Ribbon Cookies (courtesy of grandparents.com)

This is a recipe for the winning Delicious Dessert Recipe Contest, and comes from the Grandparents.com site. There are lots of good recipes and ideas and info on the site, and it's worth a long peek...
I tried this recipe and can understand why it's a winner.  It's quick, easy and delicious. I'll try it with other preserves too. Try it yourself!

Here's what Donna said about her recipe:

"This cookie is light and buttery, with a burst of flavor from your favorite preserves. Just thinking about them makes me wish I had one right now! My children loved these cookies growing up, and they still look forward to my making them, even now as they have grown older. My girls and I will make a pot of tea and our special cookies and enjoy a quiet afternoon together. And when I mailed them to my son in Iraq, his favorite cookies were a welcome sight. They are so delicious and easy to make. The ribbon cookie is extra special to me because it brings back my own childhood memories. I'm so glad that I can share the recipe with others. Hopefully I can cheer someone's day in some way."

http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/food/recipes/article/recipe-ribbon-cookies.html
by Donna B., of Summerville, S.C.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 17 to 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon dried lemon rind, grated
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup raspberry or apricot preserves or jam
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until well blended. Add egg yolk, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon rind; mix well.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to cream butter mixture; blend well.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch-diameter ropes along the length of the baking sheets. With your finger, press a long groove into the middle of each rope, being careful not to press all the way down to the baking sheet.

4. Bake 10 minutes.

Hubert Keller: My Chef Crush

I've never been much for fan letters, or celebrities. I admit though that the closest I've come is Chef Hubert Keller. His show is a mainstay on my DVR: Hubert Keller: Secrets of a Chef. He is so easy to understand, and although he's an amazing chef, he convinces me that I too can make incredible dishes.I've added my favorite recipes from his website:

http://hubertkeller.com

Merci!

Wild Mushroom with Caramelized Vegetable Jus, in Puff Pastry Capped Potato Shell

For this recipe you will need:

(Yields: 4 Servings)

• 1 oz dried porcini or Black Chanterelle mushrooms (or a combination of both

• 2 cups warm water • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

• 10 whole Shiitake, Morel or Golden Chanterelle (or a combination), stemmed & diced

• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely minced

• Salt & pepper, to taste • 1 small onion, thinly sliced • 1 small carrot, thinly sliced

• 1 medium leek, white part only, julienned

• 2 tablespoons Spanish Sherry Vinegar

• 8 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely sliced

• 1 whole tomato, blanched, peeled, seeded, and diced

• 4 russet potatoes (about 12 oz each)

• 4 oz puff pastry dough • 1 egg yolk, whisked • 4 sprigs fresh thyme, for garnish

Place the dried mushrooms in a mixing bowl and add the warm water. Let soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the mushrooms and strain the liquid to remove any grit or impurities. Set the liquid aside. Dice the re-hydrated mushrooms.

Heat 1⁄2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan and sauté the re-hydrated mushrooms, fresh mushrooms and shallots over medium heat, for 5 – 7 minutes, or until the shallots just begin to turn color. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

To complete the ragout, heat the remaining 1-tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and sauté the onion, carrot and leek over medium-high heat for 8 – 10 minutes, or until browned and caramelized. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar. Add the mushroom soaking liquid, basil, parsley, garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Strain into a small saucepan, add the sautéed mushrooms, the chives and tomato, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, adjust the seasonings if necessary, and keep warm.

Cut a 1⁄2-inch slice off the ends of each (unpeeled) potato. With a melon baller, hollow out the potatoes from one end; taking care not to break through the skin or the other end. Discard the cooped-out flesh, or use for soup or another purpose (store in water to prevent discolouration). Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the potato shells. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 8 – 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove the potatoes and drain well. Preheat the oven to 375F.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and stand the potato shells on the baking sheet. Fill the shells with the ragout, the ragout should not come up higher than the edge of the potatoes.

Roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 1/16-inch. With a knife, cut out 4 ovals just a little larger than the top of the potatoes. Brush the dough and the edge of the potatoes with the egg yolk. Lay the dough over the filling, and press very lightly to form a seal. Place the potatoes in the oven and cook for 12 – 14 minutes, or until the pastry dough is golden brown.

