough loses stickiness. Begin kneading in bowl. Dump the dough onto a floured board, and work into a silky texture. At this point the dough will feel like a baby's bottom!
Replace dough into oiled bowl; cover. Rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour. Punch down and knead briefly. Braid into two loaves. Place on greased baking sheet. Rise, covered, in warm spot for a half hour. Glaze with egg and sprinkle on poppy seeds.
Bake low and slow – 45 minutes to an hour at 325.

Classic Brownies

2008-04-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

1 cup (4 oz) pecans or walnuts chopped
1 ¼ cup cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
5 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped *(their recipe calls for 6 oz)
12 Tablespoons butter
2 ¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Line the inside of a 9x13 pan with foil. Push in to corners and up sides of pan, fold any excess over the outside of pan. Spray with Pam.
If using nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake 5-8 minutes.
Whisk to combine flour, salt and baking powder in bowl.
Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl, or in double boiler. I use my gas range on the lowest setting. Gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour in three additions. Folding in. Make sure not to over mix.
Transfer mixture in to pan. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. 25-35 minutes. When cooled, lift brownies out of pan by foil. Flatten out overhang foil and cut.

Cooks magazine did a whole write up on making the perfect brownie in March/ April 2004. They analyzed everything that goes in to making the perfect brownie-from the type of flour (cake flour yields a softer texture), to the baking of the nuts, and placing them on top, instead of inside the batter, to insure the nuts were still crunchy, and not soggy. These are my type of people!

*I made these a few times, before I changed to 5 oz…I like the chocolate flavor to be a little less intense in brownies.

Si

Gingerbread with Lemon Butter Sauce

2008-04-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Cake:

2 ¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup sour cream
1 cup butter
¾ cup dark molasses
2 eggs

Sauce:
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
¼ cup lemon juice
Powdered sugar

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add molasses and sour cream. Mix well. Spoon batter into a greased 9”x13” baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.

To prepare sauce, mix sugar, butter and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Pour boiling sauce over hot cake, immediately after removing from oven. Cut in squares or wedges and serve while still warm. Add whipped cream for topping.

**I also like to saute thinly sliced apples with sugar to serve with this cake. About 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar to one medium size apple. Peel and slice the apple thin, toss in a teflon pan with the sugar over medium/ med high heat until the sugar is carmelized.

Grandma Franz's Almost German Potato Salad

2008-04-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

Grandma Franz is my Aunt Diana’s Mother, who is German. She makes this delicious version of German Potato salad, which uses pickle juice instead of vinegar, and has mayo included in the dressing.

White or red potatoes, about 12-15 small
8-12 eggs
Dill pickles, about 3 large or 6 small chunked
Dill pickle juice
Best Foods Mayo – NO LIGHT ALLOWED
Salt
White Pepper

Wash the potatoes, no need to peel or cut. I like the small ones about half the size of your fist, if you can get them. Not the tiny ones in the small mesh bags, but the next size. If not the larger size work . Cook the potatoes in boiling water until soft, and the peels start to crack and pull away, about 30-45 minutes.

Hard boil the eggs, peel and cut in to quarters.

Drain the water from the potatoes, cut the potatoes in to half or quarter if they are the bigger size.

While they are still hot, pour pickle juice on top and salt the potatoes generously. I use about ½ to ¾ cup of juice. Start with ½, and see how much is absorbed. If you add too much the salad turns out soupy, instead of creamy.

Add the eggs and pickles. While still warm add the mayo, about a cup at a time, mix gently, add more mayo until desired consistency.
Salt and pepper to taste. This salad is best served warm or at room temperature.

Movies in the News

2008-04-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

I saw 21, Smart People and Nim's Island recently, I liked them all with Smart People being the biggest surprise. 21 is slick and pretty and takes you away from your otherwise boring life. Nim's Island is great for kids and Jodie Foster actually doesn't take herself so seriously which is refreshing. Smart People is funny and sweet, with snappy dialogue and characters that are all too familiar. See them and let me know what you think.

Short Ribs Provencale with Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes

2008-04-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
6 pounds meaty beef short ribs
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
12 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence*
2 cups red Zinfandel ( I used red or burgundy cooking wine and reduced the amount to 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups canned beef broth
14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup water
24 baby carrots, peeled
1/2 cup Niçois olives,** pitted
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add ribs to pot and brown well, turning often, about 8 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer ribs to large bowl.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot or add oil as necessary to measure 2 tablespoons. Add onion, chopped carrot, and celery and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, flour, and herbes de Provence; stir 1 minute. Add wine and 2 cups broth; bring to boil over high heat, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes with juices and bay leaf. Return ribs and any accumulated juices to pot. If necessary, add enough water to pot to barely cover ribs. Bring to boil.
Cover pot tightly and transfer to oven. Bake until ribs are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Add remaining 1/2 cup broth, peeled baby carrots, and Niçois olives to pot; press carrots gently to submerge. Cover, return to oven and continue cooking at 350°F until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer short ribs and carrots to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. If necessary, boil sauce to thicken slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over short ribs. Sprinkle with parsley.
* A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some markets. A mix of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds can be substituted.
** Small brine-cured black olives; available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

CREME FRAICHE MASHED POTATOES
3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, quartered
2/3 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pot. Add crème fraîche and butter; mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Potatoes can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat, stirring frequently.)
Bon Appétit

Past Favorites

2008-04-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am so excited about this--especially because I lose my favorite recipes. I get them out of my book to cook and forget to put them back. One that I've lost is Si's recipe for short ribs--I've lost it and want to be able to cook this--spectacular recipe of the year--again! I also loved Tinker's sauce for lamb and would love that too. I promise to post as well. Thanks so much Corrine for putting this all together.

