Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chippers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My poor children were born to a mother who was under the influence of Adelle Davis and Gayelord Hauser. I know these names are unfamiliar to many of you, but back in the day, these two nutritionists were commanding personalities in the food and diet industries. They adhered strictly to FDA dietary guidelines and didn't believe a morsel should reach the alimentary canal if it wasn't good for you or contribute, in some fashion, to vibrant good health. They were more concerned with nourishment of the body than the soul, and that put a serious crimp in to the diets of many food and dessert lovers. A lot of folks considered them to be the first " food Nazis" and simply tuned them out. I mention them, only because I was so under their influence, that my children were in university before they knew cookies could be made with anything other than peanut butter or oatmeal. There were excesses in my kitchen to be sure, but cookies and snack foods were not among them. The only upside to that, is the cookies that I did make had to be really good. Today's recipe comes from that period of my life. The cookies have a faint taste of peanut butter but most of their flavor comes from the addition of chocolate chips to the cookie dough. They were originally made made with semi-sweet chocolate chips because nothing else was available. These days, I like to use milk chocolate or a combination of peanut butter and milk chocolate chips when I whip them up. They make a perfect lunchbox cookie and I suspect your family will love these crisp treats. I know you'll like them because they are so easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chippers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup creamy (smooth) peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1) Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
2) Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
3) Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.








One Year Ago Today: Warm Quinoa Salad with Edamame and Lemon Tarragon Dressing

















Two Years Ago Today: Creamy Winter Squash Soup







You might also enjoy these recipes:
Salted Peanut Butter Cookies with Nutella Swirl - Fresh and Foodie
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Filling - Baking and Boys
Cashew Cookies - Cave Cibum
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies - Elana's Pantry
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies - She Bakes Here

Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While I love to shop in warehouse stores, I limit my visits to them, to once or twice a month. The reason is simple. I'm infirm of purpose and constitutionally incapable of leaving them until I've spent the equivalent of a king's ransom. My weakness can be found in the food aisles. The store I frequent has gorgeous meat and fish and I'm lured by steaks and chops as surely as Jason was by the siren's song. My indulgence this past weekend was double cut lamb chops that I had purchased for a special dinner. While I had a lovely pilaf to accompany them, I also wanted to try a recipe for a Greek-style couscous that's been on my radar for a while now. I'm a poor judge of recipes like this because I don't like the texture of couscous, but I knew I could trust the opinions of my guests who neither share nor understand my aversion. The couscous was well-received, so I'm comfortable sharing this fast and flavorful dish with you. If you like couscous, I suspect you'll enjoy it prepared in this way. Here's the recipe.

Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta Cheese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
1-1/4 cups uncooked couscous
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:
1) Place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Sir in couscous. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, or until broth is absorbed.
3) Drain and chop tomatoes. Add to couscous. Stir in feta cheese, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, water and olive oil. Serve warm or chilled. Yield: 6 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Lime Marmalade
















Two Years Ago Today: Watermelon Rind Pickles







You might also enjoy these recipes:
Couscous with Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini - The Flourishing Foodie
Couscous Salad - A Little Bit of Everything
Recipe for Whole Wheat Couscous with Saffron and Onions - Kalyn's Kitchen
Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts - Sugar and Spice by Celeste
Mediterranean Couscous - Karma Cuisine

Pickles and Relish - A Round-Up

Fresh dill is now available in our local markets. It's appearance and heady aroma serve as a reminder that it's time to pickle and brine at least some of summer's bounty. Here are photos and recipes for some of the pickles and relishes that keep me busy at this time of year.






Pickled Asparagus





















Pickled Pepper Relish















Scandinavian-Style Cucumber Pickle
















Quick Pickled Beets















Sweet Pickles

















Pickled Plums





















Refrigerator Dill Pickles

















Watermelon Rind Pickle















Thai Cucumber Relish - Ah Jaht
















Red Pepper Relish














Quick Pickle Relish














Cranberry Hot Dog Relish

Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple coffee cake is perfect to serve for a weekend or holiday breakfast. It's easy to prepare, and it's a crowd pleaser that I think you'll be happy to share with your family and friends. The cake has a lovely balance of sweet and tart that I think you'll find quite interesting. I suggest you make it with fresh, rather than frozen, rhubarb, and while it can be made well in advance of serving, the cake is definitely best when freshly made and still warm from the oven. I hope you'll give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar, divided use
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups diced fresh rhubarb
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
2) Cream shortening, brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes.
3) Combine flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in rhubarb.
4) Scrape into prepared pan. Level batter with an off-set spatula. Combine cinnamon and remaining granulated sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over cake batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Serve warm. Yield: 12-16 servings.








