Aprile's European Resturant

I know I have not blogged in a while about my cooking, baking or eating out. Lots has been going on in my life that took precedence over blogging. I also became very disillusioned by some about my blogging that a needed break was good for the soul to get myself back on track. Now that I am back my blog will be including more "Eating Out" places. Eating out is such a huge part of our life that it should show more here in my blog. I will still be posting recipes of yummy things that I make but also talking about all those good chefs out there that sometimes don't get the recognition they deserve. Hope you enjoy ... The other day my husband was asking me where I wanted to have dinner that night. To be totally honest I love to cook but the days I work I really have no desire to rush home, make dinner, and clean up. When I could have someone else do all the work and totally enjoy myself.

It was a Friday night, Date Night to be exact and a new restaurant opened a few months ago in my town. And since I am very into eating local, even if that means keeping the business in town I am all for it. The place is called Aprile's European Restaurant and it is located in an old mill building right on the train tracks, with a river running right next to it. Very lovely setting.

This location has been a restaurant for a long time but all the other ones seemed to have failed after a couple of years. Many times I tried to eat there when it was something else again and again but it just was not good. From the moment we walked into the new Restaurant there was a good feeling. Many folks dining in the open dining room, the wait staff bustling around delivering food and drinks to all those eating. We knew this time this was going to be a good place to eat. We found two seats at the bar and settled in for our experience.

The Restaurant is very Italian so it was going to be a red wine night, we chose the Cigar Box Malbec and it was very good choice. We then moved on to the stuffed mushrooms (they were stuffed with spinach and cheese). There was not one left when we were ready for our main course.

I got the Chianti Braised Short Ribs with Cipollini Onions, Asparagus Tips, Red Bliss Mashed, Braising Jus. I have this theory that anything braised (ie cooked low and slow) has to be yummy since much care has to be put into it since it takes so long too cook. The meat was so tender and the veggies were like candy. Even the lady who sat next to me got the same thing after seeing mine. We both could not figure out why we had a knife on our plate since it was not necessary to cut the meat with, so I dubbed it "plate decoration."

My husband got the Parmigiana Eggplant Breaded and Baked with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese Accompanied with Linguine. Which is what he gets when we eat out since i do not like Eggplant but he does.

We also decided to share dessert. This is very much out of the norm for us, my husband does not like chocolate or sweets for that matter. The funny thing is I can get him to eat Tiramisu. That is exactly what we got. It was such a good ending to a very good meal, we left none behind.

Dinner was so yummy from start to finish I had to talk about it more than a Yelp post or a Tweet. If anyone is in the Merrimack Valley/Chelmsford MA area and is looking for Italian food try Aprile's European hopefully you will love it as much as we did.

Phyllo-Wrapped Brie

This time of year so many of us are entertaining and going to parties. And when the hostess says can you bring something to share? You have no idea what to take or what will others like.

A few years ago I was hosting a dinner party and I wanted to make something different, but was totally had no idea what to make. After much Internet searching I found the perfect appetizer ... Phyllo-Wrapped Brie. I found it on Better Homes & Garden website, a place I would not normally look at, but it looked so good in the picture I had to try it.

This is what I did ...

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
4 medium onions, cut into thin wedges (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup crushed pecans
8 sheets (17x12 inches) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1 round of Brie
4 tablespoons of apricot spreadable fruit

Melt the 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large saucepan. Add onion. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until onion is tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle sugar over onion. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes more or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in pecans & set aside.

Work with one sheet of phyllo at a time, keeping remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap until needed. Lightly brush one sheet of phyllo dough with some melted unsalted butter. Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet, and brush with unsalted butter. Repeat with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing with unsalted butter.

Slice round of Brie in half horizontally, keeping it in its "wheel" form. Place bottom half in center of phyllo stack. Spread with 2 tablespoon of the apricot spreadable fruit; top with one-half of the caramelized onion-pecan mixture. Top with other half of Brie, 2 tablespoon spreadable fruit, and another one-half of onion-pecan mixture. Wrap phyllo up and over filling, pleating phyllo as needed to cover and slightly twisting phyllo on top. Brush phyllo with unsalted butter.

Place one wrapped Brie round 13x9x2-inch baking pan/cookie sheet. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with Melba thins. Makes 12 servings.

This has been a hit every time I make this dish. I would love to have taken my own picture of this, but it is eaten up so fast. A close friend of mine calls this "heaven on a plate." That is how good this is.

There are a few variations you can do to this recipe. Such as you can use any shape Brie you can find, they all come out yummy. Also if you do not like pecans you can also use hazelnuts or walnuts. (We love pecans so where ever we can use them, we do.) Another thing you can do is serve it with sliced apples, sliced pears and bread, but I have found that the Melba thins work the best because they are so hard they hold the brie and yummy goodness much better.

