Fake It Til You Make It: Chocolate Crescent "Croissants"

As a gal who loves my trips to Paris, I can safely tell you these are NOTHING like the real deal French croissant. 

But, this easy peasy Chocolate Crescent Croissant recipe will thrill your kiddos when they want a breakfast that is beyond a bowl of Cheerios or a Pop-Tart and when you just want to enjoy your cup of coffee without measuring, whisking and/or making a big breakfast production.

A tube of crescent rolls is a great thing to have on hand. They can turn into so many lovely things.

This recipe is so easy. Definitely enjoy them warm from the oven.

Chocolate Crescent Croissants

(Makes 8)

1 8 count Pillsburry Original Crescent Rolls (8 count)
1/3 cup  semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, divided (About 2 tsp. per crescent roll triangle)

For the icing:
3/4 cup mini or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 6.5 by 6 inch plastic sandwich bag with a zipper seal

Optional: Powdered sugar to serve.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.

Open package of crescent roll dough and unroll it. Separate the dough into 8 triangles by following the perforations.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips (about 2 tsp per triangle) evenly over the dough triangles. Starting with the wider side of the triangle. Roll the triangles into crescents. Line up prepared crescents evenly onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove tray to a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, place 3/4 cup mini or regular chips into a microwave safe bowl. Melt at 30 second intervals. Stir. Repeat until fully melted (about a minute and a half).

Swiftly, spoon the melted chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag. Seal the bag. Using a kitchen shear, cut a corner off the bottom of the bag so that you can pipe the melted chocolate on top of each baked crescent in the swirly design of your choice. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm!

Strawberry Shortcake Scones

Jersey strawberries are here, and they are so amazing. The perfect way to enjoy them is with this fabulous Strawberry Shortcake Scone recipe.

Now if making scones seem like a difficult baking transaction for you, please allow me to offer a few tips:

1. Keep your ingredients cold - particularly the half and half and butter. You should dice the butter first and put it right back in the fridge while prepping the other ingredients.

2. Prep all ingredients before mixing so that you are ready to go. You need to move swiftly with making scones.

3. Once you add the half and half, mix the ingredients lightly with your hands. Literally with your hands! It makes a mess but it's how you get the perfect consistency.

4. Do not over mix. This isn't like cookie dough or cake batter, during which we beat the ingredients mercilessly. Scone mixing is light and fluffy and finished when the few ingredients just come together.

5. Have your surface lightly floured and your knife ready to go so that you can cut the scones as soon as the dough is mixed.

These scones are heavenly.  I hope you love them!

Strawberry Shortcake Scones
By Lisa Kerhin
blogghetti.com
Makes 12

For strawberry scones:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. Salt
6 Tbsp. very cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup diced strawberries
3/4 cup half and half

For glaze:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; whisk lightly.

3. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender, two knives or your hands until mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

4. Add in the strawberries and coat lightly with the flour mixture

5. Add half and half to mixture; fold together gently until the mixture just begins to come together to form a soft dough. Try to not over knead the dough.

6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the rectangle into 6 squares, then cut the squares diagonally to form 12 triangles.

7. Place scones on prepared baking sheet and bake 16-18 minutes or until scones are cooked through and golden brown.

8. To keep your counter clean, place a sheet of parchment down under a cooling rack. Remove scones from pan to cooling rack. Cool about 15 minutes before glazing.

9. To make glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and half and half until smooth. If your glaze is too thick, add a little more cream. If it's too thin, increase the powdered sugar by 1/4 cup or less until the desired consistency is achieved. You want the glaze to be thick yet  pourable.

10. When scones are cooled, drizzle the glaze over them. Glaze will firm up when scones are completely cooled.

11. Recipe adapted from Alaska from Scratch.

Wow Factor Linguine with Crabs

Hope you are all surviving the quarantine.

I picked up a can of lump crab meat recently. With meat shortages hitting my grocery store, I've been expanding my menus to try different proteins when whipping up din. It's like the chicken section of the store has totally reached the apocalypse.