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Two Years Ago Today: Whole Wheat Olive Flat Bread







You might also enjoy these recipes:
Rhubarb and Strawberry Loaf (Dairy Free) - Wholesome Cook
Orange Rhubarb Bread - One Perfect Bite
Rhubarb Cake - In Flora's Kitchen
Rhubarb Sorbet with Garden Herbs - Vegetarian Perspective
Rhubarb Custard Coconut Crumb Pie - The Galley Gourmet

A Watermelon Extravaganza

Summer is coming to and end, but it's still hot out there. Cool down with a refreshing watermelon treat from this selection of recipes from One Perfect Bite.










Watermelon Gin Fizz






















Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet






















Watermelon Limeade

























Watermelon Smoothie





















Watermelon Cucumber and Tomato Salad


















Watermelon Gazpacho



















Watermelon and Tomato Salad


















Watermelon and Watercress Salad with Ginger

















Watermelon Rind Pickle


























Watermelon Aqua Fresca

50 Women Game Changers in Food - #12 Lidia Bastianich - Rice and Asparagus Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Tutti a tavola a mangiare!” This simple phrase is the age old Italian call to dinner and Lidia Bastinaich uses it at the end of each episode of her PBS cooking program. Were she to call me to the table, I'd be there in an instant, honored to break bread with the woman who captured 12th position on the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in Food. She is a fascinating woman who has built a successful life and career around the food she fashions and brings to life. She was born in Istria when the region still belonged to Italy. It was ceded to Yugoslavia after WWII and the blending of Italian and Slavic cultures produced a cuisine that is unique to the area. Her food reflects that and it often marries elements of Italian and Croatian cooking. She has an impressive resume. There is, of course, her work as a television chef, but she is also a best-selling cookbook author, a successful restauranteur and the owner of a food and entertainment business. She is also an active community service volunteer. I love her recipes and some of my favorite pasta and soup dishes have come come from her cookbooks. I've chosen a lovely soup to represent her cooking today. It is an unlikely marriage of asparagus, cauliflower, leeks and brown rice. The combination produces an outstanding peasant soup that I know you will enjoy. The soup is substantial without being heavy, and its deep flavor, born of a long simmer and slow reduction, is truly unique. Here's the recipe.

Rice and Asparagus Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lidia Bastianich

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus spears
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
4 plump garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 cups cauliflower fleurettes cut in 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups chopped leek, cut in 1/4-inch white and green pieces
5 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt plus more to taste
1 cup brown rice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Directions:
1) Rinse asparagus and snap off tough bottom stubs. Slice spears crosswise into 1/3-inch chunks, including tips. Pour 1/3 cup of oil into a 6-quart pot, drop in crushed garlic and turn on a medium-high flame. Cook garlic for a minute or two, just until fragrant and lightly colored. Add cauliflower to pot, and stir to coat with hot oil. Cook, stirring now and then, until cauliflower is crusty but not too browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in chopped leeks and cook until softened and sizzling, 3 or 4 minutes more.
2) Pour 5 quarts of water into pot. Add bay leaves and salt. Stir well, scraping up any crust that formed on bottom of pot. Cover and bring to boil over high heat. Stir in asparagus, return to a boil and adjust heat to keep broth bubbling steadily and slowly reducing. Cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until volume is reduced by almost 1/3 and broth is full of flavor. Stir in rice, return to boil and cook for 30 minutes, until rice is al dente, then turn off heat. Season with freshly ground black pepper and more salt to taste. Stir in 1/4 cup grated cheese. Serve immediately in warm bowls. Pass more cheese and olive oil at the table. Yield: 3 quarts.


The following bloggers are also paying tribute to Lidia Bastianich. I hope you'll visit all of them.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda


Next week we will highlight the food and recipes of Rachael Ray. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information. Everyone is welcome.