You may think that this looks hard to make but there is so much room for not perfect when it comes to the phyllo dough. Please try this you and your guests will love this.

YUM!!!

Tea at the Four Season's Boston

A couple of weeks ago my cousin and I went to the Four Season's Boston for High Tea. It was a cold November afternoon and this was a perfect way to finish a day filled with shopping and walking all over the city.

I am a fan of High Tea and love to go to all the hotels in the city for tea and see who has the best tea, treats and ambiance. The Four Season's Boston is so beautiful since it overlooks the park, and this time of year the park is full of skaters, lights and happy people walking. We may live in one of the coldest cities in the country but we do make the best of the cold days, and look beautiful in our coats, hats & scarfs.

Boston is a famous place to have tea since the most famous "tea event" happened here ... The Boston Tea Party, in 1773. It was a cold December night, when a small band of colonists threw 340 chests of tea into the Boston Harbour as a sign of protest against “taxation without representation.” It was the beginning of a chain reaction that eventually led to the Declaration of Independence.

"Today, afternoon tea is no longer a sign of protest – it is a civilized, refined respite from the taxing pace of the day’s activities." - Four Season's

This is what we had ...
Scones and Tea Bread
Strawberry Jam, Lemon Curd and Devonshire Cream

Selection of Tea Sandwiches and Pastries

Served with a Pot of Brewed Tea of Your choice
Gunpowder – Organic Variety of Rolled Chinese Green Tea with a Crisp Refreshing Flavour
Crimson Berry – Lively Herbal Tea Made with Elderberries, Grapes, Currants, Bilberries and Hibiscus
Wild Mint – This Mint Herbal Tea is very Aromatic, but not Sharp. A Full, Complex and Refreshing Tea
Lemon Camomile – Herbal Tea, Blending the Camomile with Lemongrass and Lavender Flowers

All the treats that were served were so yummy and very traditional for tea. We had sandwiches such as cucumber, curried chicken, and smoked salmon. Sweets such as lemon tartlets, profiteroles filled with whipped cream and raspberry, a lemon poppy bread, and how can I forget scones. Scones that were warm when they were delivered to the table and tasted so full of flavor with tea.

The best part of going out for tea is how relaxing tea is and how much uninterrupted time you can spend with a person when you are having tea. There is no need to have your cell phone on, and ll that matters is what is in front of you ... the company and the treats.

If you have never experienced an outing for tea you should definitely do it. Bring your Mother, Sister, Best Friend, Daughter, etc. This is the perfect way to end a day of shopping, or a day walking around the city in the cold. Tea warms you up and the company you have will warm your soul.

YUM!!!

Peanut-Rasin Granola Bars

Last week I was looking through my pantry for a snack and found so many different granola bars. Some we like and some we are not too fond of but still eat, but there were so many. And they all have such crazy ingredients in them, some I cannot even pronounce, I thought they were healthy treats but when you have no idea what is in them how can be healthy.

I seem to be on the kick on making everything we put in our bodies at my house. It may take a bit of time and energy but in the long run now you know what is it so you know how healthy it is. The other nice thing about making more of the things you eat is the love that you put in each meal you cook. Love translate in taste, flavor, and texture ... believe me when someone makes something with love it shows.

This is how I made my granola bars ...

cooking spray

2 1/2 cups organic rolled oats

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

1 cup of raisins (or 3 boxes of Sunmaid raisins)

1 cup organic sunflower seeds, hulled

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325degrees. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Mix the oats, peanuts, raisins, seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, condensed milk and butter in a bowl. Bake in oven till golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly, flip over, peel off the foil and cut into bars.

These are such a yummy treat when you need a pick-me-up. Thinking of using dried cranberries, mini chocolate chips, and possible chocolate drizzle on future ones. Maybe even candied ginger or dried apricots. Wow the possibilities are endless.

YUM!!!

Cottage Pie

I would like to start by saying for the past few weeks I have been looking for a mandolin slicer. But I have not been able to find one, or maybe find one I like. So the other day my Mom & Dad came over to visit and they gave me a mandolin slicer they found while they were out shopping. How sweet of them to find a tool I have been looking for. Now no more looking and lets get slicing.

Last months issue of Everyday Food Magazine had a Cottage Pie on the cover. This very beautiful Pie in a casserole dish with thinly sliced potatoes as the "top crust." All I wanted to do was make this beautiful dish. After receiving the mandolin slicer I knew this was the first dish I was going to make with this new kitchen tool.

I am such a fan of comfort food and things that make you feel good inside and out. They make the house smell wonderful in the winter and warm the soul of all those who pop in for a visit unexpectedly during the winter.

This dish has other advantages in that you can use what you have in your fridge to make it. Most of these ingredients can be exchanged for something different and it can still be considered a Cottage Pie. The original way to make Cottage Pie is to use Lamb but since Turkey day was just upon us I substituted Turkey for the Lamb and it was such a yummy idea.

