Favorite Food Finds Friday!

It's Friday and that dear readers is the day when I share with you something fabulous that I have discovered while wheeling my cart around the supermarket. Rest assured that whatever I share with you is truly a favorite of mine and perhaps one day will be a favorite for you!

If you haven't seen this find before I think you're really going to like it...


Apple, Cranberry & Cinnamon Boursin!


Boursin cheese has long been one of my very favorites-especially the pepper flavor-but let me tell you the Apple, Cranberry Cinnamon variety...fabulous.


Boursin was created in 1957 by Francois Boursin a cheese maker from Normandy, France. Francois classified it as Gournay cheese naming it after the town in France where he grew up. The first variety was herb and garlic.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner this sweet and savory treat makes the perfect appetizer. Today I've paired it with a favorite recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pecans from Bon Appetit magazine. While I'm sure you'll agree that the cheese and the nuts are each fabulous in their own right, the flavors and spice of each really pop when you put them together. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve the nuts with the Boursin:


1. Serve the nuts in place of crackers and have your guests spread the cheese right onto the spicy nuts.


2. Toast sliced baguettes, spread each cooled slice with the Boursin then top with the nuts.

3. After the nuts are completely cooled, crush them then completely cover the Boursin with the nuts; serve with crackers.


4. Make a salad of spinach, apples, dried cranberries and very thinly sliced red onion. Add the Boursin Apple Cranberry and Cinnamon and the sweet and spicy nuts-then serve with a balsamic vinaigrette


Oh and one more thing-it's only around for the Holidays so be sure to try it while you can. Enjoy!!



Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans
Bon Appétit September 1999


Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups


Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (generous) freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 325;°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine corn syrup and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pecans; stir gently to coat.


Transfer to baking sheet. Place large piece of foil on work surface. Bake pecans 5 minutes. Using fork, stir pecans to coat with melted spice mixture. Continue baking until pecans are golden and coating bubbles, about 10 minutes. Transfer to foil. Working quickly, separate nuts with fork. Cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

After-Halloween Breakfast

I love that Halloween falls on a Friday this year. It means there will probably be a lot more trick or treaters. I just love seeing the costumes kids (usually moms) come up with each year. But even better (and my kids will agree) is that they don't have to worry about getting any homework done before rushing out the door and they can have their friends sleepover after a long hard night of trick or treating.

When the candy has all been counted and traded hopefully your ghosts and goblins (with a bit of nudging) will fade off to sleep. But the treats don't have to end when the porch light is shut off. Why not make a breakfast treat to greet them in the morning?

I'll be making Warm French Toast with Caramel Apple Topping. French toast is one of my favorite breakfast treats and it's one that my kids love too-in fact when they were little we would often make it together in the evenings for dinner if my H was going to be late. I would fill small bowls with milk, add food coloring to each then give the kids paintbrushes so they could "paint" their bread before dipping into the batter and frying.

They are not interested in painting the bread anymore but that doesn't mean they don't love French Toast. I have a few favorite breads to use for making the toast either Pepperidge Farm Italian Bread (try to buy it at the Pepperidge Farm outlet if you have one nearby as that tends to be a bit stale-perfect for French toast).I also like buying Texas Toast bread. In my supermarket the Texas Toast bread is located (oddly) in the deli section right under the deli case; it's a thick yellowish bread that makes fabulous French toast. If whole wheat bread is your preference I really like Arnold's Healthy Multigrain. But feel free to substitute your family's favorite bread.

Warm French Toast with Caramel Apple Topping

Caramel Apples:

1/2 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons half and half

2 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced

French Toast:

1 cup skim milk

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter

12 slices bread (your choice...I used the Pepperidge Farm Italian)

First make the caramel apple topping. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until melted. Add the half and half, stirring until combined. Stir in the apples and completely coat with caramel. Keep warm while preparing the French Toast.

In a large bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt; whisk until well combined and frothy.

In a large skill melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter over medium high heat. Dip a bread slice into the milk mixture coating both sides of the bread. Add to the hot pan. Cook the bread several slices at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Keep the toasts warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven until all the toasts are prepared.