We often have a fab crab meat marinara on Christmas Eve, and my son does eat it so I thought I would try this amazing Linguine with Crab by Rachael Ray. It features a white sauce and lots of herbs. Pancetta is a main ingredient. Like a well-prepared Italian cook, the Jersey Girl ALWAYS has sliced pancetta on hand in the freezer.

This dish was a hit with my husband and son. The texture of the linguine holds up perfectly with the crab. I will definitely be making this again. It can definitely work for an elevated din with guests - if we are every allowed to have people over again. Ha. It's nice and light so I can see me dining on this al fresca under the moonlight. Dreamy.

I did sub out the fresh peppers for just a 1/4 tsp. of dried red pepper flakes. I thought that would be more child friendly. My son can handle some spice, but I didn't want to overdo it. In case you are having trouble finding chives, the green tops of scallions can be used in their place.

Linguine with Crab
4 Servings
From "Everyone is Italian on Sunday" by Rachael Ray

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 lb. pancetta, finely diced
4 large shallots, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 red Holland or Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. linguine
1 pound lump, king or snow crabmeat
Grated zest of juice of 1 organic lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh chives

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

In a deep large skillet, heat the oil (2 turns of the pan) over medium-high heat. When it ripples, add the pancetta and render 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, chiles, thyme, salt and pepper and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until it has reduced by half. Swirl in the butter, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm while the pasta cooks.

Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to just shy of al dente. Before draining, ladle out about a cup of the starchy pasta cooking water and add it to the sauce along with the crabmeat, lemon zest and lemon juice. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes for the pasta to finish cooking and to allow the flavors to be absorbed. Toss in the parsley and chives and adjust the seasonings.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used white wine instead of vermouth and 1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes instead of fresh hot peppers.

Spinach Chickpea Soup

I keep reading on the Facebook about people eating poorly during the quarantine. While I'm all about a little indulgence here or there, I do know that eating healthy and well and colorful just makes us feel better inside. And this is a time in the world that we all need to feel good to keep it all going safe  and sound.

So, I came up with this Spinach Chickpea Soup. It's full of color and protein and fiber. A good one for vegetarians, for sure. And it's so quick to make. Done in less than thirty minutes, and that includes cleanup.

Personally, I gave up lunch meats for Lent and I'm sticking with it as a life change, it seems. So, this soup makes a fab lunch, for sure.

Enjoy!

Spinach Chickpea Soup
Makes 6 servings

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water
1 19 ounce can, Cento chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach or baby kale
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, saute for another minute. Add chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, water, chickpeas and salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes partially covered so that the onions soften.

Add baby spinach, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes so that spinach wilts and the pot of soup is heated through.

Serve as is or with a little sprinkle of cheese if you please.

Mussels: Fine Dining on a Dime

Recently, I rocked out some mussels at home for the first time. These bad boys of the sea are loved by many generations in my fam. So, I thought it was time to make them in my own kitchen. We eat them at restaurants all the time for an appie or over pasta.

They are so easy to make at home. And the price tag is dirt cheap: a 2.5-pound bag  of fresh mussels was literally $5. You do have to give them a good wash.  But it was very easy to do.

I did a French style dish courtesy of Ina Garten. This recipe is from her Barefoot in Paris cookbook. It is one of my faves. French cuisine is so top notch. The recipe in the cookbook is ginormous: 6 1/2 pounds of mussels. I did a 21/2-pound bag, so I halved the recipe.  I am presenting it to you as it is in the book.

Regarding the cleaning, I followed her instructions exactly. Mine did not have the beards, so I didn't have to remove that part of the mussel. Yay! Less cleaning, more wine while cooking. Ha.

I didn't drain my tomatoes, and I used a whole 14.5 ounce can. The one special high-falutin ingredient is saffron. It is a must. I served the mussels with a mixed green salad, baked frites (we were doing a Belgium theme) and crusty bread. The sauce is soooo amazing!

Bon appetit!

