Click on "Read More" below my signature to read all of the posts that were shared over the Thanksgiving holiday!
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Friday, November 26, 2010
Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday and Seasonal Saturday
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Well, one day late, but here it is . . . the linky for you to post all of those goodies that you made, photos that you took, thankful thoughts that you pondered, or the tablescapes and decor that you created for your Thanksgiving celebrations!
Click on "Read More" below my signature to read all of the posts that were shared over the Thanksgiving holiday!
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Click on "Read More" below my signature to read all of the posts that were shared over the Thanksgiving holiday!
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Over The River and Through The Woods . . .
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If you are not in a full-speed ahead cooking and baking mode in your kitchen right now, you must be somewhat crazy like me . . . getting ready to hit the road and fight the traffic as we travel "over the river and through the woods tograndmother's my sister's home we go!"
We have our horse, pet and house sitters coming to stay . . . plus their own families will be staying at our house as well. So I won't be posting until Thursday night after the 'big bird' dinner; that is if I can move my over-stuffed body to the computer. I'm drooling right this moment thinking of all the delicious yummies waiting to savor and enjoy! Thanksgiving is truly one of the best events!
Because I KNOW how many of you will have beautiful things to post this week and share with everyone else, I WILL still post the link-up for Fresh Fridays and Seasonal Saturdays! As always, I will have it up and running in the evening sometime on Thursday (I can't give you an exact time, because you know how it is with a holiday get-together).
In the meantime, I wish all of you a most blessed, happy, and BEAUTIFUL Thanksgiving with you and your loved ones . . . and horses, and dogs, and cats, and whatever gives you JOY!
I am truly grateful for your blog friendship! Grazie amici, tiamo!
. Pin It
If you are not in a full-speed ahead cooking and baking mode in your kitchen right now, you must be somewhat crazy like me . . . getting ready to hit the road and fight the traffic as we travel "over the river and through the woods to
We have our horse, pet and house sitters coming to stay . . . plus their own families will be staying at our house as well. So I won't be posting until Thursday night after the 'big bird' dinner; that is if I can move my over-stuffed body to the computer. I'm drooling right this moment thinking of all the delicious yummies waiting to savor and enjoy! Thanksgiving is truly one of the best events!
Because I KNOW how many of you will have beautiful things to post this week and share with everyone else, I WILL still post the link-up for Fresh Fridays and Seasonal Saturdays! As always, I will have it up and running in the evening sometime on Thursday (I can't give you an exact time, because you know how it is with a holiday get-together).
In the meantime, I wish all of you a most blessed, happy, and BEAUTIFUL Thanksgiving with you and your loved ones . . . and horses, and dogs, and cats, and whatever gives you JOY!
I am truly grateful for your blog friendship! Grazie amici, tiamo!
. Pin It
Monday, November 22, 2010
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)
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Last night my mother prepared a simple dinner for us: one of the quintessential Northern Italian comfort foods that exemplifies "cucina povera" (poor food), and which is the infamous soup of the Tuscan people: Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta and Beans Soup. In Italy every family has their own treasured recipe for this soup and my family is no exception. You can witness this mind-boggling diversity simply from reading recipes from other blogs, Italian cookbooks, or just from searching the Web for the recipe. As the weather becomes somewhat cooler here in the South (it is 73 degrees today) and the evenings become a bit chilly the minute the sun is down, it seems just perfect to imitate the "bean lovers" (as Tuscans are called due to their love affair with the beautiful bean), by sipping this savory soup. We lovingly call this soup "Pasta Fajool" (fa-zhool)!
My parents may not have enjoyed abundance when they were growing up as children of immigrants, but their mothers kept the kitchen aromas filling their homes, as pots of soups or pasta simmered slowly on the stove. My father said they had Pasta e Fagioli soup nearly every night for dinner when my grandfather was a coal miner in the Midwest.
Nothing represents love and comfort as much as a simple, hearty warm soup and some bread to sop it up with! Although this soup was considered the food of the poor, one certainly is never hungry after one full bowl; it is that satisfying. Plus soup is so restorative to our health and our souls!