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wish all delicious things could be beautiful and appealing to the eye. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. This quick bread is a perfect example of what I mean. It is wonderfully moist and flavorful, but it is homely in the extreme, and when these ingredients are used, there's not much that can be done to improve its appearance. The combination of bananas, peanut butter and chocolate is irresistibly tasty, but as you can see, they turn the batter a blotchy, muddy tan that is less than pleasing to the eyes. I normally wouldn't bother with something like this, but the bread has such outstanding flavor, that I keep granting it clemency, and bake it over and over again. The recipe was developed by Beth Lipton and I found it at the library in her book, You Made That Dessert?. I really like the earthiness of this bread and I recommend it to you, but with a caution or two. First, do not attempt to make this with natural peanut butter. It is too thin to work as a butter replacement in this recipe. Second, avoid using regular chocolate chips if you can. They will blotch more than the miniatures as the loaf bakes and you'll end up with a hot mess on your hands. Last, and, most important of all, the bread should sit for a day before it is eaten. The flavor improves remarkably when it's given the opportunity to ripen. This is a moist loaf and it keeps well if properly wrapped. I think you will like this. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Lipton

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use "natural")
2/3 cup sugar
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mist a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2) Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl until combined.
3) Place peanut butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until well-blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in mashed banana and eggs; mix well.
4) Using a wooden spoon or flexible spatula, stir flour mixture into the peanut butter–banana mixture, mixing until just combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips, if using. Scrape batter into the pan and smooth top.
5) Bake 45 minutes. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool bread on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. It helps to run a paring knife around edges of pan to loosen bread before turning it out. Invert bread onto a wire rack. Carefully turn bread right-side up. When cool, slice and serve. Yield: One 9-inch loaf. Serves 8.







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Two Years Ago Today: Apple Custard Pie with Streusel Topping








Your might also enjoy these recipes:
Banana-Applesauce Bread - My Kitchen Adventures
Wonderful Pistachio and Banana Bread - Nibbles and Feasts
Vegan Mango and Banana Bread - The Sweets Life
Orange-Glazed Banana Nut Bread - One Perfect Bite
Marbled Banana Nutella Bread - Sugar Plum

Scandinavian Shrimp Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... This lovely salad is inspired by those that are served in Scandinavia during the summer months. I classify it as a summer salad because it uses fresh dill heads and they are a seasonal ingredient. The heads, seen to the left, are more strongly flavored than the feathery fronds you can always find in your grocer's produce aisle. They are used primarily for pickle making. They have a wonderful fragrance that is as easily identifiable as that of tarragon or cilantro. The salad defines simplicity, both in its use of ingredients, and the effort required to make it. Cooked shrimp, from the fish market, can be used to make it if you are running short of time. I tend to use less mustard in this dish than many others do. I like dill to be the dominant background flavor in this salad and it already has to compete with the strong flavors of the cornichons and capers. A little mustard, here, will go a long, long way. We are talking shrimp, not hot dogs. I like to serve the salad as a topper for open faced sandwiches. It can, of course, also be served on a bed of lettuce if you would prefer. I know those of you who try this salad will love it. The shrimp and cucumbers give it lovely texture and it is truly a gift from the sea. Here's the recipe.

Scandinavian Shrimp Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water or stock
1/4 cup fresh dill heads, chopped
1 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
1 cup sliced English cucumbers, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin slices
1/3 cup cornichons (gherkins), sliced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed

Directions:
Thin mayonnaise with water or stock. Add dill, Dijon mustard to taste and lemon juice; whisk to combine. Add shrimp, cucumber, cornichons and capers; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Black Bean Burritos














Two Years Ago Today: Blue Cheese Steak Sandwiches







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Chilled Calamari Salad with Lemon and Parsley - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Santa Barbara Salad - Ciao Chow Linda
Debo's Seafood Salad - Christine's Pantry
Tequilla Lime Crab Salad - Hugging the Coast
Crab Salpicon - The Winter Guest

