Pinwheels

Pinwheels
Print

Pinwheels

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

36

servings

Easy to make family favorite that I’ve been baking for decades.

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups flour

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • ½ cup butter, room temp

  • ½ tsp vanilla

  • ¾ cup sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 1 ounce dark chocolate, melted

Directions

  • Mix together dry ingredients and set aside. In large bowl, cream butter. Beat in vanilla and sugar, then beat in egg. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until well blended. Divide the dough in half. Stir melted chocolate into half the dough.
  • Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll out each dough to a rectangle. Roll dough lightly to remove wrinkles. Slide onto cookie sheets and chill about 15 minutes. Peel off the top sheets of waxed paper and carefully invert the white dough over the chocolate dough, lining up the edges. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper again. Starting at one long side and using the bottom sheet of paper to help, roll tightly and evenly as for a jelly roll. Wrap the roll in waxed paper and chill until very firm. May be frozen and sliced when frozen.
  • Slice 1/4″ thick and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool on wire rack.

Dressed-Up Fricos

Dressed-Up Fricos
Print

Dressed-Up Fricos

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

6

servings

Super easy to make and a guest favorite, these lacy, tasty, and crisp wafers can be put together in less than 10 minutes. If you don’t have preserved lemons, use grated fresh lemon peel instead.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon

  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, or basil leaves

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the finely chopped preserved lemon pieces in a mesh strainer, and rinse very well. Dry on paper towels, and pat very dry. Mix together the dry lemon pieces, the Parmesan, and the chopped fresh herb leaves.
  • On a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet, heap little tablespoon mounds of the cheese mixture, leaving room for them to spread as they melt, and bake in the oven for 4 or 5 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet, then allow to rest on paper towels.

Doughnut Holes

Doughnut Holes
Print

Doughnut Holes

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

4

servings

Everyone loves these doughnut holes. That’s not an exaggeration. They are so popular, I turned them into a “croquembouche” cake for my daughter’s birthday. Easy to make and they freeze well. Not that you’re likely to have any to freeze!

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 4 cups flour

  • 4 tsp baking powder

  • 3/4 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • oil for deep frying

  • cinnamon and sugar for coating

Directions

  • Beat eggs until thick and lemon-colored. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Thoroughly stir together dry ingredients. Add to the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry doughnuts by large spoonfuls in oil until golden brown and cooked through, turning once while cooking. Drain and cool. Roll in cinnamon-sugar and serve.

Notes

  • The right temperature is critical. If it’s too hot, the outside will be dark brown before the inside is fully cooked. Too cool and they will be greasy and heavy instead of light and crisp.

Pumpkin Hummus

Pumpkin Hummus
Print

Pumpkin Hummus

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

4

servings

When you see the word “pumpkin” in the name of a dish, the flavor of pumpkin pie immediately comes to mind. Because that is usually what it’s supposed to taste like. Not so for my Pumpkin Hummus. It’s a bit spicy and a very fitting dip for fall gatherings. And easy to whip up, too!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup hummus

  • 1 cup pumpkin

  • 2 tbsp chili powder

  • 1 tbsp cinnamon

  • 2-3 tbsp maple syrup

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients and mix well. Mix at least an hour before serving if possible to let the flavors blend. Serve with crackers, corn chips, or veggies.

Nicoise a la Pittsburgh

Niçoise Salad Revisited
Print

Niçoise Salad Revisited

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

4

servings

Niçoise Salad can be a bit intimidating – all those ingredients to prepare! And I must admit this is probably the longest recipe I’ll ever post here. But each element is actually simple in this Yankee version of the French composed salad. I urge you to give it a try. My lunch and dinner guests love it!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • 2 Tbsp minced shallot

  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • salt and white pepper to taste

  • 4 chicken breasts

  • white wine vinegar

  • oregano oil

  • 4 medium potatoes, in 3/4″ cubes

  • duck fat or peanut oil

  • 2 cups French beans

  • 2 quarts water

  • ¼ cup salt

  • 4 hard boiled eggs

  • 2 tbsp mayo

  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

  • 1/4 cup sweet relish

  • 2 cups of cooked corn, removed from cobs

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

  • 1 tbsp AP flour

  • 1/2 tsp cumin

  • canola oil spray

  • 4 cups of romaine or other leafy greens, torn or sliced crosswise

  • 1 cup grape tomatoes

  • 1 cup picholine olives

Directions

  • Combine lemon juice, shallot, tarragon, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Vinaigrette can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
  • Mix equal parts white wine vinegar and oregano oil. Salt lightly. Place chicken breasts in the marinade and leave for 30-60 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.
  • Cook diced potatoes in salted water for 8 minutes. Remove, drain well, and spread out to dry on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add green beans and the 1/4 cup of salt. Return to boil and cook until beans are bright green and tender, 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
  • Halve the boiled eggs and remove yolks to small bowl. Add mayo, mustard, and relish and mix until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Fill the whites with the yolk mixture and set aside.
  • Combine corn, beaten egg, flour, cumin, and salt & pepper to taste. Spray mini muffin cups with canola oil spray and fill each cup with corn mixture. Bake in 375 degree oven until just beginning to brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool.
  • Prepare a grill and grill chicken breasts, searing on each side and then finishing on cooler part of the grill until done. Cover until serving. Slice each breast diagonally before plating.
  • Heat duck fat or peanut oil in small saucepan to 375 degrees. Cook potato cubes in small batches until crisp and browned.
  • Toss salad greens with 1/3 of the vinaigrette. With greens on the bottom of each plate, arrange each of the elements of the salad on top of the greens. Serve with slices of baguettes and extra dressing for pouring.