Mussels in White Wine
From "Barefoot in Paris"
By Ina Garten
Serves 6

6 1/2 pounds cultivated mussels
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. good saffron threads
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. good olive oil
2 cups chopped shallots (10-15 shallots)
1/3 cup minced garlic (12 to 15 cloves)
1 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (8 ounces) (The Jersey Girl did not drain the tomatoes)
3/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
2 cups good white wine
4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 4 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand.  Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut. Soak the saffron in 1/4 cup hot tap water for 15 minutes and set aside.

In a large (12 quart) nonaluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the saffron with the soaking water, the tomatoes, parsley, thyme, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened  (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

Ham Soup with White Beans and Barley

Easter is over. So now what to do with all that leftover ham?

I give mine a healthy boost by turning it into a soup featuring cannellini beans and barley. These two ingredients pack in the protein and fiber. It's like your ham is getting a smack down by fitness foods. Yay! This soup comes together in less than an hour, and I'm planning to freeze half of it (without the barley) to eat later on this year because there is only so much ham I can take.

You certainly could make this with red kidney beans if that's what you have. I hold off on my usual salt in this. Truth be told, I don't use a ton of salt in anything. Ham is salty by nature, so I do not use salt to season the veggies since I saute the ham with the veggies and I feel like that's enough. I add a pinch of salt after I pour in the broth.

Here's the recipe:

Ham Soup with White Beans and Barley
Makes 10 servings

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups leftover ham, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 can (14.5 can) low sodium diced tomatoes (I like Hunt's)
1 19 ounce can Cento cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
A pinch of salt
Pepper to taste
3/4 cup dried barley
2 Tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley
Serve with grated parmigianno

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion. Saute for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Season with pepper. Give a good stir. Cook for two minutes. Add ham. Cook for five minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Season with a pinch of salt. Simmer for 30-35 minutes until veggies are tender. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Meanwhile, in a small pot add dry barley. Cover with cold water and 1/4 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium high. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until barley is cooked and tender. Drain barley.

Once soup is finished, add drained barley and parsley into soup pot. Stir.

Serve with parmigianno cheese, if desired.

Classic Braised Short Ribs

If you are in need of some culinary indulgence, my Classic Braised Short Ribs are totally a must-do.

The short ribs themselves are pretty pricey, but all the remaining ingredients in this dish are basics every home cook should have in their refrigerator or pantry. And of course, you can use your favorite wine no matter what the brand.

The beauty of short ribs is that they can be presented in a super elevated manner, but they cook simply in your Dutch oven. You start on the stove with a sear and then transfer the pot to the oven so that they braise slowly. Make these on a rainy day at home. You need a good four hours, in my opinion. You can also make them the day before if you choose. I add another can of beef broth upon reheating so that you have enough sauce to top them and your mashed potatoes.

This is great to make when you have fresh rosemary and thyme in your garden, but you may use dried as well.

Classic Braised Short Ribs
Makes 4-5 servings

2.5-3 pounds bone-in short ribs (About 7 or 8 short ribs)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced or 1/2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced or 1/2 tsp. dried
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth, plus 2 cups more if needed for saucier short ribs
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Season all sides of the short ribs with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and coat the bottom of the pot. Brown the short ribs on all sides in batches. About 4 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan. Once browned, set aside and repeat with second batch. Remove short ribs from the pot. Carefully spoon out excess oil from the pot and discard, leaving about 3 Tbsp. oil in the pot.

Return pot to medium heat. Add celery, carrot and onion to pot. Saute for about five minutes. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for three minutes more.

Add flour. Whisk to dissolve flour into veggies. Add tomato paste. Blend into veggies. Add wine. Bring to a bubble and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. After two minutes or so, add the broth.  Bring to a gentle simmer.

Return the ribs back to the pot. Spoon some sauce over the ribs. Place lid on top of pot. Turn off burner.

Place the pot of short ribs into the preheated oven. Bake for two hours at 350 degrees. Immediately turn the temperature down to 325 degrees and cook for 30 to 45 minutes more.

You may serve immediately or serve later that evening or even the next day. The longer they sit, the tastier they are! Add more broth if needed and reheat before serving. Top with chopped parsley.

Serve with mashed potatoes.