Scandinavian-Style Cucumber Pickle

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am, by disposition, easily moved to laughter or tears and I have an unusually expressive face. It takes no special training to sense my mood or humor, but every once in a while I fool everyone. I mention this, because last weekend I was moved to tears by something quite extraordinary. Bob and I make it a point to attend local celebrations and festivals. These events were originally created to celebrate family, community and heritage, and we like to honor that spirit whenever we can. Last weekend, one of the towns close to us held their annual Scandinavian Festival and we happily attended. Usually, the entertainment consists of folk dancing and music from Finland, Norway, Denmark or Sweden. The dancers are members of groups that meet bi-monthly for practice and some of them are very good. They are, however, amateurs. What makes them special is the participation of families who often have three generations on stage for any given performance. Despite the participation of families, the number of dancers dwindles every year. There, obviously, are not enough young people to replace the seniors who can no longer participate. It's sad to see the passing of a tradition, but we enjoy it while we can and applaud the efforts of those who try to preserve memories of the old ways for their children. We sat through a handful of dance performances before heading to the beer garden to sample some typically Scandinavian food and drink. We never made it. A men's chorus, about 50 members strong, had taken the stage and, as they began to sing, it was clear we were in for something special. These were not young men, and I'd guess the youngest of them to be my age. That meant the group had lots of time to practice and perfect their singing, and perfect it they had. As they sang, my throat started to knot, but I kept my act together until the end of their performance when they began to sing the Finlandia hymn. As they sang, an elderly group in the back of audience stood and joined hands. Some of them were moved to tears and as I watched I, too, began to cry. Now it was a sedate cry, mind you, but the tears were very real. I was moved by the haunting beauty of the music and their obvious remembrance of times and places once well known but never more to be. I think you might understand the emotion if you listen to this small portion of the Finnish national anthem. It is quite beautiful.



Now, because this is a food blog, I can't let you go without sharing a recipe. It's time for us to move from the sublime to the ridiculous. Actually, there will be two new Scandinavian recipes, but only one of them will be featured today. This is a cucumber pickle that is lovely to serve with dishes as diverse as barbecue or Swedish meatballs. It is amazingly easy to make, and, as long as you thinly slice the cucumbers, you can't go wrong. Ideally, the dish should be made with seedless cucumbers, but as you can see I break my own rules. I know you'll enjoy these. Here's the recipe.

Scandinavian-Style Cucumber Pickle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber
1/2 cup white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Cut cucumber crosswise into very thin slices (preferably using a manual slicer). In a bowl whisk together remaining ingredients until sugar is dissolved and add cucumber, tossing to coat. Marinate cucumbers, covered and chilled, stirring occasionally, 4 hours. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.








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Ottolenghi's Cucumber Salad with Poppy Seed Salad - Nami-Nami
Cucumber Salad - Simply Recipes
Greek Salad Cucumber Bites- Recipe Girl
Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad - Kalyn's Kitchen
Cucumber Salad - For the Love of Cooking

Roasted Fennel and Peppers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the treasures of late summer is the abundance of expensive vegetables that can be purchased for pennies on the dollar in local markets. Fennel, leeks and peppers come to mind. As autumn takes hold, they will again soar in price, but for now, they can be enjoyed with abandon. My kitchen tends to track the seasons, and when these vegetables appear in farmer's markets, I know its time to pull my French and Italian recipes from storage and start to fix some of our favorite Mediterranean meals. It's still too warm for the heavier braises, but there are loads of lighter dishes that work really well and help to bridge the seasons. Today's recipe is one of them. I served this tonight with a simple roast chicken and some thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes. Nothing more was needed. This is a strongly flavored dish that will not appeal to all tastes, but if you have fond memories of the food of Provence and Tuscany, you are in for a real treat. While some chopping is involved, this is a easy dish to prepare, and, if you have even meager knife skills, you can have it on the table in an hour. This dish works well with plain grilled meats and roasts, as well as chicken. I think most of you will enjoy this side-dish. Here's the recipe.

Roasted Fennel and Peppers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Healthy Cooking Magazine

Ingredients:
2 large fennel bulbs, halved and sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 medium sweet red peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
Fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, optional

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2) Place fennel, peppers, onion and garlic in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper and rubbed sage. Toss to coat.
3) Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until tender, stirring twice. Garnish with fresh sage if desired. Yield: 6 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Chicken







You may also enjoy these recipes:
Roasted Beets - Delicious Obsessions
Roasted Cauliflower - Nutritious Eats
Roasted Vegetable Medley with Rosemary Thyme - Savoring Today
Roasted Vegetables with Feta - In Flora's Kitchen
Roasted Asparagus - Foodie Journey

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday
Yvonne- StoneGable - What's on the Menu Monday

French Lemon Tart and Pâte Sablée

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely tart will raise an eyebrow or two. It combines a copious amount of lemon juice with a scant measure of sugar to produce a puckery custard that contains no butter or lemon zest. The finished tart is ambrosia for those who love lemon desserts and it is a boon for busy cooks. The tart filling contains just four ingredients, and the recommended pastry shell, a pâte sablée, can be made in a food processor and patted into place. If you are pressed for time, a ready-to-roll commercial pie crust can also be used. Please don't ask how I know that. This is a wonderful company or family dessert. It is not too sweet and it has glorious color. The recipe comes from Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells. The tart lacks the height and sweetness of a standard lemon pie, but its wonderful flavor and spare simplicity will please the palate of any Francophile. You might want to serve this with macerated berries or a dollop of whipped cream. Here's the recipe.