Serve the French Toast with the Caramel Apple Topping.

Yield: 12 toasts

The Ultimate Fall Salad

Beautiful ruby red jewels have started to appear in my supermarket's produce aisle...it's pomegranate season.

For years I passed pomegranates by without giving much of a thought to them-always intimidated by the odd looking insides revealed when sliced open. But in a moment of bravery I sliced one open and actually tasted one of the little seeds and that's all she wrote-from September to January I can't get enough of them.

Truth be told, I don't love salads. Don't get me wrong I like them and I eat them all the time mostly because I know they are good for you. But you know what? I love this salad. I mean I really love it-I could eat it every day, love it. At the risk of sounding too superlative this is the ultimate fall salad. The crispness of the apples combined with the anise flavor of the fennel is perfectly complemented by the tartness of the pomegranate. I recommend using Cortland apples because they stay white longer than most apples and they are a perfect texture for salads.

The California Pomegranate Council offers some tips for no mess removal of the seeds here.

Apple, Fennel, Walnut and Pomegranate Salad with White Pepper Parmesan Vinaigrette

1 medium sized head of fennel, very thinly sliced

1 medium Cortland apple, peeled and cut into matchsticks

2 tablespoon walnuts

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion (white part only)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 Pom Wonderful Fresh Pomegranate

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Place the fennel, apple and walnuts in a medium sized bowl.

Combine the vinegar, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, scallion and pepper in a blender or small food processor; process until smooth.

Pour the vinaigrette over the fennel and apple and toss to coat. Divide the salad between two plates. Slice the pomegranate in half and remove arils. Garnish each salad with the pomegranate arils and season each salad with the salt.

Yield: 2 salads

Moist Butterscotch Apple Pecan Bars

Hold on shoppers, don’t wheel your cart out of the produce aisle yet-I’ve got another apple recipe…a tasty snack cake.

In an effort to eat more fruit (and because they are just so good right now) I am trying to eat an apple a day for (at least) the next month. It’s what the doctor says we should be doing, right? Don’t worry; I’m not counting apples baked into a snack cake or biscuits as my apple for the day-that can just be a bonus. I am going to eat a sliced apple every day.

Are your kids picky about how you slice an apple? My kids never have been, but recently my daughter had a friend over who would not eat the apple the way I sliced it. For the better part of the last six years I have had one or more of my children in braces and I have been slicing my apples not into the (apparently) more popular wedges but rather into almost paper thin slices and although we are (temporarily) braces-free we all now prefer paper thin slices…of course I sliced some wedges for the friend, but geesh it’s not like she’s a toddler-she’s twelve!

Super tips for selecting and storing apples:

Choose firm apples free of bruises or brown spots

Not all tasty apples are red-just look for clear smooth coloring

Store apples in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator away from other strong smelling produce (like leeks or other onions) apples will pick up thier odors

While apples look lovely in a bowl on your table, just remember that they will not last as long-so eat or use them quickly

1 medium sized apple will equal about 1 cup diced

1 pound of apples yields about 3 cups of diced fruit


The Cook's Thesaurus had a great breakdown of the best apples for whatever you are making:

Best for eating out of hand: Gala, Fuji, Mutsu, Jonathan, Cameo, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Empire, Red Delicious, McIntosh, Braeburn, Winesap, Pink Lady, Sundowner
Best for pies: Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Rhode Island Greening, Pippin, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Gravenstein
Best for applesauce: Pippin, Rhode Island Greening, McIntosh, Elstar, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Gravenstein
Best for baking: Rome, Jonagold, Granny Smith, Pippin, Gala, Braeburn, Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Rhode Island Greening, York Imperial, Cortland, Winesap
Best for making salads: Cortland, Golden Delicious, Empire, Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji, Winesap, Criterion, Pink Lady

Moist Butterscotch Apple Pecan Bars

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup fat free milk
1 large egg
2 cups diced, peeled apple
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Butterscotch drizzle:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 13x9 inch baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter and the sugar with an electric mixer. In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter, beating just until combined. Mix in the vanilla, milk and egg. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Scatter the apple and pecans over the mixture, pressing down gently.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the butterscotch drizzle, melt the butter and the brown sugar in a skillet over medium high heat until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 30 seconds; drizzle over the warm cake; allow the cake to cool slightly before cutting into bars to serve.

