Chestnut Cake with Chocolate Brandy glaze

In March I made a favorite cake of mine: Chestnut Cake with Chocolate Brandy Glaze.

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's cooking website. Instead of Armagnac, I chose Brandy.

It does take a bit more time than some other cakes I've made but it's well worth it. One night with the following day was the time period.

Some images of the cake in process of being made and the final result.

The cake after cutting into 3 pieces 

The custard filling 

 The chocolate ganache

Cake topped with chocolate ganache 

The completed cake with brandy glaze as the final topping

Penne with Lemon Anchovy Sauce

A favorite recipe of mine comes from "The Splendid Table."

A cookbook published in 1994, it has some of my favorite Italian recipes from the Emiglia-Romagna region.

As Lynn Rosetto Casper mentions, the recipe comes together very quickly.

It requires: olive oil, garlic, italian parsley, anchovies, tomatoes and lemon.

Below is the completed recipe, ready to eat.

Quick Easy Recipe: Pad Gai Horapa

Just got a new shipment of Thai Basil in the last few days.

Had to make Pad Kee Mao Goong, but then made a new recipe with chicken, garlic and fresh Thai basil.

I used peanut oil, cooked the garlic and thai chili for about a minute.

Added the chicken already marinated in Oyster Sauce and some fish sauce.

After cooking the chicken in the garlic oil mixture for a few minutes I added some water and then the thai basil. I used a cup or more of the leaves.

When done I added some non-cooked Thai basil as a garnish.

Kudos to import foods for the primary inspiration again.

A favorite with shrimp: Pad Kee Mao Goong

I wrote about this recipe before but I think it's even better with shrimp.

Note: I usually cook the shrimp first and then add to the dish later.

Here I am cooking the dish. Note I add the Thai Basil at the last stage:

Here is the completed recipe:

A new favorite cookie: Hazelnut Kisses

Another recipe I got from Martha Stewart's website is quick to come together as long as you have ready access to hazelnut flour and an egg beater or kitchen-aid mixer.

There are minimal ingredients besides hazelnut flour, regular flour, egg whites, vanilla and sugar.

Parchment paper makes baking the cookies very easy.

Here are the cookies after having been baked on the parchment paper for about 18 minutes

The cookies served alongside chestnut-chocolate tortelli

A yearly favorite: Chestnut Mushroom soup

One of my favorite recipes of the fall season is chestnut mushroom soup.

I learned of this recipe from Martha Stewart on PBS.

If you can get fresh chestnuts and a good source for shitake and porcini mushrooms, I'd recommend this.

It's pretty easy to make too. A blender is required.

Key steps:

Below you'll see the chestnuts after they've been roasted and peeled. I order mine from Charlie's Chestnuts.

Like the recipe I use 2-3 ounces of shitake, and 6 ounces of porcini.

Here is the cooking of the mushrooms and chestnuts in the chicken stock. 45 minutes to an hour is about right

Here is the completed mushroom soup after the soup has been pureed and cream has been added:

Fettuccini with squash, zucchini, roma tomatoes and green beans

One of my perennial favorites that I learned probably about 20 years ago.

These days it can be made year round but I do really like it in the summer.

What makes this dish great is the ease of preparation, the combo of virgin olive oil with thyme, pepper and salt in addition to the fresh vegetables.

Ingredient list:

1) Three or four small to medium squash
2) Three or four small to medium zucchini
3) Three to four roma tomatoes
4) 1/3 to 1/3 pound of green beans with the ends cut off
5) Salt and pepper to taste
6) Three to five tablespoons of virgin olive oil
7) One to three teaspoons of thyme. Less if you have fresh thyme.

Preparation:

Preheat large non-stick pan with virgin olive oil.

Peel squash and zucchini. Cut in half length-wise and again in half length-wise. Cut into small die size.

Place cut squash and zucchini into medium to medium high hot pan and cook for 10 minutes to soften. Preferably covered.

While squash and zucchini are cooking, add salt and pepper and a teaspoon or more of thyme.

Cut Roma tomatoes taking ends off and cutting into small die shape. Set aside.

Take green beans, cut ends off if desired, steam until 70-80% done. Let cool.

When squash and zucchini have softened add Roma tomatoes and stir. Let cook a few minutes more. Cover while cooking

Add cooked green beans and stir again. Keep the pan covered to help the green beans soften some more.

Add more salt and pepper and thyme to taste.

Serve.

The complete dish.