French Lemon Tart - Tarte au Citron Madame Cartet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Patricia Wells, Bistro Cooking

Ingredients:
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons creme fraiche or heavy cream
5 large eggs
1 pâte sablée shell (see below), pre-baked and cooled

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Combine lemon juice, sugar and creme fraiche in a large bowl. Whisk until well blended. Add egg, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3) Pour lemon cream into prepared shell. Bake until firm, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool. Serve at room temperature . Yield: 8 servings.

Pâte Sablée...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Patricia Wells Bistro Cooking

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour (do not use unbleached)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
1) Place flour, butter,salt and sugar in bowl of a food processor. Process just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add egg and pulse just until pastry begins to hold together, about 20 times. Transfer the pastry to waxed paper. Flatten dough into a disk.
2) Dust fingers with flour, then, working very quickly with just your finger tips, press dough into a 10-1/2-inch loose bottomed black tin tart pan. I used a 9-inch tart pan. Press dough up sides of shell and crimp evenly. Cover carefully with plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4) Prick bottom of shell with tines of fork. Line shell loosely with heavy-duty foil, pressing well into edges so pastry will not shrink while baking. Fill with baking wights or dried beans to prevent shrinkage. Bake just until pastry begins to brown around edges and seems firm enough to stand up by itself, about 20 minutes.
5) For a partially baked shell: Remove weights and foil and continue baking until lightly browned all over, about 10 minutes more. For a fully baked shell: Remove weights and foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Cool for at least 10 minutes before filling. Yield: 1 pastry shell.







One Year Ago Today: Grapefruit Sorbet














Two years Ago Today: Swedish Meatballs








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Northwest Lemon Tart - Step By Step Gourmet
Strawberry Lemon Tarts and More - Pantry Eats
Luscious Lemon Tart - Flour Me with Love
LemonTart (from Joy of Baking) - Life of a Foodie and Her Family
Lemon Curd Tartlets with White Chocolate - Sweet Sensations

Pasta with Bread Crumbs and Herbed Tomatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had more than a passing encounter with Mother Hubbard's dilemma today. I've been madly preparing for an extended trip to the coast and dinner time rolled around with packed suitcases but nothing more for dinner than a defrosted steak that desperately needed something to keep it company on the plate. The cupboard was, indeed, nearly bare and I wasn't up to a last-minute grocery shop. It was obviously going to be a make-do supper. That occasionally happens here, and, when it does, I have a handful of recipes that I fall back on. This is one of them. I make this dish once or twice a year when I have stale bread and ripe tomatoes that must be used. It's not my favorite recipe, but it is serviceable and makes a really nice accompaniment to plain grilled meat or chicken.I routinely use stale bread to make crumbs and usually have a supply in the pantry. Because I have them in ready status it takes only minutes for me to make this pasta. If you are going to make crumbs just for the pasta, it will take about an hour for them to properly dry and toast, so plan your time accordingly. I've included instructions for preparing crumbs in today's recipe. If you make the recipe from start to finish you will need a couple of hours to put everything together. An easy shortcut is the use of panko bread crumbs. If you use a gentle hand, panko has enough substance to stand in for homemade crumbs. If you use them, you would begin with step 3 in the recipe below. This is really easy to make, and, if ever you are in need of a quick go-with, you might want to try this pasta. Here's the recipe.

Pasta With Bread Crumbs and Herbed Tomatoes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 large loaf country-style bread, crust removed
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves, chopped
6 large, ripe, Roma tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Balsamic or red wine vinegar to taste (optional)
12-ounces dried fusilli or other short tubular pasta

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
2) Cut bread into pieces. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process bread, in batches, to coarse crumbs. There will be about 3 cups of crumbs. Spread in a shallow baking tray and toast in the oven for 1 hour, or until dry and crisp but not brown.
3) In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, or until crumbs are golden. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
4) In a glass or ceramic bowl, combine tomatoes and chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a splash of vinegar to intensify flavor of the tomatoes, if you desire.
5) In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta per package directions until al dente. Drain well.
6) Transfer pasta to a warm, shallow serving bowl. Toss with reserved 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pour tomatoes over top and toss to combine. Add bread crumbs and toss again. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Mexican Rice















Two Years Ago Today: Biscotti Regina










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