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Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)
Olive oil (to saute the vegetables) *
5 stalks of celery, including leaves, cleaned with thick white end cut off, and then chopped *
1/2 cup chopped carrots (optional) *
1 onion, chopped *
1 big bunch of Italian parsley, cleaned, stems cut off, and chopped *
4 cloves garlic minced *
3 quarts water
1 6-oz. can tomato paste (add more until your desired level of 'red' color and tomato flavor is reached)
2 cans red kidney beans (I prefer dark red) ~ ~ if you use fresh beans, they must be soaked in water overnight (you can also use pinto beans or a white bean variety)
Pasta (in this case I used mini-farfalle), but often 'ditalini' pasta is used
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
Fresh, crusty, artisanal Italian bread
* These are known as "soffrito" or the 'fried' base of a soup, which can be made ahead and frozen.
If using dried beans, cover them completely with water in a pot and soak overnight. Drain water the next day.
In a large, heavy 4 - 5 quart pot, saute the onion, carrots, and celery in the olive oil.
Add the parsley and garlic and saute for one more minute.
Fill the pot with the water.
Add the tomato paste/ tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Add the kidney beans, reduce the heat just slightly and cook until slightly tender.
Bring back to a boil and add the pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Serve in warmed bowls.
Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Serve with freshly, grated Parmigiano cheese and fresh bread.
THIS SOUP IS BETTER IF allowed to rest for 2 hours before serving; it thickens up nicely. It is even better the NEXT day when all of the flavors are allowed to marry and blend! If you choose to do this, don't put the pasta in until the soup is re-warmed and THEN boil your pasta for 7 minutes/until al dente. If you have the pasta noodles in for a long time, they become very large from absorbing the soup liquid.
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I'm sharing this recipe with Chaya's "My Meatless Mondays", Alex and Heather's "Hearth and Soul", and Deb's "Souper Sunday"link-ups for this Thanksgiving week.
. Pin It
Last night my mother prepared a simple dinner for us: one of the quintessential Northern Italian comfort foods that exemplifies "cucina povera" (poor food), and which is the infamous soup of the Tuscan people: Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta and Beans Soup. In Italy every family has their own treasured recipe for this soup and my family is no exception. You can witness this mind-boggling diversity simply from reading recipes from other blogs, Italian cookbooks, or just from searching the Web for the recipe. As the weather becomes somewhat cooler here in the South (it is 73 degrees today) and the evenings become a bit chilly the minute the sun is down, it seems just perfect to imitate the "bean lovers" (as Tuscans are called due to their love affair with the beautiful bean), by sipping this savory soup. We lovingly call this soup "Pasta Fajool" (fa-zhool)!
My parents may not have enjoyed abundance when they were growing up as children of immigrants, but their mothers kept the kitchen aromas filling their homes, as pots of soups or pasta simmered slowly on the stove. My father said they had Pasta e Fagioli soup nearly every night for dinner when my grandfather was a coal miner in the Midwest.
Nothing represents love and comfort as much as a simple, hearty warm soup and some bread to sop it up with! Although this soup was considered the food of the poor, one certainly is never hungry after one full bowl; it is that satisfying. Plus soup is so restorative to our health and our souls!
.
.
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)
Olive oil (to saute the vegetables) *
5 stalks of celery, including leaves, cleaned with thick white end cut off, and then chopped *
1/2 cup chopped carrots (optional) *
1 onion, chopped *
1 big bunch of Italian parsley, cleaned, stems cut off, and chopped *
4 cloves garlic minced *
3 quarts water
1 6-oz. can tomato paste (add more until your desired level of 'red' color and tomato flavor is reached)
2 cans red kidney beans (I prefer dark red) ~ ~ if you use fresh beans, they must be soaked in water overnight (you can also use pinto beans or a white bean variety)
Pasta (in this case I used mini-farfalle), but often 'ditalini' pasta is used
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
Fresh, crusty, artisanal Italian bread
* These are known as "soffrito" or the 'fried' base of a soup, which can be made ahead and frozen.
If using dried beans, cover them completely with water in a pot and soak overnight. Drain water the next day.
In a large, heavy 4 - 5 quart pot, saute the onion, carrots, and celery in the olive oil.
Add the parsley and garlic and saute for one more minute.
Fill the pot with the water.
Add the tomato paste/ tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Add the kidney beans, reduce the heat just slightly and cook until slightly tender.
Bring back to a boil and add the pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Serve in warmed bowls.
Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Serve with freshly, grated Parmigiano cheese and fresh bread.
THIS SOUP IS BETTER IF allowed to rest for 2 hours before serving; it thickens up nicely. It is even better the NEXT day when all of the flavors are allowed to marry and blend! If you choose to do this, don't put the pasta in until the soup is re-warmed and THEN boil your pasta for 7 minutes/until al dente. If you have the pasta noodles in for a long time, they become very large from absorbing the soup liquid.