Recent Trip to Vegas

2008-04-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

So, I went to Vegas recently and stayed at the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa. It was worth the money. Few hotels are, but this one was. The rooms were clean, the beds comfortable and the grounds beautiful. The pool was perfect for both families and couples. The pool has a sand beach side were little kids were playing in the sand. It also has a deep end were people were swimming and a shallow end were lawn chairs were placed in the water so people could sunbathe. The lounges were terrific because they were the size of double beds w/mattresses and pillows. Further, there was plenty of shade for those of us who don't sunbathe.

Now, to the important part, the FOOD. Because we spent more money on the rooms, we ended up spending less money on the food. The hotel is located in a outdoor mall area with several chain restaurants. We went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory which was fine. Frankly, I think the cheesecake is the best thing there. I got the tuxedo cheesecake and really liked it. We also ate at the Elephant Bar which was good. About a step and a half up from Applebees. I expensive meal was at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant Postrio located in The Venetian. I ordered the Kobe beef sliders, the linguine with clams and the tiramisu. Everything was very tasty but nothing that blew me away. I think I like the beef sliders the best tho. The service was very good.

We also went to see the show LOVE at the Mirage which I thought was a rip-off. I think the show was ill conceived and boring. The flow of the show was incongruous and the staging was distracting. Both KA and Mystere are far better productions and are worth the money. So, this is a case to not spend your hard earned money on LOVE. xoxo-- Tink

L i m e C e v i c h e w i t h S h r i m p

2008-04-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 TBS. olive oil
1 pound shrimp, cooked and peeled and cubed
3 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced on the bias
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
salt and fresh ground pepper

*In a glass bowl, combine lime juice, jalepeno, ginger, and oil. Add shrimp and toss. Cover with plastic and chill overnight, or over an hour, stirring occasionally.
*Add remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve.

I love this blog!

2008-04-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Girls. I can't wait for our next Recipe Club. Are we really waiting until summer? I am a little embarassed that most of the recipes on this site are mine...I'm not even in the top 10 greatest cooks in our group. Love you all, Sara

Sara's Sunday Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Gravy

2008-04-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

2-1 lb. Pork Tenderloin
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 lb mushrooms
1 onion
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth

Chop onion, and slice mushrooms. In a Dutch oven, brown pork in melted butter and oil. Remove from pan. Sautee mushrooms and onion. Add flour, whisk till smooth. Add chicken broth. Place meat back into pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hour.

New to Blogging

2007-12-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

Hi girls--this is the first time I have ever posted on a blog. Who knew? I think we need to have a link to our restaurant reviews. I would like to post restaurant reviews so we can all glean from each other's experiences. Tink

Savannah Crab Cakes

2007-12-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

2 lbs. (1 ½ in shell)
1 lb. crabmeat, picked free of shell
½ cup crushed crackers or bread crumbs
3 green onions, finely chopped, with tops
½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 egg
2 Tbsp cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
Flour for dusting
½ cup peanut oil or margarine

Mix all ingredients together except flour and peanut oil. Chill for 1-2 hours. Shape into patties and dust with flour. Panfry in hot peanut oil over medium heat until browned, for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and fry other side until golden brown.

Tartar Sauce

½ cup chopped green onion
½ cup chopped dill pickle
1 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon House Seasoning

In a bowl, combine chopped onion, pickle, mayonnaise, and House Seasoning and mix well. Serve alongside crab cakes with lemon wedges.

Variation: Substitute 1/3 cup capers for ½ cup pickles and add a dash of cayenne pepper.

Sara’s Salmon

2007-12-11T22:57:00.000-08:00

¼ cup butter
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoon ketchup
3 tablespoon soy sauce

Melt butter on stovetop. Mix in rest of ingredients. Spread over salmon. Broil or grill on stovetop, or barbeque.

Note: Sara made this a few years ago at Recipe Club…it was a hit. It’s easy, and takes only a minute to mix up. Pour over a Salmon fillet, make some rice and a salad or vegetable, and you have a healthy, easy meal in less than ½ hour!