Spaghetti with Seafood Melange

Spaghetti with Seafood Melange
Print

Spaghetti with Seafood Melange

Recipe by La Bellitude for TABLE magazine
Servings

6

servings

Whether you get your seafood from the shore or the fishmonger, this pasta is a great way to use it! Of course, you can leave out any items that you don’t care for or that aren’t available.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 3 shallots, chopped

  • 1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined

  • 1 lb scallops

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed

  • 1 dozen mussels, scrubbed

  • 1 lb calamari

  • 1 lb spaghetti, cooked

  • 1 cup pasta cooking water

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

  • ¼ cup fresh oregano, removed from stems

Directions

  • In a large saute pan or paella pan, heat the olive oil. Add garlic and shallots, and sauté briefly. Add the scallops and sauté until just colored on each side. Remove to large platter. Add shrimp to sauté pan and cook just until pink. Remove to platter.
  • Bring the wine to a gentle boil in large pot and add the clams, mussels, and calamari. Cook until shells start to open, about 2 minutes. Remove the seafood to the platter.
  • Pour the white wine into the sauté pan and deglaze. Reheat the pasta in boiling water then add to the sauté pan. Add herbs and tomatoes and toss to mix, adding pasta cooking water as needed. Add seafood and mix gently. Season to taste.
  • Move all to serving platter and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Goldilocks Guac

Goldilocks Guac
Print

Goldilocks Guac

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

4

servings

When it comes to guacamole, it seems that they are too complicated (mortar and pestle – really?) or too bland (nothing but avocado and lime juice). There has to be an easy and tasty “just right” recipe. And here it is.

Ingredients

  • 1 avocado, not too hard, not too soft

  • 1/2 large onion

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • 1/4 cup of chopped green chiles, as mild or hot as you like

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • In food processor, chop onion coarsely. Add the peeled, pitted, and halved avocado, the chilies, the salt, and the juice of the lime. Process until the desired smoothness.

French Brunch Cookies

French Brunch Cookies
Print

French Brunch Cookies

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

24

servings

These delicious and oh-so-easy to bake cookies are as close as you can get to a croissant feel without the laborious task of layered dough. But you don’t need to tell people that if you don’t want to.

Ingredients

  • 6 dark chocolate bars (1.55 oz each)

  • 1 ½ cups flour

  • ¾ tsp salt

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp

  • 6 oz ounces cream cheese, room temp

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 large egg, separated

  • decorating sugar or chocolate drizzle for tops

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.
  • Break each chocolate bar crosswise along the 3 seams. You will have 24 chocolate pieces in all.
  • Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
  • With a stand mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium until blended. Add the vanilla and egg yolk. Blend until smooth. Add half the flour mixture and beat on low until incorporated. Add the remaining flour and mix just until the dough starts to come together.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 20″ x 8″. Cut the dough into 4″ x 2″ rectangles.
  • Place chocolate pieces crosswise across the rectangles so the chocolate sticks out over the ends. Fold the dough around the chocolates and place the cookies seam side down on the prepared pan. They don’t expand much so 1″ to 1-1/2″ apart is fine.
  • Brush the cookies all over with the lightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if using and bake until just barely light golden brown, about 18 – 22 minutes.
  • Cool the cookies on the pan and then transfer to rack to cool completely. Drizzle with melted chocolate if using.

Coffee Panna Cotta

Coffee Panna Cotta
Print

Coffee Panna Cotta

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

12

servings

Creamy and delicious. A cool summer desert that doesn’t melt in the heat.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin

  • 3 cup whipping cream

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • 2 tbsp espresso powder

  • Pinch of cinnamon

  • Pinch of salt

Directions

  • Place the milk in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over. Let it stand for 3-5 minutes to soften.
  • Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5- to 7 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat. Pour into 6 wine glasses or parfait dishes so that they are half to 3/4 full. Cool slightly, then refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Serve with dollop of cream, if desired.

The Best Sangria

The Best Sangria
Print

The Best Sangria

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

8

servings

I didn’t set out to make the world’s best Sangria, but I may have done it by accident. It’s a much-requested recipe and universally enjoyed whenever it’s served.

Ingredients

  • 750 milliliters Burgundy

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice, bottled

  • 1 medium orange, sliced

  • 1 medium lemon, sliced

  • 1/3 cup Triple Sec

  • 2/3 cup brandy

  • 6 ounces club soda

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients except club soda in a pitcher, stir well to dissolve sugar, and chill. Add club soda just before serving.