You know you want a scoop of ice cream with it…go ahead wheel your cart over to the frozen food section for a pint of vanilla.

Quick Apple Cheddar Biscuits with Spicy Walnut Butter

It's prime apple season here in New England. As I sip my (fresh pressed) apple cider, savoring every juicy drop, I am reminded of how very fortunate we are to leave nearby to several beautiful apple orchards. I won't buy cider at any other time of the year other than the fall-it's just not worth it and quite honestly it makes the cups of cider I enjoy each fall that much more delicious.

With our towns close proximity to orchards it means our local supermarkets are also bursting with local apples-oh there are a few out-of-staters... a few New York apples or maybe even some Washington state ones...but honestly I would never buy them this time of year when our local orchards are filling the supermarket shelves with their apples.

First up are Cortland Apples...crisp and sturdy, Cortland apples are delicious for baking. They are a cross of McIntosh and Ben Davis varieties and get their name from Cortland County New York. But I picked mine right here in Connecticut.

I made apple biscuits using diced Cortland apples. I served the biscuits right from the oven with a spicy walnut butter.

Quick Apple Cheddar Biscuits with Spicy Walnut Butter

1 1/2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick
1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup diced Cortland (Gala, Granny Smith or Rome would be fine also) Apples, peeled (about 1 apple)
1/2 cup fat free milk

Butter:
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the Bisquick, cheddar, apples and milk; stir together using a wooden spoon. Drop biscuits 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 7-9 minutes. Serve warm with the spicy butter.

Makes 10 biscuits

To make the spicy butter, combine the softened butter, walnuts, cinnamon and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

Here are a few other super serving suggestions:
Serve warm with sausage patties
Spread with a bit of cream cheese and a few sliced roasted red peppers
Use for sandwiches made with regular or spiced ham
Serve as a "crouton" in a butternut squash soup

Quick Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Apple Pan Sauce

One of the things I love most about pork tenderloins is that they are quick. Whether you grill them or roast them you can have a company worthy dish in less than 30 minutes. That being said we were not having company in the middle of the week-I just wanted dinner for the five of us for one of the few nights when we can actually sit down together like a family and eat.

Peter Brady (yes, the one from the Brady Bunch) had it right when he said "Pork chops and Appleshaus"....pork and apples just go together. (Tell me you haven't said it that way: "Pork chops and Appleshaus"). I didn't make an applesauce, but rather an Apple pan sauce with chunky apples and apple cider. The pork is rubbed with a spicy mixture of pumpkin pie spices and chili powder and then roasted for 17 minutes-tasty and simple. I served the pork with green beans and wild rice and it was a delicious meal.

The apple cider in the supermarket this time of year comes from one of the many orchards around town and is really tasty-I love cider this time of year and it really made a perfect sauce. Don't substitute apple juice it just won't give it the same rich flavor, if you can't find any cider I would just use a good quality red wine instead.

Quick Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Apple Pan Sauce

2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 large apple (I used Gala), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 large shallot, minced

2/3 cup apple cider

2/3 cup chicken broth

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.

Pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels and place in a large oven safe skillet. In a small bowl combine the butter, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the tenderloins. Scatter the diced apples and the shallots around the tenderloins.

Roast the pork in the oven for 17 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Remove the tenderloins from the skillet and place on a cutting board; cover loosely with foil while preparing the sauce.

Using a potholder (the handle of the skillet will be very hot) transfer the skillet to the stove top. Add half of the cider and the 2/3 cup of chicken broth to the pan; bring to a boil, stirring and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Reduce the heat and whisk in the remaining cider, chili powder and salt and cook until the liquid is again reduced to about 1/2 cup.