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I'm sharing this recipe with Chaya's "My Meatless Mondays", Alex and Heather's "Hearth and Soul", and Deb's "Souper Sunday"link-ups for this Thanksgiving week.
. Pin It
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday & Seasonal Saturday
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Last week was another week of delicious and very inspiring posts shared by numerous bloggers who are passionate about their blogs on Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday / Seasonal Saturday. The recipes this time of year, the photos, and the decorating ideas are just delightful to read and look at. I hope that you enjoy reading them as much as I did!
Have a beautiful and Happy Thanksgiving!
Click on "Read More" below my signature to read all of the great posts that were shared last weekend.
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Have a beautiful and Happy Thanksgiving!
Click on "Read More" below my signature to read all of the great posts that were shared last weekend.
Pin It
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Smoky Bacon and Prosciutto Biscuit Stuffing/Dressing
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The newest recipe to add to my recipe box is this yummy, yummy stuffing/dressing that my daughter, Lauren and her hubby, Dawson prepared last year when we visited them for Thanksgiving in Tennessee. It is different than any other stuffing/dressing recipe that I've ever made because it calls for biscuits! It is adapted from a recipe once posted on the Williams-Sonoma web-site. If you haven't already seen it, here it is for you. Lauren is turning into quite the gourmand, trying many new recipes, including this stuffing/dressing side dish for the holidays. I highly recommend this dish!
Smokey Bacon - Proscuitto Biscuit Dressing (Williams-Sonoma adaptation)
Twelve 4-inch cream biscuits, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb. sliced smoky bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 thinly sliced prosciutto, minced into small pieces (our addition)
2 yellow onions, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
5 cloves of garlic, minced (our addition)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 cups chicken stock
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Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F.
Spread the biscuits out on a baking sheet.
Toast in the oven until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.
In a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes.
Add the minced prosciutto and cook for one more minute or so.
Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Pour off all but 3 Tbs. of the fat from the pan.
Set the pan over medium heat and add the onions.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the celery, mushrooms, parsley, sage and thyme and cook until the celery is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes
Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl.
Add the bacon to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add the biscuits and stock and stir to combine.
Transfer the dressing to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the dressing is lightly browned, about 20 minutes more.
Thanks Lauren and Dawson for the recipe!!! ;-D
Photo is from the Williams-Sonoma web-site
.The newest recipe to add to my recipe box is this yummy, yummy stuffing/dressing that my daughter, Lauren and her hubby, Dawson prepared last year when we visited them for Thanksgiving in Tennessee. It is different than any other stuffing/dressing recipe that I've ever made because it calls for biscuits! It is adapted from a recipe once posted on the Williams-Sonoma web-site. If you haven't already seen it, here it is for you. Lauren is turning into quite the gourmand, trying many new recipes, including this stuffing/dressing side dish for the holidays. I highly recommend this dish!
Smokey Bacon - Proscuitto Biscuit Dressing (Williams-Sonoma adaptation)
Twelve 4-inch cream biscuits, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb. sliced smoky bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 thinly sliced prosciutto, minced into small pieces (our addition)
2 yellow onions, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
5 cloves of garlic, minced (our addition)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 cups chicken stock
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Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F.
Spread the biscuits out on a baking sheet.
Toast in the oven until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.
In a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes.
Add the minced prosciutto and cook for one more minute or so.
Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Pour off all but 3 Tbs. of the fat from the pan.
Set the pan over medium heat and add the onions.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the celery, mushrooms, parsley, sage and thyme and cook until the celery is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes
Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl.
Add the bacon to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add the biscuits and stock and stir to combine.
Transfer the dressing to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the dressing is lightly browned, about 20 minutes more.
Thanks Lauren and Dawson for the recipe!!! ;-D
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Sunday, November 14, 2010
Pastina Chicken Soup ~ ~ Italian Childhood Memories
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Here's a soup that is near and dear to my heart that evokes childhood memories of my mother's cooking. Made with homemade chicken broth, it is extremely easy to prepare and will warm not only your heart but also your children's hearts. I say that this is easy with the caveat that simplicity comes after the broth is made. My mother made her version of chicken noodle soup with homemade chicken broth and tiny, tiny little pasta shaped in the form of stars . . . known as 'pastina'. This is also a recipe that is representative of the 'cucina povera' (poor food) that my relatives ate in the harsh environment of the Italian mountains in the 19th and 20th centuries prior to moving to America.
