Hollandaise Sauce

This was a truly disappointing Hollandaise sauce. It was a vintage recipe, that was too lemony and the paprika was not the proper spice. I added too much salt, too. At least the consistency stayed smooth for me.

Hollandaise Sauce

3/4 c. butter
2 T lemon juice
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/8 t. paprika

Melt one third of the butter in the top of a double boiler, stir in lemon juice and beaten egg yolks. Place over hot water, cook slowly, beat constantly using wire whisk. Add one half of remaining butter, beat, add rest of butter. Beat until mux==ixture thickens. Remove from water. Add seasoning. If sauce should separate, add hot water by teaspoon and use rotary beater.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

So, I am always hoping to find a recipe for the take-out Chinese restaurant-style sweet and sour sauce. You know, the bright red unhealthy sauce in those packets!! I have never been able to find any brand at the grocery stores that compares. They are too savory for my tongue!! So, here are three recipes that I tried out with my wontons yesterday. The bright red one is a recipe I crafted using some red food coloring. It tasted horrible and was too thick. The one on the right is actually from McDonald's. I searched recipes online and found many recipes to replicate the McDonald's Sweet and Sour Sauce, so it must be popular. The ingredients list apricot jam, an unusual ingredient for sweet and sour sauce, but obviously Americans love it!! Today I found a jug of the red sauce at Smart and Final, didn't buy it but I took a pic of the ingredients and will work on another created recipe.

This is the best of the three I tried. I still can't believe that ketchup is an ingredient in sweet and sour sauce, but it is in most of them as well as an ingredient on the packages of sauce. This sauce was still a bit savory, but I will keep it in case it is the best I can find!! I might add a drop of red food coloring next time.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/4 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
3 T firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T ketchup
1 t. cornstarch dissolved in 2 t. water

1. Combine juice, vinegar, brown sugar, and ketchup in small pan.
2. Bring to simmer over medium heat.
3. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.
4. Let cool before serving.

I find it ironic that this is called "Red" sweet and sour sauce, since it is so brown!! This sauce was too tomatoey for me, which could be due to the fact that I used some sun-dried tomato paste from a tube rather than plain tomato paste. I suspect it would still have been too tomatoey even if I had used the plain tomato paste. I used cornstarch. I won't be keeping this recipe.

Red Sweet & Sour Sauce

3/4 c. white sugar
3 t. tapioca starch or cornstarch
1/3 c. white vinegar
3/4 c. water
1/2 small can tomato paste

1. Mix the sugar and starch together, add the rest.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until clear and thickened.

This sauce was way too thick, and much too savory. It might be good as a dip for meatballs, but I won't keep this recipe.

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce

juice from a 4 oz. can of pineapple chunks or rings
1/4 c. tomato ketchup
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 T cornstarch
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. mustard powder
1/2 t. ground ginger

1. Place all of the above ingredients together in a saucepan.
2. Mix together and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until the sauce comes together and thickens.

3-Citrus Hollandaise Sauce

This recipe was a big FAIL, the lesson I learned is that one should never make hollandaise sauce in the microwave!! The concept of multiple citrus tastes was fine, but the execution was horrible. I couldn't even bring myself to eat the asparagus!!

3-Citrus Hollandaise Sauce

2 T butter
1 1/2 t. fresh lime juice
1/2 t. fresh lemon juice
pinch salt
1 large egg yolk
dash hot red pepper sauce
1 1/2 t. fresh orange juice

1. Place butter, lime juice, lemon juice, and salt in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH power until butter melts, about 1 minute. Whisk to cool slightly.
2. Add egg yolk and whisk until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on MEDIUM (50%) 15 minutes. Whisk until blended. Repeat twice until sauce is thickened. Whisk in red pepper sauce and orange juice. Serve warm with salmon.

Fettuccine Alfredo

I had several similar recipes for pasta Alfredo, this time I decided to use tortellini rather than fettuccine. This is a really simple recipe and it tasted good. I toasted some chopped almonds and placed those on top, normally I use pine nuts but they are so expensive right now!! This is a keeper recipe, and I don't think I have any more Alfredo recipes to test.

Fettuccine Alfredo

12-oz. fettuccine noodles
1 c. half-and-half
4 T butter
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

1. In a saucepot, prepare fettuccine as label directs. Drain pasta and return to saucepot.
2. Over medium-low heat, heat fettuccine, half-and-half, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to make sure pasta is evenly covered with sauce. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Pasta in Cream Sauce

This was a keeper recipe, so simple!! I used frozen cheese tortellini and it was yummy!! Add some bread and a salad and you have a complete meal. The only thing I didn't like was that the sauce was a bit grainy. I removed it from the heat to stir in the cheese because I didn't want to have a grainy texture, but it was grainy anyway. Perhaps I will try shredded Parmesan cheese the next time, or follow the recipe and stir in the pasta with the sauce instead of stirring into the sauce.

