Double Tomato Bruschetta

1 French baguette
6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat the oven on broiler setting.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the baguette into 3/4 inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.

Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Italian Green Beans and Carrots

1 pound clean and trimmed green beans
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4
4 or more cloves garlic, can leave whole or minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 taspoon black pepper

Steam or blanch green beans and carrots 1-2 minutes or until slightly soft. Set aside. Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute minutes. Add prepared green beans and carrots, tossing to coat vegetables in oil. Add italian seasoning and butter. Saute 5-8 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Place in 1 1/2-quart container. Serve hot or cool, cover and refrigerate to serve as a cold salad or side dish. Serves 6-8.

Candied Walnuts or Pecans

2 cups raw walnuts or pecans
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a large baking pan.

Combine nuts, sugar and water ina heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until mixture crystallizeds, about 15 minutes. Spread pecans on the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn with an oiled metal spatula and bake another additional 15 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Almond Rice Pilaf

I got this recipe off http://www.sweetbabymedia.com and tweaked it with my Auntie Bing's recipe. Serves 6

3/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon butter
angel hair pasta, uncooked
olive oil/butter
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups water
2 cups uncooked Uncle Ben's rice/instant rice

In a sauce pan, saute onions and almonds in butter until the onion is tended and the almonds are lightly brown. In another pan, brown broken pieces of angel hair pasta in butter or olive oil. Add the browned angel hair to the onions and almonds. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5-8 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Ginger Creme Brulee

We recently served Ginger Creme Brulee at a function and so I'm on a mission to find a good Ginger Creme Brulee Recipe

Source: Chef Du Jour Cynthia Long Dj9217Makes: 4 servings


5 egg yolks
2 1/2 ounce granulated Sugar
1 pint heavy cream
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon fresh ginger -- peeled Chopped
Sugar for topping

Garnish:
Sliced Strawberries
Candied Ginger

Preheat oven to 350.
Place cream along with the ground and fresh ginger in a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Mix yolks and the sugar together.
Temper the cream mixture with the yolk mixture.
Let the mixture cool and strain.
Divide mixture into individual,shallow custard cups and place in a larger pan.
Place pan in oven and fill half way up with hot water.
Bake until custard is firm about 25-30.
Remove cups from pan and let cool. While custard is cooling preheat broiler. When cool,sprinkle a little sugar on each cup. Place under broiler to caramelize. Garnish with candied ginger and sliced strawberry. Custard cups may also be caramelized using a blow torch.

Ginger Creme Brulee

The trick to producing a good brulee is simply to have a rich, unltrasmooth custard and then to melt the sugar on top of it into an ice-rink-hard, paper-thin caramel without melting the custard. If you do not have a creme brulee iron or a very hot broiler, put the custards in a pan of ice water to keep them firm while you broil the sugar.
Note: The flavor of ginger is subtle in this dish. I'm not into "subtle" when it comes to ginger, so I add about a teaspoon of ground ginger to enhance the flavor.

Serves 8 6 large egg yolks

2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 ounce fresh ginger root, roughly chopped
6 1/2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Eight 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Put the egg yolks, eggs, granulated sugar, and salt in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk the mixture together.
Pour the milk and the cream into a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Add the ginger and scald the mixture. Slowly whisk it into the egg mixture. Cool the custard base and strain it through a medium-holed strainer.
Pour the custard into the 8 ramekins. Skim off any air bubbles.
Put the ramekins in an ovenproof pan and put it in the oven. Fill the pan one-third to one-half full of hot water. (It is easier to fill the pan with water when it is already in the oven.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the custards for about 50 minutes. When the custards are gently shaken, they will be set around the edges yet have an area in the middle, about the size of a quarter, that will not be completely firm.
Refrigerate the custards several hours to overnight.

To serve: Preheat the broiler until it is very hot. Sprinkle the 6 1/2 tablespoons superfine sugar over the ginger custards. Place the custards approximately 3 inches from the broiler.* Broil until the sugar is caramelized. Allow the sugar to harden for a couple of minutes and then serve.
*Easier yet, use a blow torch, moving the flame slowly around the surface of the custard.