Schoolday Recipes

From Sara Moulton (Sara's Secrets)

Jiggly Orange Wedges

Ingredients:

2 navel oranges
2 juice oranges
1 envelope (1 tbsp.) unflavored gelatin

Preparation:

Cut the oranges in half crosswise and squeeze out the juice. Strain and measure. You should have about 1 3/4 cups juice. Add more juice if you have less than this amount and remove juice if you have more.

Carefully scrape out and discard the pulp from the 2 navel oranges to form half shells. Combine 1/4 cup of the juice and the gelatin in a small saucepan. Set aside for 5 minutes to dissolve the gelatin. Heat the mixture slowly over low heat and stir constantly until smooth 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the remaining juice. Arrange the orange shells cut-side up in muffin tins or ramekins. Divide the mixture among the 4 shells and cover each with plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight. Cut each half into 3 wedges before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

— Recipe courtesy Sara Moulton, Sara Cooks at Home

Chicken "Club" Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups 3/4-inch cubes Italian bread (preferably whole-wheat)
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 slices lean bacon, chopped
3 pounds chicken breasts, poached, skin and bones discarded, and the meat cut into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions including the green part, minced
1/2 cup Quick Basil Mayonnaise, recipe follows
basil sprigs for garnish, if desired

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, drizzle the bread cubes with the oil, tossing them to coat evenly, and season them with salt. Spread the bread cubes in a jellyroll pan, toast them in the middle of the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden, and let them cool. In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. In a large bowl, combine well the chicken, the tomatoes, the scallions, 2/3 of the bacon, the mayonnaise, and salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the salad among 6 plates and arrange the croutons around it. Garnish each serving with some of the remaining bacon and a basil sprig.

Yield: 6 servings

— Recipe courtesy Gourmet magazine

Quick Basil Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

In a food processor or blender blend together the basil, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper.

Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

Salami and Cheese Rolls: Stromboli

Sara's Note: For all you college students out there, this is great recipe for your dorm-room toaster oven.

Ingredients:

1 pound frozen supermarket pizza dough, thawed
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 ounces)
black pepper
3 ounces thinly sliced salami (about 12 slices)
4 ounces thinly sliced provolone (about 12 slices)
2/3 cup jarred roasted bell peppers, rinsed and chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Quarter dough. Roll out 1 piece into a 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle evenly with 1 tbsp. Parmesan and black pepper, to taste. Arrange 1/4 each of salami, provolone and roasted peppers in an even layer over dough. Roll up dough round, then tuck ends under and pinch edges to seal.

Make three more rolls in same manner and arrange 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg and cut 3 (1/2-inch) steam vents in each roll. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Yield: 4 main-course servings

— Recipe courtesy Gourmet magazine

Emeril's Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich with Homemade Bam Chips

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2000

Ingredients:

4 cups unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 loaf Chocolate Chip Sandwich Bread, recipe follows
2 pounds new potatoes, thinly sliced, about 1/8-inch thick
Creole seasoning, recipe follows
6 medium bananas

plastic wrap
12 plastic sandwich bags

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the peanuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Cook until the peanuts are toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes. (Shake the pan a couple of times, for overall browning). Remove the pan from the oven and place the peanuts in a food processor while they are still warm. Add the oil, salt and sugar. Process until smooth.

Remove the ends of the bread and cut into slices 1/4-inch thick. Using a toaster, toast each slice until golden.

Preheat the fryer.

Fry the potatoes in batches until crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally for overall color. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with Creole Seasoning.

To assemble, spread some of the peanut butter over each slice of bread. Peel and slice the bananas, 1/4-inch thick. Lay the slices of bananas over the peanut butter. Put 2 pieces of bread together, forming the sandwich. Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Place some of the chips in each plastic sandwich bag. Pack each in a lunchbox. Eat during your lunchtime.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

From Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Live:

Chocolate Chip Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

1 envelope (1/4-ounce) dry yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup warm water (about 110 degree F)
3 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg, beaten

Preparation:

Combine the yeast, sugar, 2 tbsp. of the oil, and water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add the flour, salt and chocolate chips. Beat at low speed until all of the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Then beat at medium speed until the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl, and climbs up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl.

Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl with 1 tsp. of the oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough a couple of times and form into a 6 inch loaf. Grease a loaf pan with the remaining 1 tsp. of the oil. Place the dough into the prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, make 3 slits across the top of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Brush the top of the bread with the beaten egg. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until slightly brown and hollow with the top is tapped. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning (Also referred to as Bayou Blast)

Ingredients:

2-1/2 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried thyme

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Quick Chick and Noodle Soup
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
salt and pepper
6 cups good-quality chicken stock
1 pound (the average weight of 1 package) chicken breast tenders, diced
1/2 pound wide egg noodles
handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
handful fresh dill, chopped

Preparation:

Place a large pot over moderate heat and add extra-virgin olive oil. Work close to the stove and add vegetables to the pot as you chop, in the order they are listed.

Add bay leaves and season vegetables with salt and pepper, to taste. Add stock to the pot and raise flame to bring liquid to a boil. Add diced chicken tenderloins, return soup to a boil, and reduce heat back to moderate. Cook chicken 2 minutes and add noodles. Cook soup an additional 6 minutes or until noodles are tender and remove soup from the heat.

Stir in parsley and dill, remove bay leaves and serve. This is a thick soup. Add up to 2 cups of water if you like chicken soup with lots of broth.

Yield: 2 quarts of soup, 4 big bowls

— From Rachael Ray (30 Minute Meals)

Caramel Orange Crispy Rice Treats
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
water to cover
3-1/2 cups crispy rice
1 orange, rind grated

Preparation:

Place sugar in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Cook until golden amber in color. Stir in the crispy rice and grated orange rind. Pour into greased 8-by-8-inch pan and press lightly to pack down. Cool and cut into bars and serve.

Yield: 16 bars

— From Gale Gand (Sweet Dreams)

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