Pasta in Cream Sauce

1 c. whipping cream
3 T snipped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. tri-colored pasta, cooked and drained
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a saucepan heat cream, basil, garlic, and pepper just until bubbly and slightly thickened.
2. Toss with pasta and cheese. Serves 8.

Gnocchi with Tomato-Cheese Sauce

I had some potatoes to use up, so I decided to make home-made gnocchi!! It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, but I will have to try this one again later because I used double the amount of potato (oops). I froze my extra gnocchi , it wasn't too bad, just too potatoey. I loved the sauce, though!! My gnocchi didn't keep their shape really well once they were boiled, probably because there were too many potatoes. I also used basil rather than parsley, which gave the sauce a great flavor. The cream cheese I had on hand was the whipped variety, which worked well without having to soften it up ahead of time. I cooked the gnocchi until it floated. Make sure you serve this dish immediately, as it cools down quickly.

Gnocchi

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 t. salt
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 c. flour
1/4 t. white pepper

1. Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well.
2. Mash potatoes.
3. Immediately add flour until thick dough forms. Add salt and pepper.
4. Divide dough into 4 parts. On a floured work surface, roll dough out, a section at a time, into 1/2-inch diameter ropes. Cut into 1/2-inch long pieces.
5. Flour tines of fork and slightly flatten each gnocchi. Place on lightly floured kitchen towel until ready to cook. Repeat process with remaining dough, adding more flour if dough becomes sticky.

Gnocchi with Tomato-Cheese Sauce

1 lb. gnocchi
2/3 c. tomato sauce
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 T butter
4 T chopped parsley
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Plunge the pasta into 5 quarts of boiling, salted water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat together the tomato sauce and half of the cream cheese, stirring until combined.
3. Toss the drained pasta with butter and remaining cream cheese and transfer to a serving bowl. Pour the tomato sauce mixture over the gnocchi, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Carole's Mini Chicken Creamy Pesto Pizzas

I created a new recipe from two that I had wanted to try. I used one of those fresh growing basil from the grocery store, hopefully it will survive past this weekend since it needs a lot of water!! I used the Bridgeford frozen white rolls, but any brand of frozen dough rolls should work. When I brought home the rolls I let them that just a little bit so I could separate them before I re-froze them. This made it easier to break apart for thawing in the oven. I used cooked leftover chicken, but you can use whatever toppings will fit. I like my pizza thick, so I didn't press down the dough too far. If you want thinner pizza, just press it down more on the pan. If you want less oil, just toast the pine nuts in a pan or in the oven until golden brown.

Carole's Mini Chicken Creamy Pesto Pizzas

8 frozen dough white rolls
1 T olive oil
1/2 T olive oil
1 T raw pine nuts
1/8 c. olive oil
1/2 cup tightly packed, rinsed, drained, stemmed fresh basil leaves (do not use dried basil)
1 medium clove garlic
1/8 t. salt
1/8 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. freshly grated Romano cheese
3 T butter
1/3 c. whipping cream
1/4 t. salt
dash ground white pepper
dash ground nutmeg
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to Warm. Remove 6 individual rolls from the package of frozen rolls. Place 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a bowl, separate the rolls from each other and roll in the oil. Place rolls on a baking sheet, spaced staggered for later "squishing" (I usually alternate 2 and 1 rows). Place baking sheet into the warm oven and turn off the oven.
2. While the dough is defrosting in the oven, place 1/2 Tablespoon of olive oil and the pine nuts in a small frying pan. Brown them on medium-high, constantly stirring, for about a minute and a half. Remove nuts to a paper towel when golden brown, they will continue to brown a bit more.
3. Combine pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, salt, and remaining 1/8 cup olive oil in a blender container. Blend until mixture is evenly blended and pieces are very finely chopped. You may have to stop the process and scrape down the side of the blender container.
4. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan and Romano cheeses.
5. In a small, heavy pan, place the butter and cream over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until blended and mixture bubbles for 2 minutes.
6. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from head and gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until thoroughly blended and fairly smooth. Return pan to the heat if necessary to completely blend cheese, but don't let the sauce get bubbly or the cheese will become lumpy and tough.
7. Transfer the pesto to the pan of creamy sauce and stir until well combined. You will see the olive oil separate.
8. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
9. Remove the baking sheet of dough and place on a flat surface. Using your hand, "squish" down the dough balls to desired thickness. Using a brush, spread some of the green olive oil on the dough. Spoon some of the creamy pesto onto the dough, followed by some chicken and mozzarella cheese. Try not to let any of the cheese stay on the baking sheet. Squish down the mini pizzas so that they are compact and as flat as you want them to be.
9. Bake for about 7 minutes, or until the mozzarella cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to plates or cooling racks. Makes 8 mini pizzas.

