Chicken and Gravy with Puff Pastry

This recipe is from one of my favourite food blogs, Picky Palate.  She has some great recipes and ideas!!  Check it out.

This dish is super easy to make.  Tonight I made it with rice because I was out of puff pastry.  It is SO DELICIOUS!  A link to Picky Palate is in my sidebar as well.

Click on 'Picky Palate' above to get the recipe.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Tart

So while you've got your puff pastry out, try this for dessert! Use your favourite berry or fruit (strawberries, peaches etc.). My favourite is raspberry and I happened to have some in the fridge. I made a mini one with my leftover pastry. This could not be easier! Have with a cup of hot or cold tea.

Tasty treat! And again, so pretty!

~ Puff pastry
~ 2 Tbsp. raspberries
~ 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Roll out pastry to 11 inch round. Place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle pastry with 1 Tbsp. of sugar. Place raspberries close together in concentric circles starting in middle of pastry. Leave about 1 1/2 inch border around edges. Gently fold the edges of the pastry up and over the filling, pleating as necessary, being careful not to squash the raspberries. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the raspberries.

Bake the tart in a preheated 450F oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream.

~ Joy of Baking

Tomato Basil Tarts

I have been neglecting you...so sorry! Here is a recipe I am trying today. I'll let you know how it turns out! I thought this would be great for hubby and I. I really don't think my kids will eat it. I'm making them something else.

Wouldn't this be pretty for a ladies lunch outside in the yard? I think so. Enjoy!

Yields 4 tarts

~ 3 cups halved grape tomatoes
~ 3 tbsp finely diced red onion
~ 1 tsp minced garlic
~ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
~ 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
~ 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
~ salt and pepper
~ 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, OR ½ pkg block puff pastry,
~ 1 x egg whisked with 2 tbsp cold water for brushing
~ 2 ounces fresh goat cheese (I might try feta because I have that on hand)

Toss tomatoes with red onion, garlic, olive oil and vinegar and let sit, covered, for 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours in the fridge). Strain tomato mixture, saving juices. Bring reserved juices up to a simmer and reduce to just 1 to 2 tbsp, then pour over tomatoes and toss (this concentrates the flavours). Stir in basil and season to taste.

Preheat oven to 375 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured surface (or if using a block, roll out to a square 8-x-8-inches and ¼-inch thick). Cut puff pastry into 4 squares. Cut an L-shape on opposite corners of each square (creating a frame-like shape). Lift one side of the cut and place it on the opposite side, and repeat with the other side (this creates a diamond-shaped shell that holds in the tomato filling).

Place on prepared baking tray. Spoon tomato filling into each tart shell and brush edges of pastry with egg mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until pastry is a rich golden brown colour. Crumble goat cheese over tarts and return to oven for 5 minutes.
Serves tarts warm or at room temperature.

**Update ~ Success!! This was yummy and hubby loved it too. He said I did an excellent job. It looked pretty too. I am not a huge fan of cooked tomatoes so I let this cool off a bit before I ate it. Yum!

~ Recipe courtesy of 'Fresh' with Anna Olsen

Spicy Cheddar rolls

Here is a great recipe for an appetizer. They are simple to make and soooo delicious! They look like you put a lot of work into them too. ; )

~ 1/2 pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed but cool
~ Roll out on floured board to 20x8 inch rectangle
~ Brush with 2 Tbsp. melted butter
~ Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over dough
~ Top with 1/4 cup finely chopped hot banana peppers (i use the Bicks pickled ones)
~ Roll each short end of dough toward the centre until they meet
~ Chill 1 hr. wrapped in saran

Separate/cut the 2 long rolls apart and cut each into 24 slices.
Bake on greased sheet at 400 F for 15 min. or until puffed and golden.
Cool on wire racks but best served hot!!

~ Contributed by Dusty R.