Onion Lover's Twist

2007-12-11T22:56:00.000-08:00

1 package dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
4 cups flour
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
½ cup milk
½ cup hot water
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

Filling:
1 cup onion, finely chopped (or ¼ cup dried onion)
¼ cup butter, melted
4 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika

Add*: ½ to ¾ cup cheddar cheese

In large mixing bowl, mix yeast and ¼ cup warm water. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 2 cups flour, melted butter, milk, ½ cup hot water, sugar, salt and egg. Blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk (about 1 hour). While dough is rising, mix all filling ingredients. Set aside. Stir down dough. Toss on floured surface until dough is no longer sticky. Roll to a 12” x 18” rectangle. Cut lengthwise into three 4” x 18” strips. Spread on filling. Starting with 18” side, roll each strip around filling. Seal edges and ends. Place strips on the braid whenever possible. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in size. *Before baking, sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (until golden brown). Yield: 1 large loaf (or 2 small loaves).

Black-Bottom Pie

2007-12-11T22:55:00.001-08:00

2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rum or substitute **
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels

Gingersnap Crust

2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Garnish: chocolate curls

*** 1 ½ Tablespoon rum extract

Stir together 2 tablespoons water and rum in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over mixture. Stir mixture, and set aside. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan; gradually whisk in milk and egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute. Stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved.

Stir together 1 cup custard mixture and chocolate morsels until smooth. Pour into Gingersnap Crust. Chill 30 minutes or until set. Set aside remaining custard mixture. Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form.

Fold 1 cup whipped cream into remaining custard mixture. Spoon over chocolate mixture. Chill pie and remaining whipped cream 2 hours or until pie is set. Spread remaining whipped cream over pie. Garnish, if desired.

Gingersnap Crust

1 ½ cups gingersnap crumbs (about 26 cookies)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Stir together all ingredients. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Strawberry-topped Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust

2007-12-11T22:50:00.000-08:00

Crust:

20 whole graham crackers (10 ounces total), broken
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced
½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

Filling:

4 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¾ cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
5 large eggs

Topping:

2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 16-ounce baskets strawberries, hulled
1 18-ounce jar raspberry jelly

For crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Wrap foil around outside of 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Combine graham crackers, butter and sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until crumbs begin to stick together. Press crumbs onto bottom and 2 ¾ inches up sides of springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in large bowl until very smooth. Beat in flour. Add eggs and beat just until blended, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake until outer 2-inch edge of cake is puffed and slightly cracked, center is just set and top is brown in spots, about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Cool 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

For Topping: Whisk sour cream, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Spoon topping over cake, spreading to edge of pan. Bake until topping is just set, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Run knife between crust and pan.

Cool hot cake in pan on rack. Refrigerate overnight.

Release pan sides from cheesecake. Arrange whole berries, points facing up, atop cheesecake; cover completely. Stir jelly in heavy lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Brush enough jelly over berries to glaze generously, allowing some to drip between berries. Reserve remaining glaze in saucepan. (Cake and glaze can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Cover cake and refrigerate.)

Rewarm remaining glaze until pourable. Cut cake into wedges. Serve, passing remaining glaze.

Sarah's Southwest Tomato Soup

2007-12-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

1 package chicken tenders
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans chicken broth
1 package sweet white corn or 2 cans shoe peg corn
1 clove garlic, crushed
Juice and pulp of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Dash of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon cumin

Cook chicken in oven or crock-pot until done with oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Add rest of ingredients to large pan simmer until hot. Serve with dollop of sour cream, grated cheese and tortilla chips.

Old-fashioned Meat Loaf

2007-12-11T22:43:00.000-08:00

1 pound ground beef
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped bell pepper (optional)
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
½ cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:

1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix all meat loaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.
Topping: Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

Mango Chutney Torta

2007-12-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon ground curry
1 (9-ounce) jar mango chutney, divided
1 cup dry roasted peanuts, divided
1 cup sliced green onions, divided
1 cup golden raisins, divided
Garnishes: sliced green onions, chopped peanuts, toasted coconut

Process cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add cream cheese and ground curry; process until smooth. Reserve half of cheese mixture.

Add 2 tablespoons chutney and half each of peanuts, green onions, and raisins to remaining cheese mixture; pulse 3 or 4 times or until coarsely chopped. Spoon into an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan lined with plastic wrap; spread with ½ cup chutney.

Pulse reserved cheese mixture, 2 tablespoons chutney, and remaining peanuts, onions, and raisins in processor 3 or 4 times or until coarsely chopped; spoon over torta. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Invert onto a serving plate. Top with remaining chutney, if desired. Garnish, if desired, and serve with crackers.

Yield: 25 servings

Gorgonzola e Marmellata (Gorgonzola Cheese and Marmalade)

2007-12-11T21:58:00.001-08:00

8 small slices good quality bread, cut ¼ inch thick
8 – ounce wedge Gorgonzola dolce, at room temperature
Good-quality jam, such as blackberry, blueberry, or orange marmalade

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with butter spray and arrange bread slices in a single layer on the sheet. “Toast” the slices in the oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove them to a cooling rack. Spread each slice with some of the Gorgonzola and top with a little jam or marmalade. Arrange on a serving dish.