My family recipe for chicken broth (Brodo di Pollo) is posted on November 25, 2009. You can click here for the recipe.
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Who doesn't like chicken noodle soup? And what soup comes to mind the most when someone is a little under the weather and in need of some warm comfort food? Chicken noodle soup is just a classic, traditional soup in our culture.
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Pastina in Chicken Broth (Pastina en Brodo di Pollo)
6 cups chicken broth (I make and freeze my own chicken broth, so I always have some on hand ~ recipe posted on 11/25/09, click here)
1 2-inch piece of Parmesan cheese rind
1 cup pastina (any tiny, tiny pasta shape)
2 cups diced cooked chicken, preferably breast meat (optional, my family does not include)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Giada used Romano, which is a nice cheese as well)
Sea salt to taste
In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth (preferably home-made) and Parmesan rind to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the tiny pastina noodles and cook until the pasta is tender for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken if used, and heat through about 3 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind and discard.
Stir in 1/2 of the cheese.
Season with sea salt to taste.
Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese, if desired.
Serve with warm, crusty Italian bread for sopping up any extra broth.
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Here's a soup that is near and dear to my heart that evokes childhood memories of my mother's cooking. Made with homemade chicken broth, it is extremely easy to prepare and will warm not only your heart but also your children's hearts. I say that this is easy with the caveat that simplicity comes after the broth is made. My mother made her version of chicken noodle soup with homemade chicken broth and tiny, tiny little pasta shaped in the form of stars . . . known as 'pastina'. This is also a recipe that is representative of the 'cucina povera' (poor food) that my relatives ate in the harsh environment of the Italian mountains in the 19th and 20th centuries prior to moving to America.
My family recipe for chicken broth (Brodo di Pollo) is posted on November 25, 2009. You can click here for the recipe.
.
.
Who doesn't like chicken noodle soup? And what soup comes to mind the most when someone is a little under the weather and in need of some warm comfort food? Chicken noodle soup is just a classic, traditional soup in our culture.
.
.
Pastina in Chicken Broth (Pastina en Brodo di Pollo)
6 cups chicken broth (I make and freeze my own chicken broth, so I always have some on hand ~ recipe posted on 11/25/09, click here)
1 2-inch piece of Parmesan cheese rind
1 cup pastina (any tiny, tiny pasta shape)
2 cups diced cooked chicken, preferably breast meat (optional, my family does not include)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Giada used Romano, which is a nice cheese as well)
Sea salt to taste
In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth (preferably home-made) and Parmesan rind to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the tiny pastina noodles and cook until the pasta is tender for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken if used, and heat through about 3 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind and discard.
Stir in 1/2 of the cheese.
Season with sea salt to taste.
Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese, if desired.
Serve with warm, crusty Italian bread for sopping up any extra broth.
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Friday, November 12, 2010
Seasonal Saturday and Fresh, Clean & Pure Friday
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Just incredible posts for all things fresh, clean and pure and/or seasonal that we've incorporated into our lives have been shared in the these weekend get-togethers. The recipes are mouth-watering, the decor is beautiful, the thoughts and photos are incredible, the gardens are stunning, and the fashion/crafts are current and fresh! Here are just a few of the over 50 posts from the last two weeks that were so inspiring and motivating (I didn't provide this list last week, so there's 2 weeks worth of great inspiration for you to read). If you're post isn't on the list, it might have been included a few weeks ago, or it will be featured in the future. I'm just trying to keep it manageable, not preferential. So keep 'em coming and enjoy each other's creativity and efforts to inspire all of us!
