Potato Skins Extraordinaire

Makes 40

10 baked potatoes
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup Tex Mex shredded cheese blend
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Bake potatoes, set aside to cool.

2. Cook bacon, let cool then crumble.

3. Quarter potatoes and remove a layer of potato from each quarter. Brush each bottom with melted butter.

4. Brush each potato quarter with BBQ sauce. Top each with shredded cheese and bacon.

 

5. Place potato skins on baking pan and cook for 5 mins in a 425F preheated oven!

Voila

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

180 g unsalted butter, chopped (6 1/3 ounces)
150 g dark chocolate chopped (5 1/4 ounces unsweetened chocolate)
1 3/4 cups caster sugar (superfine sugar)
4 large eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (Barry's is the best)
50 g (1 3/4 ounces semisweet chocolate), chopped
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)

1. preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a 20 x 30 cm tin and line base and 2 long sides with foil or parchment paper. Sift flour and cocoa together.

2. Combine butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan, stir over a low heat until smooth (or place in large heatsafe bowl and melt in microwave on low heat in short bursts stirring well in between - I use the stovetop method). Transfer chocolate mixture to a large bowl and stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Once combined gently stir in flour and cocoa and the extra chopped chocolate.

3. Pour into the prepared pan. Drop small spoons of peanut butter into the chocolate mixture and swirl through to make a marble pattern with a knife.

4. Bake in over for 50 mins or until firm. Allow to cool in pan. Turn out and cut into squares.

Halloween Treats for all!!!

Braised Short Ribs on Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Green Beans and Poached Tomatoes

Ingredients


Braised Short Ribs

• 3 large onions, roughly chopped
• 3 - 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 4 large carrots, peeled, trimmed and chopped in 2 inch chunks
• 3 heads garlic cut in half
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 6 beef short ribs
• 1 cup flour
• 3 large beets, peeled and quartered
• 750 millilitre bottles red table wine
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup brown sugar
• Handful peppercorns
• A generous pinch coarse salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 1 head garlic
• 1 tablespoon good, fruity olive oil
• Several pinches of coarse salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• A sprig or 2 of fresh herbs (rosemary or thyme)
• 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled, and
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup cream

Green Beans

• 5 handfuls of small green beans (petits haricots verts)
• Water
• Salt
• 1 large shallot, julienned
• 2 tablespoons butter

Oil-Poached Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine

• 4 vine stems of cherry tomatoes
• 1- 2 cups good olive oil – needs to barely cover tomatoes in
• A pinch coarse salt
• 2 sprigs of fresh herbs
• ½ head garlic, sliced in half

Directions

1. Braised Short Ribs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (177 C)
2. Prepare all vegetables and place in large bowl. Add herbs and spices, set aside.

1. Cut ribs between the bones, and trim all excess outer fat.
2. Season ribs well with coarse salt. Dredge in flour till well coated.
3. In a large dutch oven or wide soup pot, pour in oil to coat bottom of pan. On high heat, sear the ribs so they are browned well on all sides (about 3 min per side). Set aside.
4. In same pan, transfer all vegetables from the bowl, and stir to caramelize and pick up all the brown bits.

1. Add meat back into pot. Pour wine over. Ensure all is covered and if not, top up with water.

1. Sprinkle on Cocoa powder and brown sugar, bring to a boil, cover with a lid or foil, and place in oven till meat is fork tender. (About 3 hours)
2. Remove ribs to a platter and strain out the solids to use for something else.
3. Boil the cooking liquid in a wide shallow pan till it is reduced by half. It will be richer, more flavourful and thicker. Add a nub of butter at the end for sheen and flavour.
4. Serve on a mound of Garlic Mashed Potatoes, topped with green beans and poached vine tomatoes. See recipes below.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1. Slice the top off a garlic head, drizzle with olive oil.
2. Sprinkle with salt, grind over some pepper and sprinkle on the herbs.
3. Wrap in a tin foil packet and roast in the oven for about 1 hour.
4. In a large saucepan, fill with water, and add a few good pinches of coarse salt and potatoes.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until just fork tender. Do not overcook or potatoes will be soggy.
6. Drain off the water, leaving potatoes in pot.
7. Add butter, and cream to potatoes and mash well.
8. Remove garlic from oven. Squeeze the garlic cloves into the potatoes. Stir in. The consistency you want is rough, with some lumps.
9. Season with salt and pepper if required.

Green Beans

1. Trim only the stem ends off the beans
2. Blanche beans in a pot of salted water for about 20 seconds.
3. Drain and immerse in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain on a towel. Beans should be original green in colour and crunchy to the bite.
4. Slice shallot into fine julienne.
5. In a large saute pan, on high heat, add butter and shallot. Stir to soften. Add beans and toss to warm through. Season with salt and black pepper if required.
6. Serve a little mound of beans on top of the beef short rib. Top with a poached stem of tomatoes.

Oil-Poached Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine

1. In a large saute pan add about 2 inches (5 cm) of olive oil. Bring to about 325 degrees F – just below frying temperature.
2. Season with salt, herbs and toss in the garlic.
3. Carefully place tomatoes, and poach until they swell up and almost burst. (About 3 - 4 minutes)
4. Use to garnish the beef short ribs.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you're ready to eat, ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

Twix Cheesecakes

Makes 12 cheesecakes

Crust
1/2 package Oreos (20 Oreos)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Batter
1 pound cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
12 mini Twix bars, chopped into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

In a food processor, grind up the Oreos into fine crumbs. Put the crumbs into a large bowl and add in the sugar. Mix to combine. Then pour in the melted butter and mix to coat all of the crumbs with butter.

Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Scoop a Tablespoon of the cookie crumbs into each cupcake liner. Using your hand, press the crumbs down firmly. Set the cupcake pan aside while you work the cheesecake filling.

(Sometimes I have some cookie crumb mixture left over. So if you do too, don’t worry.)

In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese until smooth on medium low speed, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on medium low speed, add in the sugar and mix to combine. Then add in the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly pour in the lightly beaten eggs and mix until the eggs are incorporated. Add in the sour cream and combine.

Chop the mini Twix bars into small pieces. Add them into the cheesecake batter and gently fold them in.

Using an ice cream scooper, scoop the cheesecake batter into each cupcake liner. 

Bake the cheesecakes at 275 degrees  F for 30 minutes. Chill the cheesecakes overnight in the refrigerator. 

ENJOY!!!