French Apple Tart

I love Ina Garten! I own every cookbook she has ever written and watch her show on the Food Channel until my kiddos beg me to stop. This recipe comes from her Back to Basics cookbook and is a must have in any kitchen. That being said, this is an awesome and very easy tart that will impress everyone you serve it to. Give it a try with some freshly whipped cream and you will be dreaming of warm summer days. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

For the Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t kosher salt
1 T sugar
12 T cold butter-diced
1/2 cup cold water

For the Apple:
4 Granny Apples- peeled and sliced 1/8 thick
1/2 cup sugar
4 T butter-diced
1/2 cup apricot jelly
2 T water


For the pastry, place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10-12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400'. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll the dough slightly larger than 10x14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Now place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove stem and cores with a sharp knife. Slice apples crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Place apples slices overlapping in a pretty design. Sprinkle cut butter all over apples. Now sprinkle sugar all over apples. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven. Melt apricot jelly on stove and brush on top of tart. Serve warm.

Curry Chicken

I really enjoy a good curry chicken. The trouble is there are no restaurants near Beaty's Creek to get this favorite dish. Some people say that they hate curry but those people have never had this! Asian or Thai curry has a totally different taste than the Indian type in my opinion. I bought my curry paste at this Asian Market in Tulsa. They have a great selection of cooking items and are friendly and eager to assist. That is a plus when you are learning, as I am, about Asian cooking. Give this recipe a try the next time you have chicken laid out and not sure what to do with it. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today. Can you believe it, they are predicting more snow for Beaty's Creek....I think we have had our share this year. It is definitely time for spring!!!

Needed:

1 whole chicken-cut up
Oil
5 carrots-peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 bag frozen peas
3 potatoes-peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 onion-peeled and quartered
1 container button mushrooms-halved
2 T curry
3 garlic cloves-peeled and smashed
1 can unsweetened coconut milk-I found this at my local grocery store
3 cups water
2 cans Thai red curry paste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Steamed Rice

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat a large dutch oven with oil and heat up over medium heat. Once heated, add chicken fat side down. Don't crowd your chicken so you may have to brown it in two batches. Brown on each side for about 5 minutes, when browned remove from pan and add in all your veggies. When veggies are just beginning to soften add your chicken back in with you water, coconut milk, and curry paste and stir well, being sure to scrape the bottom of your pan to release all the goodness. Cook covered for 1 hour over medium heat, stir every once in awhile. Serve over steamed rice.

San Pellegrino Almost Famous

I am trying to win a trip to the San Pellegrino Almost Famous get away to Napa in March. I would love to go and share with you all that I would learn. Wish me luck and I will keep you updated! Could I be the next Almost Famous Chef????

Stacey

Beef Taquitos

I have never been a big fan of taquitos but the kiddos just love them. I made beef this time around but think chicken would be even better. You have to have a "no fear" kind of mentality when cooking these puppies! Hot oil burns, or so I have been told. This meal takes a little planning but is really worth the time. I served our taquitos with rice and of course my favorite, pinto beans. This is What's Cookin on this ice storm warning day, I just hope for the foot of possible snow they are predicting instead.


Needed:
1 3 pound beef roast
3 whole jalapenos-I used canned ones that I pickled but fresh is fine too
1 purple onion-diced
2 bunches of cilantro-chopped
5 T salt
5 garlic cloves-smashed and peeled
5 T black pepper
Water
10 corn tortillas
Oil


Place all of the ingredients in a soup pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat with lid on until roast falls apart. I cooked this one for about 4 hours. Now remove roast from broth and shred roast.

Now wrap three of your corn tortilla in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30-40 seconds. They should be rollable now. Place about a 1/4 cup of the meat in the middle of each corn tortilla and roll up. Pour oil a quarter of the way up in a heavy bottomed skillet, I used my cast iron. Heat oil over medium heat. Lay each taquitos seam side down. Fry for 4 minutes or until golden brown and then turn and repeat. Serve with salsa, sour cream, pico.

Banana Pound Cake

I really like a good moist pound cake but add banana to the mix and I am in heaven! This cake has the moistness that I look for in a pound cake but with a banana bread twist. The caramel icing is the BOMB, it is OFF THE HOOK and all the those other annoying phrases that are used to describe great food!! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek along with several pots of hot tea!

Needed:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
5 eggs
1 vanilla bean-scraped
1 cup chopped pecans

Icing:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cream

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in your Kitchen Aid mixer bowl. Now beat together 1 1/2 cups butter, and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the bananas, followed by the eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat vanilla bean scraping with the last egg. Now add flour one cup at a time, mixing until it is fully mixed in. Fold in the pecans. Now pour the batter into prepared bundt pan. I really butter and flour the heck out of mine and never have a problem with anything sticking.
Bake at 325' until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

To make icing:
Heat 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugars have dissolved, then gently simmer for 1 minute. Pour over baked cake while still in the pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Sweet Potato Pie

You may think that sweet potato pie tastes just like pumpkin but you are wrong!! Sweet potato pie, if made correctly has a totally different taste than pumpkin. Yes, it is made like a pumpkin pie but the end result is different. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3 Baked sweet potatoes or 3 cans of sweet potatoes drained

3 eggs-I use free range

1 can evaporated milk

1 t salt

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 T butter

1 t vanilla

Mash your sweet potatoes with both sugars, salt, and butter. A few lumps are fine. Now add your eggs, vanilla, and evaporated milk. Stir very well. Now pour into a chilled pie crust. Bake at 425' for 20 minutes and them lower oven temperature to 350' and continue to bake for 40 minutes. You want to be able to insert a knife and have it come out clean in the center of pie. 1 hour was fine in my oven. Serve warm with whipped cream!

Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

I am always looking for something different to do with boneless, skinless chicken breast. We always have Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing in the fridge, makes a great dip for grilled chicken strips or nuggets. I decided to try it on some chicken breast that I was getting ready to put in the oven. After all of the little sample takers made a pass, I barely had any left for the salad. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.



Needed:



4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-thawed

1 T salt

1 T black pepper

1 bottle Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

2 T Lemon Pepper Seasoning



Coat chicken rather heavy with the salad dressing and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Bake on parchment paper at 435' for 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Slice and serve on top of salad. We used Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing to top off the salad, a good combo.