To serve, carve the tenderloins into 1/2 inch thick slices, fan onto a serving platter and spoon the pan sauce over. Garnish if desired with additional chili powder.

Yield: 6 servings

Muffin Mix Fix

Muffins make the perfect little something to add to breakfasts or lunchboxes. They're compact, they're tasty, they're cute-even the name is cute: muffin.

Now while I know that there could probably be nothing easier to make from scratch than muffins-it's all in one bowl for goodness sakes, sometimes things catch your eye in the supermarket and you just have to give them a try. The something in question that recently caught my eye was a muffin mix called Fiber One Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix.

I've tried other Fiber One things, like their cereals and granola bars with mixed results. The cereals I will often snack on and while I really like the taste of the granola bars, I'm not exactly sure what's in there, but, about half an hour after eating them I have stomach cramps and gas. Now why you ask given those results would I try another of their products? Well...I don't know exactly, but I did and I can say that the muffins were delicious and gas/cramp free.

I felt compelled to fiddle with the mix a bit and I added a cream cheese walnut component-which I thought was just right; I like a little crunch in my muffins so the addition of walnuts seemed natural. Other possible add ins could be a streusel topping or a cream cheese frosting. I did burn mine a little bit, but that's just because I was on the phone when the timer went off and didn't hear it...oops.

Fiber One Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Cream Cheese and Walnuts

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 package Fiber One Apple Cinnamon Muffin mix prepared according to package directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a small food processor, combine the cream cheese, brown sugar and egg; process until smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

Divide half the Fiber One batter between the muffin cups. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the batter in the cups, evenly dividing. Spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins

Roller Coaster Eating

I am declaring this week: Salad Week.

As a celebration for the end of school we took the kids to Six Flags Great Adventure. My two oldest kids are big roller coaster lovers and Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ is sort of a roller coaster mecca. Great Adventure boasts a coaster that is the tallest and the fastest in the world: Kingda Ka. Of course my guys thought it was fabulous...my H and I just waved as they took off with our youngest watching nervously by our sides.

I'm not much of a ride person. I was when I was younger, but it seems for me that with age has come a fear of "death defying" rides of thrill. I'm thrilled enough that I get up every morning. So wandering around a theme park not riding rides leads to one very dangerous (sometimes thrilling) act: eating. I love "carnival" foods-popcorn, cotton candy, funnel cakes, churros, burgers, fries and ice cream. And quite honestly, I'm afraid I may have eaten my weight in carnival food on this trip. It can be very tempting waiting for kids on rides and sitting right next to the grilled burger stand (Six Flags Great Adventure has Johnny Rocket's burgers and they are quite tasty).

So in an effort to get my eating back on track I have declared this week to be salad week. I'm going to have salad for lunch and dinner every day this week. First up is a grilled pork salad with apples topped with a tangy maple scented balsamic vinaigrette. There is a bit of cheddar cheese in the salad but I tried to go very light. The salad also has a sprinkling of pepitas-hulled pumpkin seeds which add a bit of salty crunch. Pepitas can usually be found near the nuts in the produce section of most supermarkets.

Salt and Pepper Grilled Pork Salad with Apples

1 (approximately 1 lb.) pork tenderloin

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 cups shredded Romaine lettuce

2 large apples, cut into thin wedges, unpeeled

1-2 tablespoons crumbled light cheddar cheese

1-2 tablespoons lightly salted pepitas

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped shallot

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Lightly brush the pork tenderloin with the teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil then coat with the salt and pepper. Place the pork on the grill rack and cook, turning occasionally, for a total of 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and pork registers 140 degrees when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part. Remove from the grill and let the pork rest for about 8-10 minutes before carving into 1/2 inch thick slices.

Divide the Romaine lettuce between 4 salad plates. Arrange the pork slices in the center of the Romaine and fan the apples to the sides. Sprinkle each salad with with the cheddar cheese and the pepitas, evenly dividing.

Rapidly whisk together (you may use a blender) the vinaigrette ingredients until smooth and well blended. Drizzle the vinaigrette over each salad and serve.

Yield: 4 main dish salads