Place the finished potatoes on a serving platter and spoon the remaining ragout around the potatoes. Garnish with the thyme and serve.

Apple, Pineapple, and Cherry Phyllo Packages with a Rum Crème Anglaise

Makes 4 Servings

2‐3 Granny Smith apples (1 pound), peeled, cored and diced in 1⁄4” cubes

1⁄2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced in 1⁄4” cubes

5 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut flakes, sweetened

2 tablespoons dried cherries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons dark rum

1 tablespoon butter

8 phyllo sheets, defrosted 8 tablespoons (1 sick) butter, melted

1 pint vanilla ice cream, melted

1⁄4 cup dark rum

To make Filling:

1. In large mixing bowl, combine apples, pineapple, brown sugar, coconut flakes, dried cherries, lemon juice, and rum. Mix until well incorporated.

2. In 12‐inch skillet pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add fruit mixture and sauté on medium‐high heat 5 minutes, or until liquid is mostly absorbed and sugar is beginning to caramelize.

3. Remove mixture from heat, place in a fine‐mesh sieve to drain, and cool to room temperature.

To make the packages:

4. Pre‐heat oven to 425° F. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on a clean, dry workspace, making sure that the longer edge of the sheet is facing you. Brush with melted butter and top with a second sheet of phyllo dough. Brush the second sheet with melted butter.

5. Cut the dough vertically into1‐inch strips, creating about 15 strips. Repeat this process with the remaining phyllo dough.

6. Brush melted butter on the insides of a 3 1⁄4” round cookie cutter with straight edges and place on a clean, dry work surface.

7. Lay a strip of dough across the middle of the cookie cutter, pressing it down into the bottom and sides.

8. Lay a second strip of phyllo dough on top, but slightly overlapping the first piece. Repeat this process with more strips, rotating each one slightly until they spiral to cover the entire cookie cutter. Repeat with remaining dough to make 4 packages.

9. Spoon the cooled fruit mixture into the cookie cutter molds until it is even with the top. Press the mixture down so it is firmly packed into the mold.

10. Carefully fold the overhang of each phyllo strip over the filling one‐by‐one to seal the package.

11. Gently twist and lift the cookie cutter to remove the phyllo package. 12. In 12‐inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium‐high heat. Place the

packages carefully into the pan and brown on both sides, about 1 to 2

minutes per side. 13. Transfer the packages onto a baking sheet and place into oven. Bake for

approximately 8 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy 14. In medium mixing bowl, combine melted ice cream and dark rum. Stir until

combined. 15. Spoon the ice cream onto a plate and place a phyllo package on top. Garnish

with mint leaves, dried coconut, and dried cherries.

S’More Burgers

S’Mores may not have been part of my childhood, but they certainly were for many of my American friends. And so it made sense to create a S’More burger. My pastry chef at Fleur de Lys Las Vegas, Sarah Kosikowski, helped create this very easy recipe. Her marshmallow recipe— which we use several ways at the restaurant including as a sauce for our banana split—started as a home recipe. All the elements for this dessert can be completed ahead of time and then warmed for assembly. Several steps in the recipe are easiest and most quickly done if you have a small propane torch. Propane pastry torches can now be found in kitchenware shops, but I think, the least expensive and best option is to buy one from the hardware store. It delivers more power and control. And you will find all sorts of culinary uses for it once you get used to it.

Serves 8

One 1/2-pound frozen puff pastry sheet 1/2 cup sugar

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup (112 g/3.95 ounces) sugar 1/2 cup water 3/4 cup heavy cream 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cocao), broken into pieces

Marshmallow Burgers

1/4 cup (50 g/1.76 ounces) water 1 cup (307 g/10.83 ounces) light corn syrup 3/4 cup (158 g/5.57 ounces) sugar 3 large (90 g/3.1 ounces) egg whites 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400oF. Open the pastry sheet on a work counter and let it defrost just until it can be worked, about 10 minutes. Lightly dustthe counter and pastry with flour and roll the sheet out into a 13- by 18- inch rectangle. Prick it well all over and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the pastry. Cut the pastry lengthwise into 4 evenly wide strips, about 3 inches wide. Cut each of these crosswise into 5 pieces of about 3 inches each.