This is what I did ...

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 large onion, diced

2 large carrots, sliced

coarse salt & pepper

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 1/2 cups of minced turkey (both dark and white meat)

2 teaspoons of dried thyme

1 cup larger beer

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup frozen peas

2 Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in tomato paste. Add meat and cook, until almost cooked through, 3 minutes. Add thyme and beer and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Add 1 cup water and cook until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in peas and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a casserole like baking dish. Top with sliced potatoes, overlapping slices. Season potatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until potatoes are browned around edges and tender when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Then put in broiler for 5-10 minutes to crisp up the edges of the potatoes.

Let sit for 10 minutes to "settle and rest" before serving.

My husband thought this dish was so yummy he cannot wait for me to make it again. We although thought the next time we make it was are going to add 3/4 cup of frozen corn to add another level of sweetness.

As you can see there is so much you can do with this recipe from different meats you can use to veggies that can go in it makes it a frugal find, for what you have in your fridge you can use and it will come out just as yummy. It is so easy and looks so nice when finished it can even make a great casual dinner for you and another couple for a weeknight dinner

YUM!!!

Jerk Chicken

This is a crazy time of year to be talking about Jerk Chicken, and Jerk Chicken that needs to be cooked on a grille, with fire, outside your house. Since I am blogging from outside Boston and today it is 39 degrees, and not many brave souls have the stamina to stay outside and cook chicken on their gas grille. But my Husband does!!!

You see he asked me two days ago to marinade chicken for him and he requested Jerk Chicken to take to the Patriots vs. Colts game at Gillette Stadium. He loves to go to the games but I think he loves tailgating more than the game itself. Even though we are in a cold weather land please do not mess with the boys who tailgate for they mean business when it comes to the food they make in the parking lot of Gillette. Mike's group of buddies usually plans on two meals while in the parking lot. One before the game and one post game. What they are varies because of the time of the game. Sometimes it is breakfast & lunch and other times it is lunch & dinner. This week was a lunch & dinner week, I made lunch, Jerk Chicken.

This is what I did ...

6 scallions sliced (green only)

2 large shallots, diced

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 hot peppers, minced with seeds (if you do not like it hot omit the seeds)

1 tablespoon of ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together, and marinate the chicken overnight.

Best if grilled either on charcoals or gas grille.

This time I used thighs and drums. We usually de-skin the chicken and let it set overnight in a zip-lock bag in a cold place.

This is Mike my husband grilling the Jerk Chicken today before the game. The picture was sent with a message ... "these were over the top, all the guys loved them, thanks."

YUM!!!

Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Yes!!! More whoopie pies. I think I am a bit hooked on them now and loving everyone that comes out of my oven. In my last post I mentioned that I had never made whoopie pies but they have a deep root in my life. You see when I was a kid my Dad would bring me to the local Italian bakery called Mirabella's Bakery to get fresh bread. But as a little girl I would see all kinds of pastry and treats in the glass refrigerator cases and would ask for a treat. Usually around the time I started looking for a treat the owner would come out and see my Dad and give me a special treat to take home, a Cookie Monster Whoopie Pie. It was the silliest treat but it was one of my favorite treats, and special because Mr. Mirabella always told me he made it special for me.

You may be wondering what is a Cookie Monster Whoopie Pie? Well, they would take a whoopie pie and fill the center but before putting the top on a pink butter cookie was cut in half to look like a tongue. The top was put on. Half the top was covered in blue frosting and sprinkled with coconut to look like fur. Two dollops of frosting made the eyes and M&M's made the pupils. It was sheer delight for a young girl like myself.

What also makes this so special is years later when I needed my first job, I went to Mr Mirabella and I started working for him. And all those Cookie Monster Whoopie Pies that I would see sold and the little ones who's eyes would light up when their parents would bye them one. Childhood memories last forever. When these whoopie pies came out of the oven all those childhood memories flooded back.

These were so much fun to make and very different from the Pumpkin ones I spoke of earlier. The real reason why these were made goes back to that very sweet book that was dropped on my desk. The original request was for traditional whoopie pies with traditional filling. So that is what I did. These are very yummy!!!

Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pie

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.


Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt onto a piece of wax paper.


Beat the butter, shorting, and brown sugar together until fluffy and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, beat for 2 minutes.


Add half of the milk and half the four mix beat until Incorporated. Add the remaining four and milk and beat till completely combined.


Drop 1 tablespoon onto a prepared sheet spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack.

Classic Marshmallow Filling
1 1/2 cups of marshmallow fluff
1 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Beat together the fluff and the shortening until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until Incorporated.

These are so light and fluffy from the batter to the frosting. Let's hope everyone who eats them loves them like I love them. I wonder what will be the next Whoopie Pies I make?!?

YUM!!!