Fresh Food:
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls by gnee @ Singing with the Birds
Caramelized Apple Strudel from elra @ elra
Loaded and Lite Potato Soup from Anne @ anniebakes
Fresh Cranberry and Banana Muffins from Lizzie @ cook it allergy free
Cinnamon Spice Bread from Healthy Mama @Simply Healthy Family
Raspberry Scones ~ Heart Smart from Claudia @ Blogs Got Heart
Fresh Looks in Decor:
Grapes on the Vine from Melissa @ Melissa's Heart and Home
Fall Surprise Quilt from gnee @ Singing with the Birds
Autumn Interior Decor & First Snowfall from Bernideen @ Bernideen's Tea Time
Fresh Photography, Poetry or Thoughts:
Going Home (Beautiful Autumn Photos) from Jamie @ Beyond The Kitchen Window
Make The Most of Your Life Tips from Java @ Never Growing Old
Time Out for Grownups from Ramblings of a Woman
Fresh Handmade Crafts:
Paper Weaves from Gail @ Can't Stop Making Things
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Fresh Food:
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls by gnee @ Singing with the Birds
Caramelized Apple Strudel from elra @ elra
Loaded and Lite Potato Soup from Anne @ anniebakes
Fresh Cranberry and Banana Muffins from Lizzie @ cook it allergy free
Cinnamon Spice Bread from Healthy Mama @Simply Healthy Family
Raspberry Scones ~ Heart Smart from Claudia @ Blogs Got Heart
Fresh Looks in Decor:
Grapes on the Vine from Melissa @ Melissa's Heart and Home
Fall Surprise Quilt from gnee @ Singing with the Birds
Autumn Interior Decor & First Snowfall from Bernideen @ Bernideen's Tea Time
Fresh Photography, Poetry or Thoughts:
Going Home (Beautiful Autumn Photos) from Jamie @ Beyond The Kitchen Window
Make The Most of Your Life Tips from Java @ Never Growing Old
Time Out for Grownups from Ramblings of a Woman
Fresh Handmade Crafts:
Paper Weaves from Gail @ Can't Stop Making Things
- Link-up your post, with a lovely photo and title of your post.
- As always, I delete any post not related to the theme of "anything fresh, clean, pure and/or seasonal in your life" . . . no posts to try to sell or giveaway anything, no posts with only coupons or store promotionals.
- Post the button if you like; THEY ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF MY BLOG!
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Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Pots of Bolognese Sauce Simmering While Grading Exams
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Now that my parents are here for a few months, the kitchen has been in full gear with constant cooking of large amounts of food to freeze. Yesterday, Mom made homemade 'brodo' while I was at work, otherwise known as chicken broth. This will be used for 'tortellini in brodo' that we traditionally prepare for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. And today, while I was home grading my students' exams and papers, my mother made two gigantic pots of our family's Bolognese sauce. Some Italian-Americans call this 'ragu', while others say "Sunday gravy", but we have always simply called it spaghetti sauce! Well, no matter what one chooses to call this classic recipe, my entire family could not live without it's incredible taste! This truly is my husband's favorite thing to put in his mouth and devour!
One tall pot cooks on the stove for a few hours, while a shorter, but super wide pot of sauce stews on the other side. The perforated pizza pan under the pot is placed there to prevent the sauce from burning on the bottom of the pot . . . even if the stove is set on low temperatures, you don't ever want this to burn, or the whole batch will be ruined.
Click on "Read More" below my signature to read the rest of this post.
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Now that my parents are here for a few months, the kitchen has been in full gear with constant cooking of large amounts of food to freeze. Yesterday, Mom made homemade 'brodo' while I was at work, otherwise known as chicken broth. This will be used for 'tortellini in brodo' that we traditionally prepare for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. And today, while I was home grading my students' exams and papers, my mother made two gigantic pots of our family's Bolognese sauce. Some Italian-Americans call this 'ragu', while others say "Sunday gravy", but we have always simply called it spaghetti sauce! Well, no matter what one chooses to call this classic recipe, my entire family could not live without it's incredible taste! This truly is my husband's favorite thing to put in his mouth and devour!
One tall pot cooks on the stove for a few hours, while a shorter, but super wide pot of sauce stews on the other side. The perforated pizza pan under the pot is placed there to prevent the sauce from burning on the bottom of the pot . . . even if the stove is set on low temperatures, you don't ever want this to burn, or the whole batch will be ruined.
Mmmm . . . the whole house is filled with the smell of Italian mama love!
I'd mentioned a few weeks ago about this time of year (nearing the end of Fall Semester) and needing to pay more time and attention to my responsibilities at the office, rather than blogging. So here's just one of the stacks of papers and exams that I was reading and grading while Mom worked hard, but happily, in the kitchen. She loves to cook and do all of this for her kids, and we are so fortunate and grateful!
Click on "Read More" below my signature to read the rest of this post.
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Saturday, November 6, 2010
Seasonal Saturday & Fresh Clean and Pure Friday
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So without further chitter-chatter, I'll post this week's Linky for Seasonal Saturday and Fresh, Clean and Pure Fridays!
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Thursday, November 4, 2010
Chocolate Croissants: My First Puff Pastry Experience
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I have never played with puff pastry before . . . ever. It has always just seemed so intimidating and overly gourmet to me to attempt working with it. However, two of my cooking gurus, Nigella Lawson and Giada De Laurentiis have recipes for chocolate-filled croissants that I have been wanting to try. They seemed simple enough: purchase some high-quality frozen puff pastry and some high-quality dark chocolate and follow the two or three steps to complete the process. How difficult could that be?