Line a baking sheet with a nonstick mat or baking parchment. Very carefully transfer the pastry squares to the prepared mat and bake until the pastry is golden, shiny, and very crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.

The sugar may be unevenly melted. If you have a torch, carefully caramelize the sugar on the pastry to give the squares a dark brown, very shiny coating. These are good to eat on their own. Set aside until needed. The pastry can be completed up to this point several hours ahead of time.

To make the chocolate sauce, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, water, and cream to a full boil, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream mixture over it. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Set aside, and keep warm until needed. This makes about 2 cups of a beautifully glossy, pourable sauce. It can be made ahead of time and reheated on low in a microwave oven.

To make the marshmallow, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water, corn syrup, and sugar to a boil, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook until the sugar syrup reaches the hard ball stage, 250oF on a candy thermometer.

When the sugar syrup reaches about 225oF, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high until they form soft, glossy peaks. When the sugar reaches 250oF, with the machine beating on high, very slowly add the sugar syrup to the whites.

Continue to beat until the mixture is very stiff and just barely warm, about 10 minutes. As the mixture stiffens, you may have to slow the

machine a bit so it does not overheat. Beat in the vanilla. Do not let the mixture get too cool or it will be difficult to pipe. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a fat, round tip.

To assemble the burgers, pipe a round marshmallow patty on 16 of the pastry squares. Brown the marshmallow with a torch. Stack the pastry- and-burgers 2 high. Set the layers at a 45o angle to each other so the points stick out in different directions. The burgers can be prepared to this point several hours ahead of time, if desired.

When ready to serve, arrange the burgers on dessert plates and drizzle the warm chocolate sauce over and around them. Serve immediately.

French Style Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe uses a convenience product – puff pastry – which makes a wonderful pastry topping for the chicken pot pie. Another unique feature is the Madeira wine sauce which binds all the ingredients together beautifully and is a welcome change from the typical heavy cream sauces you so often find in pot pies.
Serves 4
1 whole chicken (3 pounds) cut into 8 pieces, skin on
2 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup Madeira wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
12 pearl onions, peeled 15 baby carrots, peeled (see note)
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, quartered
2 egg yolks
2 sheets puff pastry

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. 3. In a 3‐quart stove‐top casserole pan or sauté pan over medium high heat,
cook the bacon until almost crispy. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon
and set aside. 4. Remove half of the bacon fat from the pan and add the chicken pieces, skin
side down. Sear the chicken over medium‐high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until lightly brown in color.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the diced onion, diced carrot, thyme and garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add Madeira wine and bring to a boil. 7. Add bacon, chicken stock, and chicken pieces. Turn the heat to low, cover the
pan, and cook 45 minutes at a low simmer. 8. Meanwhile, in a 10‐inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the sugar. Add
the pearl onions and baby carrots, stir to coat, and season lightly with salt
and pepper. 9. Add 1⁄4 cup water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and let cook for 15
minutes at a low simmer, or until vegetables are tender. Remove and set
aside. 10. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet and add the shitake
mushrooms. Sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and add 1⁄4 cup water. Cover the pan and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
11. When the chicken has finished cooking, remove the chicken pieces and place in a 2.5 quart pie dish or low, round casserole. Top the chicken with the mushroom, onions and baby carrots, spreading them evenly around the chicken.
12. Pour the remaining chicken cooking mixture through a fine‐mesh strainer into a small saucepan. (The remaining solids are not used in the dish). Simmer the liquid over medium heat for about 5 minutes, to reduce and thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
13. Pour the sauce over the pot pie. 14. Roll out the puff pastry sheet so it is 1 inch larger than the pot pie dish. 15. Beat the egg yolks with 2 teaspoons of water to make an egg wash. 16. Brush the top of the puff pastry sheet with the egg wash. Then brush the egg
wash on the brim of the chicken dish. Place a piece of puff pastry, egg wash side up, on top of the potpie and press down along the brim of the pan to seal the edges. To create a design, take a sharp knife and cut diagonal lines, just barely cutting through the dough.
17. Place each pot pie on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until puff pastry is a deep golden brown.
Note: Real baby carrots look like real carrots, only much smaller. Do not confuse them with the packaged snack size carrots found in stores everywhere as these are just large carrots which have been cut down.