caramelized nuts

toast nuts in pan. pour in equal parts water and sugar and let it reduce. cool and chop

Chicken with Wild Mushroom Duxelle

serves 6
Mushroom mixture:
1 lb mushrooms, minced fine
1/2 C sundreied tomoatoes or roasted red pepper, diced
1/2 oz shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 pc leek, cleaned and chopped
1/2 oz onions, minced
3 oz white wine
bay leaf
2 oz heavy cream
1 pinch salt
1 pinch white pepper


6 pieces chicken
6 pieces bacon

Peppercorn sauce:
2 tbsp Shallots, mniced
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp Cognac
1 C red wine
3 C Veal stock
2 Tbsp Butter

Procedure:
1. mince mushrooms, saute with tomatoes/peppers, garlic, leeks, shallots, and onions. Add white wine, bay leaf, reduce till dry then add cream, salt and pepper- reduce until almost dry. remove from heat and let cool
2. Preheat oven to 350. Cut chicken breast in half and pound lightly. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken place the mushroom mixture inside and wrap teh shicken closed around it. Wrap a piece of bacon around it, tie with string, season with salt and pepper and place in teh over for 15 min or until done
3- sauce: saute the shallots and pepper until translucent. Flambe with cognac. Add red whine and reduce to dry. Add veal stock and reduce to nape. Finish with butter salt and pepper.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

Dressing:
1T Shallots, chopped
1 T Meaux Mustard
1/2 C raspberry vinegar
1/4 C Vegetable Oil
1/4 C Olive Oil
1 T Snipped Chives
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
2 Bunches Watercress, washed and dried
2 Heads boston lettuce
1/3 Lb Mesclun lettuce
2 tomatoes cut into 12 wedges
1 C Walnuts- regular or candied

Salad:

6 slices bacon sliced into 1/4 pieces and sauteed
2T Olive Oil with chopped chives, thyme, tarragon and parsley
3 3oz  Crotins (goat cheese) split horizontally
4 T bread crumbs
2 Pears, ripe and firm
2 C Cabernet Sauvignon
1 pinch cinnamon, lemon thyme and tarragon
1tsp ginger

1- make salad dressing by mixing all and then adding oils in
2- poach pears (cored, peeled and halved) in wine infused with cinnamon, lemon, thyme tarragon and ginger for 2-3 min. cool and thinly slice
3-dip each of six goat cheeses in olive oil (marinated with chives, thyme, tarragon, adn parsley) dip in bread crumbs. saute a few minutes in leftover oil just to lightly brown the crumbs.
4- place warm goat cheese on salad. garnish with hot bacon and pears

Playdough-NOT for eating:)

This is the recipe we used at Bing and it's a great one!  The quantities listed below will make two quart-sized bags full of playdough.  If you want more than that, just double it:)

3 cups flour
1.5 cups salt
2 Tbl cream of tartar
3 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp food coloring

-Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large saucepan
-Add water, oil and food coloring (if you want to make two different colors, just leave the food coloring out in this step and add it later so you end up with just a white dough that can be colored)
-Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture forms into a ball
-Remove from heat
-Knead until dough is soft and has lost its stickiness (if you left out the food coloring in the step above, now is the time to add it.  I usually split the dough in half and let each boy make his own color.  I just add drops of food coloring to their dough ball and have them knead it, adding more as needed/wanted.  WARNING: it will turn their hands that color but eventually washes off:)

I store this dough in ziplock bags and it keeps for a long time (>2 months), but the boys love making it so much that we usually throw it out after a month and make new colors:) 

Chicken Parmesan Sweet Potato puree

Chicken Parm

Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 1/4 c. seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 c. freshly shaved Parmesan
• Unsalted butter
• Good olive oil or Grape Seed oil

Method:

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs. On a third plate, the bread crumbs. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly. Heat about 3-4 tablespoons of grape seed oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more oil if needed and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with shaved Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• Mixed Baby greens or Arugula for 6, washed and spun dry
• 1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped or pressed (use less if desired)
• 1/4 c. grape seed oil
• 2 T good olive oil
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss with Arugula or mixed baby greens.

Roasted Sweet Yam Puree

Ingredients:

• 4 Yams peeled and large diced
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 T brown Sugar
• ½ T salt

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place yams, skin on, on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and roast for 1 hr. turn oven off and leave them in there to cool for another 30 minutes and they will continue to cook and soften more. Then peel the skins off and place the yams, butter, brown sugar and salt and whip using a hand mixer or an immersion blender for a smoother consistency. Then season to taste.

I am a Private Chef, caterer and teacher. Every month I hold a cooking Club that anyone can join or host their own class. You can invite your friends over to your home for a fun cooking class and I will bring everything to you and do the rest. First we will start with an appetizer then a main entree and then dessert. It's a progressive meal with lots of hands on training and instruction. You can follow along with the recipes or participate in cooking with me. I post the Menus and dates of classes monthly on my Facebook page Aubrey.labato@facebook.com. Or you can email meaubreylabato@gmail.com for more information.

Sherrie's Waffles

Sherrie's waffle recipe:

2 1/4 C Flour

4 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 tsp Salt

1 1/2 tbsp Sugar

2 Beaten Eggs

2 1/4 C Milk

1/2 C Salad Oil

Add all liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and beat until moistened.