Well, it wasn't that easy. The puff pastry nearly came to a full melt-down by the time I had it cut into little triangles. And even more soft and wet while placing the chocolate on each and rolling them up (or at least that was what I was trying to do!) But I felt determined to overcome my fear no matter what they turned out to be.
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Before making these, I was asking myself whether chocolate croissants are French or Italian? I believe that they are French in origin, but I've seen them sold in Italian cafes and trattorias in the U.S. too. Anyway, the reason why I ask is because this week's I Heart Cooking Clubs' theme is focused on Giada's recipes from 'outside of Italy'. Giada presented these croissants during one of her television shows and stated that she made hundreds of these when she lived in Paris for culinary school. So that must be the answer to my question . . . they're French! These simple pastries seemed to fit nicely with both the group's weekly theme and my super busy schedule this past week.
A trained pastry chef or baker, I certainly am not! So if you find these croissants somewhat on the less visually attractive side in the photos, I agree with you. But just bite into them, and you won't care what they look like! Yummy, melted chocolate is oozing inside the warm, buttery, flaky croissants which makes them a sweet piece of heaven. I now understand why people go so crazy over these things! I hope that you don't wait as long as I did to overcome a fear of puff pastry! Maybe with a little more practice, I might have some pretty croissants someday too.
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Chocolate Croissants
1 (13-ounce) package frozen butter puff pastry
1 chocolate bar (milk or dark chocolate, depending on your taste preference)
1 egg, beaten
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Unroll the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 6 squares.
Cut each square diagonally to give 2 small triangles.
Place the wider end of the triangle part facing you and the pointed edge away from you.
Break off small pieces of chocolate to place on the wide end nearest you.
Carefully roll from that chocolate loaded end towards the point of the triangle.
You should now have something resembling a straight croissant, seal it slightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent.
Place the chocolate croissants on a lined baking tray.
Brush some beaten egg on the tops.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy.
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. Pin It
I have never played with puff pastry before . . . ever. It has always just seemed so intimidating and overly gourmet to me to attempt working with it. However, two of my cooking gurus, Nigella Lawson and Giada De Laurentiis have recipes for chocolate-filled croissants that I have been wanting to try. They seemed simple enough: purchase some high-quality frozen puff pastry and some high-quality dark chocolate and follow the two or three steps to complete the process. How difficult could that be?
Well, it wasn't that easy. The puff pastry nearly came to a full melt-down by the time I had it cut into little triangles. And even more soft and wet while placing the chocolate on each and rolling them up (or at least that was what I was trying to do!) But I felt determined to overcome my fear no matter what they turned out to be.
.
Before making these, I was asking myself whether chocolate croissants are French or Italian? I believe that they are French in origin, but I've seen them sold in Italian cafes and trattorias in the U.S. too. Anyway, the reason why I ask is because this week's I Heart Cooking Clubs' theme is focused on Giada's recipes from 'outside of Italy'. Giada presented these croissants during one of her television shows and stated that she made hundreds of these when she lived in Paris for culinary school. So that must be the answer to my question . . . they're French! These simple pastries seemed to fit nicely with both the group's weekly theme and my super busy schedule this past week.
A trained pastry chef or baker, I certainly am not! So if you find these croissants somewhat on the less visually attractive side in the photos, I agree with you. But just bite into them, and you won't care what they look like! Yummy, melted chocolate is oozing inside the warm, buttery, flaky croissants which makes them a sweet piece of heaven. I now understand why people go so crazy over these things! I hope that you don't wait as long as I did to overcome a fear of puff pastry! Maybe with a little more practice, I might have some pretty croissants someday too.
.
.
Chocolate Croissants
1 (13-ounce) package frozen butter puff pastry
1 chocolate bar (milk or dark chocolate, depending on your taste preference)
1 egg, beaten
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Unroll the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 6 squares.
Cut each square diagonally to give 2 small triangles.
Place the wider end of the triangle part facing you and the pointed edge away from you.
Break off small pieces of chocolate to place on the wide end nearest you.
Carefully roll from that chocolate loaded end towards the point of the triangle.
You should now have something resembling a straight croissant, seal it slightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent.
Place the chocolate croissants on a lined baking tray.
Brush some beaten egg on the tops.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy.
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