Gouda Puff Pastry Twist

Over the summer, I was all about cool appetizers like cucumber salsa or caprese salad. But now that I'm layering up in the mornings on walks with my dog, I'm in the mood to be comforted. This Gouda Puff Pastry Twist really did the trick!

I had a puff pastry I needed to use and some extra Gouda cheese in the fridge from the weekend. I followed Baked Bree's directions on how to do the braid, or "twist," but added in some smoked sweet paprika which I hoped would compliment the spicy mustard.

Once thawed, roll out the puff pastry on a heavily floured board or countertop. Put the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I forgot to do this step and had to carefully move it over to the parchment paper - a little nerve racking.

Make slits in the puff pastry like pictured above.

Spread some spicy mustard down the middle of the puff pastry, about 2-3 tablespoons. Spread with a knife and sprinkle with paprika spice.

Layer the cheese on top of the mustard.

Overlap the pastry strips in a braid form.

Create an egg wash of 1 egg and a few teaspoons of water. Use a brush to top this over the braid to seal in the gooey, cheesy inside.

Seal the ends tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Try this out with any of your favorite cheese and spices, like mozzarella, bruschetta and oregano, or brie and a fruity jam!

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Gouda Puff Pastry Twist

• one sheet of thawed puff pastry or crescent roll dough
• Gouda cheese
• spicy brown mustard
• smoked sweet paprika

1. Roll out the puff pastry on a well floured or counter. Put the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make slits in the puff pastry like pictured above. You are going to overlap the strips to close the puff pastry.

2. Squeeze some mustard down the middle of the puff pastry. About 2 Tablespoons.

3. Spread the mustard out using a pastry brush or knife. Top with smoked sweet paprika.

4. Arrange the Gouda slices evenly on top of the mustard. Top with additional spice if desired.

5. Overlap the strips of puff pastry.

6. To make an egg wash, whisk together the egg and a few teaspoons of water. Brush the egg wash over the braided puff pastry. Seal the ends together tightly.

7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Not Your Grandmother's Toffee Bars

Have you ever been to a party and found yourself returning to the most delicious item on the food table, continuously munching, yet trying to be discrete? Watching it out of the corner of your eye and timing your return perfectly.

Guilty...

On the other hand, have you ever been to a party, tried something delicious, and just straight up never left the food table? Guilty again. Except recently, it was with the dessert table I couldn't seem to part from. The rest of the party didn't seem to wander far either, and if they did, they were back within seconds to grab another...toffee bar.

Toffee bar?! I know. Toffee was one of the few dessert I completely avoided when I was younger. As a kid I went for the ice cream sundaes, Klondike bars, fudge, candy, chocolate chip cookies, etc. - totally bypassing toffee because, I mean, what even is toffee? 

I didn't know then, but I sure know now. Toffee is caramelized sugar typically heated with butter. Love sugar. Love butter. So sign me up...this is what I've been missing all these years?

Make these, bring them to an upcoming Friendsgiving or holiday cookie exchange, and watch them disappear before your eyes. The recipe calls Saltine crackers on the bottom, which makes for a salty, sweet, and slightly nutty chocolate treat.

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Saltine Toffee Bars

• 1 sleeve Saltine Crackers (with sea salt)
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar or 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Line baking sheet with Saltines salt side up. 

2. Melt butter on medium heat in sauce pan. Add sugar, stir until it caramelizes (bring to a boil and then stir constantly for 3-5 mins, but be careful not to let it burn). 

3. Pour butter/sugar mixture over crackers and smooth so it covers evenly. The mixture will spread as it bakes, too. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until a light golden brown. 

4. Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips over the top. Once melted, spread chocolate to cover all crackers. 

5. Top with chopped nuts. Let cool completely in freezer/fridge, then break into large pieces. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

Whether you're planning a meal for tons of people, or just want some dang good homemade Mexican food, this is the recipe for you. Brian's aunt and cousin whipped up Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce for dinner during a family beach trip to Rehoboth this year, and they were simply delicious! A store-bought rotisserie chicken makes these cheesy enchiladas quick and easy, and the avocado cream sauce makes them completely gourmet.

You may have seen this dish floating around on Pinterest, but keep reading for the Marentette's how-to!

Start with making the cream sauce. Melt two tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add two tablespoons of flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.

Slowly whisk two cups of chicken broth into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in 3/4 cup sour cream, along with half a teaspoon of: cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps.

Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well-blended. Tip: be very careful blending hot liquids -- the heat will expand! So be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.

Feelin' saucy.

For the enchiladas, shred one (or two) rotisserie chickens and set aside.

Next, heat two tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add sliced onion, poblano and jalapeño, and saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions are cooked and translucent. Remove from heat.

Pat yourself on the back, now its time for the fun part.

To assemble the enchiladas, place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or two of the avocado sauce down the middle of the tortilla. Then layer on some of the vegetable mixture, shredded chicken and cheese. Carefully roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish.