Chicken Alfredo Linguine

I have never made my own Alfredo sauce before, usually buying pre-made sauce or those little envelopes of powder!! I had some leftover chicken and some linguine in the fridge, so I thought this would be a good time to try out the Alfredo sauce. I made the white sauce from one recipe, and added some ingredients to make it Alfredo. I used half-and-half because that is what I had in my fridge. This is definitely a keeper recipe, although I am not sure how it will reheat later as leftovers.

Chicken Alfredo Linguine

1 T corn starch
1 c. cold milk
2 T butter
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. garlic powder
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
9 oz. linguine, cooked according to package instructions

1. In a saucepan, gradually stir milk into corn starch.
2. Add butter, salt, and pepper.
3. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Boil 1 minute.
5. Add Parmesan cheese, basil, and garlic powder.
6. Stir quickly until cheese melts and ingredients are evenly distributed.
7. Stir in chicken and linguine. Makes 2-3 servings.

Peek-a-Bleu Chicken Cutlets

I have been meaning to try this recipe for a long time, but I didn't have any loose bleu cheese. I liked the taste of this dish, but I will make sure that I keep the skillet on medium while I cook the chicken so the butter doesn't get too brown. There were lots of ingredients for this recipe, but it all came together fine. I didn't have seasoned salt, so I made my own by mixing some salt with some Mrs. Dash I had. I also didn't have any milk, so I watered down some heavy cream for the first part of the sauce. My sauce may have been thicker than was intended by the recipe, but it was good and I was able to dip the chicken in it. Even the darker sauce from the dark butter was good.

Peek-a-Bleu Chicken Cutlets

2 whole chicken breasts, halved, boned, skinned
2 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/16 t. white pepper
3 T unsalted butter
2 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled
1/3 c. milk
1 T flour
4 T butter
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. white pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 T finely chopped parsley
1 T finely chopped parsley

1. On a hard surface, pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Brush chicken with lemon juice. Sprinkle chicken with salt and 1/16 teaspoon white pepper.
3. In frying pan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until fork tender. Remove frying pan from heat, cover chicken, and set aside.
4. Place bleu cheese in a smaller frying pan to melt, stirring constantly, over low heat.
5. In a bowl, mix milk and flour, stir until smooth.
6. Add flour mixture, 4 Tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and nutmeg to melted cheese and cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes or until thickened.
7. Gradually stir in cream and 1 Tablespoon parsley. Cook 1 minute longer.
8. Place frying pan with chicken over medium heat. Pour sauce over chicken and cook about 3 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon parsley. Serves 4.

Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

I have never made hollandaise sauce, and I liked this recipe. It was simple, but as you can see by the next photo it cannot be reheated!! I prepared the asparagus the way that Julia Child says the French do it. They peel the ends of the asparagus all the way up to where the tip starts. Be careful not too peel too deeply. She recommended using a paring knife and starting at the end. They boiled up nice and green, and I have found another vegetable that I can tolerate (at least with the sauce)!!

Hollandaise Sauce

1 stick of butter
3 egg yolks
1 T lemon juice
pinch cayenne pepper
dash salt

1. In a saucepan, heat butter until very hot but not browned.
2. While butter is heating, place egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt into a blender.
3. Blend the contents of the blender until just blended.
4. Pour hot butter slowly into blender container while blender is running. Makes 3/4 cup.

Brandy Chicken

This was a nice recipe. I don't usually like wine in my cooking, but I used some apple brandy to flavor this dish and I liked the flavor. If I had to change anything, it would be to strain the liquid before I scraped the bottom of the pan, I didn't like the little pieces of onion in my gravy. I used light olive oil and too much butter (by accident), and ground marjoram. I also didn't add additional water when making the gravy because I think I added too much when the chicken was simmering. I also removed the chicken to the serving plate and covered with the lid of the skillet while I made the gravy.

Brandy Chicken

2 T butter
2 T vegetable oil
6 chicken breast halves, skinned
1 envelope (1 oz.) dry onion-mushroom soup mix
1 1/4 c. water
3/4 c. dried marjoram
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whipping cream
3 T brandy

1. Melt butter and oil in a large skillet on medium. Add chicken and brown slowly.
2. Combine soup mix, 1 1/4 cups water, and marjoram. Add to skillet. Cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove chicken to heated serving platter and keep warm in oven.
4. Add 1/2 cup water to skillet and scrape up the brown bits. Mix flour, cream, and brandy. Blend into pan juices.
5. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Serve over chicken. Makes 6 servings.