Monthly Archives: March 2015

Five Ways to Celebrate Spring

It’s been a very long winter, I’m so ready for spring! This is how I am celebrating Spring by the bay!

1. Enjoying the crocus I planted last year

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2. Putting bowls of lemons around the house

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3. Planter filled with pansies on the front porch

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4. Bread, butter, baby radishes and sea salt!

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Simple Radish Crostini
Serves 4
Ingredients

2 fresh radishes
2 tablespoons salted butter
4 slices ciabatta bread
Coarse sea salt

Directons
Clean radishes and using a mandoline slice the radish into rounds. Keep radish slices in iced water until ready to use. In a 400F degree oven, place 4 slices of ciabatta bread on a baking sheet in the oven until the bread starts to brown, flip bread over and toast the other side, 2-3 mins per side. Let toasted ciabatta bread cool a little, then spread with the best salted butter you can buy. Take radish slices out of the water and dry with a paper towel before layering the rounds on top the bread and butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve.

5. Fresh asparagus crostini – oh my!

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Asparagus Puree with Lemon Ricotta Crostini
Serves 4
Ingredients

16 very thin asparagus spears or 8 asparagus thicker spears
2 tablespoons fresh mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ pound fresh ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese
4 slices ciabatta bread toasted
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Directions

Clean asparagus, remove the tender tips and place to the side. Snap off woody stems and discard. In to food processor add asparagus stalks broken into pieces and coarsely chop. Add the following to the asparagus: mint, olive oil, lemon juice and 2 tbs. grated pecorino. Pulse a few times. In a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest salt and pepper. On hot toasted ciabatta bread layer the ricotta cheese, puree asparagus, grated pecorino cheese. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and add asparagus spear to the top.

Shamrock Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

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I love holidays! I’m not irish but my brother-in-law . On March 17th we all have a little bit of the irish in us. I like to make something to celebrate the holiday with the family and this shortbread recipe is perfect. The vibrant green makes you realize Spring is just a short few days away. These cookies are delicious plain but the chocolate and decorative green sugar makes the cookies more festive! Enjoy!!!

From by the bay , wishing you a very Happy and Green Saint Patrick’s Day.

Maryann

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Shamrock Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from Betty Crocker
Makes approximately 24 cookies, depending on size of the cookie cutter

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened ( 2 sticks)
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate ( semi- sweet or bittersweet or mixed)
6 to 8 drops of green food coloring, or more if you prefer a more vibrant green cookie

To decorate

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup chocolate ( semi-sweet or bittersweet or mixed)
  • decorative coarse sugar , green

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use an electric mixer to beat together 1 cup butter, sugar and vanilla. On low speed slowly add the flour to combine. Add food coloring and mix well. If the dough is crumbly you use your hands to push together to combine. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Roll dough in one direction to keep the dough smooth. Use a floured shamrock cookie cutter. Place on non stick cookie sheets 1/2 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set and the bottoms are golden brown. Remove from oven and place onto wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes. To decorate , In a small microwavable bowl add the chocolate and remaining butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute, remove from oven and stir briskly. Repeat process until chocolate is smooth and melted. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place on wax paper, sprinkle with decorative sugar and let dry until chocolate is set.

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Lemon Ice Box Pie

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It’s been a long winter and I’m ready to say enough. This past weekend we sprung ahead an hour and I’m ready to spring ahead myself. It started in the house, putting away the last remnants of winter decor in the house . i started to bring in a little color, filled a bowl in the kitchen with lemons and thought about making something that tasted and looked like spring. I found this recipe on the Food & Wine website and made it this past weekend. It was silky, cool and creamy with burst of tartness from the lemon contrasted with sweetness from the milk and sugar.  The color is of warm sunshine. Bring a little spring into your life with this delectable dessert!

From by the bay wishing you sunny and bright food memories!

Maryann

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Lemon Ice Box Pie
CONTRIBUTED BY DAVID GUAS
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR PLUS 7 HR COOLING AND FREEZING
SERVINGS: MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
MAKE-AHEAD
STAFF-FAVORITE
This silken frozen pie is adapted from Clancy’s, one of David Guas’s favorite New Orleans neighborhood restaurants. (Recipe adapted from DamGoodSweet.)

Ingredients

14 whole graham crackers, broken
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice, plus 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
8 large egg yolks

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers with the sugar and salt until finely ground but not powdery. Add the butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened; transfer to a 9-inch springform pan and press into the bottom and two-thirds up the side. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, whisk the condensed milk with the lemon juice. In another bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the lemon zest with the egg yolks until pale. Beat in the condensed milk mixture until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust.
Bake the pie for 25 minutes, until the center jiggles slightly and the edges are set. Transfer the pan to a rack; let cool for 1 hour. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze the pie for at least 6 hours.
Wrap a warm, damp kitchen towel around the side of the springform pan to release the pie; remove the ring. Using a hot knife, slice the pie, transfer to plates and serve.

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Avocado Hummus

It’s seems like an endless winter , every weekend seems to have some sort a storm where you end up staying indoors for part of the weekend watching TV.  The wintery weather is perfect for TV binge-watching especially with the latest release of “House of Cards” on Netflix.  Here is a perfect dip for chips or vegetables  to go along with the binge-watching – avocado hummus. It’s a cross between guacamole and hummus. The avocado makes the hummus even creamier and the jalapeno adds just the right amount of heat. You and your guests will love this dip!

From by the bay wishing you great binge-watching food memories !

Maryann

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Avocado Hummus

Ingredients

  • 15.5 ounces Chick Peas / Garbanzos , drained and rinsed
  • 2 Hass avocados, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 11/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • optional: jalapeno rounds to garnish

Directions

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Serve cold or room temperature with corn chips or pita chips.