Drizzle the top with avocado cream sauce, then cover the dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until tortillas are heated through and begin to harden.

Top with additional cheese (not necessary, but strongly suggested) and enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

Enchilada Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 poblano peppers, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (remove seeds for less heat)
• 8-10 6-inch flour tortillas
• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2-3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
• optional garnish: fresh cilantro, sour cream, and/or shredded cheese

Avocado Cream Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼  teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of one lime

To Make Avocado Cream Sauce:

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Slowly whisk the broth into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well-blended. (Be very careful blending hot liquids -- the heat will expand! So be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.) Season with additional salt or pepper if needed.

To Make Enchiladas:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, poblano and jalapeno, and saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions are cooked and translucent. Remove from heat.

3. To assemble the enchiladas, place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or two of the avocado sauce down the middle of the tortilla. Then layer on some of the vegetable mixture, shredded chicken and cheese. Carefully roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

4. Drizzle the top with about half of the remaining avocado cream sauce, then cover the dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until tortillas are heated through and begin to harden.

5. Remove from the oven and serve! You can also garnish with additional cilantro, cheese, and/or sour cream.

Baked Tomato Basil Salmon

Ugh, Monday again? Will you ever stop? The only enjoyable thing I find about this day of the week is it means grocery shopping was done yesterday. And I won't have to go back for at least two days. I'm finding salmon irresistible lately. But I'm growing weary of our typical ways of preparing it (either baked with lemon or with sweet and sour rub). Brian found this a Baked Tomato Basil Salmon recipe and we decided to tweak it a bit and try ourselves. We make a pretty good team, if I do say so myself...he does the research, and I execute in the kitchen. :o)

It's like Olive Garden meets Red Lobster up in here. So easy and delicious, but I think it could be restaurant-worthy if I added a nice balsamic glaze to it. Ah, next time...

See below for self-explanatory, step-by-step photos!

Tomato Basil Salmon

• 2 six ounce boneless, skinless salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 10 grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Salt, black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray or coat with olive oil.

2. Place the salmon fillets onto the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Sprinkle with minced garlic, then layer fresh basil leaves and tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on each filet.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the salmon is opaque in the center but flaky, and the cheese is lightly melted on top, about 12-13 minutes. Squeeze with fresh lemon juice (optional).

Northern Fried Chicken And Sweet Potato Waffles

I clearly remember the first time I had chicken and waffles, at Buttermilk Channel in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. Pathetic? Maybe. Maybe not - it was love at first bite...cheddar waffles, savoy slaw, balsamic maple glaze, crunchy fried chicken. I'm loving that this incredible dish is everywhere now; including a Lay's Potato Chips flavor, which I still have yet to try.

The days of decent friend chicken being found only below the Mason Dixon line are long over. I've had amaaazing fried chicken at a bowling alley in Brooklyn. Yep, a bowling alley. That made me believe that good food can be found anywhere. So, wherever you're living, knowing how to best fry up the bird will make you a king (or queen) among friends and family.

Pairing it with waffles, now...that's going to make you legendary.

I used the recipe for northern fried chicken from Blue Ribbon in NYC, which calls for matzo meal coating instead of traditional flour. This will make for some seriously crispy skin. I decided to pair it with sweet potato waffles, add a dollop of whipped herb goat cheese, and smother it in maple syrup. I'm sharing it with you in honor of National Waffle Week - a celebration of one of my top 3 breakfast foods and its contributions to American society.

Have a very chicken-and-waffle-y weekend!

Northern Fried Chicken

• Canola oil, for frying
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon each cayenne pepper, dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder
• 4 egg whites, beaten
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup matzo meal
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Pour oil to a depth of 2" in a 5-qt. Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°.

2. Combine paprika, cayenne, basil, parsley, and garlic and onion powders in a bowl; set aside. Put egg whites into a bowl. Combine flour, matzo, and baking powder in another bowl.

3. Working with one piece at a time, dip chicken in egg whites and press into matzo to coat. Shake off excess; transfer chicken to a rack set inside a baking sheet. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken until crispy and cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and the reserved paprika mixture. 

4. Serve on top of sweet potato waffles (recipe follows).

Sweet Potato Waffles

• 1 ½ cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

1. Put cubed sweet potatoes in a steamer basket. Place the basket in a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of steamer. Allow potatoes to steam for 20 minutes of until fork tender.

2. Mash cooked potatoes and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

4. In another bowl combine the sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, butter, and grated orange rind. Stir the sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture and thoroughly combine. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

5. Gradually fold egg whites into batter 1/3 at a time. The batter will be thick. Scoop batter onto a preheated, oiled waffle iron, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Whipped Goat Cheese

• Cream cheese
• 4 ounce herb flavored goat cheese log
• Milk

1. In a small mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip to combine one small 4 ounce herb goat cheese log with equal parts of cream cheese. 

2. Add a dash of milk and continue mixing until smooth and combined. 

3. Taste and add more milk as needed.