Chef Penny Moline shows you how anyone can cook with passion! Keep it simple, Keep it fresh, Keep it safe. And share it with someone you love!

One of my favorites
6 tablespoons butter, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips or 8 ounces of chocolate chopped
6 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 275
Butter a 9 inch cake pan ( a spring form works well)
Melt butter and chocolate cool slightly and whisk in egg yolks
Beat egg whites until soft peaks then gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy.
Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold mixture into remaining whites
Pour into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Approx. time 45 to 50 minutes
Cool and dust with confectioners sugar

Butter 8 ounces
Rice Krispies 1 pound
Marshmallows 3 pounds 4 ounces

Melt butter, add marshmallow and cook until melted and smooth. Add rice krispies, stir until coated. Spread on a buttered cookie sheet, cool and enjoy

Filling
3 1/3 quarts of canned peaches ( can use fresh too)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping
3 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cup milk, just enough to get the dough moist

Filling:  Add cornstarch in water to dissolve
add cornstarch mix to peaches with juices in a large pot.  Stir well add sugar and simmer to thicken

Topping:  Mix flour, sugar baking powder add milk until you can form a ball.  Let cover.  Cut into a lattice and place crises- cross atop the peach mixture.  Bake until golden

Heat water to 115 degrees in a sous vide machine
Chop Chocolate and seal in a zip lock plastic bag
Add to water ( make sure the bag is sealed)
take chocolate out and make sure it is melted, move around inside the bag.  Place back into hot water
Reduce the temperature setting to 81 degrees.  Add ice until you reach the cooler temperature.   Be careful not to add to much ice.
When water reached 81 degrees increase the setting to 90 degrees.  Water will come up to temperature pretty quick.
Let chocolate stay at this temperature for 5 minutes.  Taking out every minute and gently squishing it around.
 
After 5 minutes remove the bag from the water and dry the bag completely,

Great tip is to use the bags like a pastry bag and snip off the end to pipe. 

Flour 2 cups
Baking powder 1 T
Salt 1/2 t
Sugar 1/2 t
water warm 1 cup
Shortening melted 2 T

Sift together dry ingredients
Combine warm water with melted shortening
add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough
Rest the dough
Roll out into 1/2 thickness
cut out to desired size
Dock
Fry and serve with your favorite toppings such as chili, hamburger, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, onions, etc

Kristie, my counter part at work made these amazing bar cookie.  I am sure you will love them as much as I do. They are extremely rich and oh so delish!  Try them and let me know what you think of them.

Chocolate Top and Bottom layer
1 package semi sweet chocolate chips divided
1 package butterscotch chips divided
1 cup peanut butter divided
3 cups cocoa pebbles divided  

Nougat layer
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
7 ounce container of marshmallow cream
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups roasted and lightly salted peanuts coarsely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel layer
1 package caramels or caramel bits
1/4 cup evaporated milk

Spray a 9x13 baking dish, and line with parchment paper.  Set aside
Combine half of the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter and melt. You can use a microwave but watch it closely.
Stir in the Cocoa Pebbles until fully coated pour into the baking dish and refrigerate until firm

In a sauce pan combine butter, sugar and evaporated milk over medium heat, until melted and sugar is dissolved, bring to a boil and cook for additional 5 minutes stirring often
Remove from heat stir in the marshmallow cream until combined.  Add peanut butter and vanilla then fold in the peanuts
Pour over the chilled bottom layer and refrigerate until firm.

Add caramels and evaporated milk together and heat until caramels are completely melted.  Spread over the chilled marshmallow layer

Combine remaining half of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter heat until melted.  Add the cocoa pebbles and fully coat.  Pour over the caramel layer.  Refrigerate until firm.

Keep chilled until ready to eat. 

Ingredients:

Butter, softened 2 pounds
Granulated sugar 8 cups
eggs 8 each
vanilla 2 Tablespoons
Milk 1/2 cup
All Purpose Flour 7 cups
Cocoa powder 3 cups
Baking soda 1 Tablespoon
Salt 2 tsp
White chocolate chips 5 cups
Nuts optional 1 1/2 cup

Cream together butter, sugar
Add eggs and vanilla and cream
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt
Fold dry ingredients into creamed mixture and combine
Fold in chips and nuts if desired

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or until desired doneness

Makes 10 doz cookies using a red scoop

I would love for you to follow me on my instagram page for more pictures and recipes.  My Instagram is @Highcountryfoodfashionbeauty    

Thank you you all, and let me know if there is something you would like to learn about cooking and if I don’t know it, we can learn about it together!  

Here is a simple and different appetizer to make.  It’s one of my favorites for the holiday’s.
you can make it with as much or as little blue cheese as you like.

washed and dried green grapes 
softened cream cheese 8 ounces
blue cheese crumbles to taste
finely chopped pistachios 

coat at the grape with the cream cheese and blue cheese mixture 
then coat with the pistachios.  Chill and serve.

if I am using salted pistachios I do not add additional seasonings
its a sweet and salty delight!  Enjoy!

Grape and Blue cheese truffles
4 ounces cream cheese softened
4 ounces blue cheese softened
1 bunch seedless grapes about 2 pounds
1 cup pistachios, ground

Mash the cream cheese and blue cheese together in a bowl until combined.  Grab a bit of the cheese in one hand, a grape in the other.  Put the two together roll the grape until covered in the cheese.  Roll the cheese covered grape in the ground pistachios.  chill until ready to serve.

If you don't like blue cheese, use all cream cheese.  adjust to your liking.

Fresh Tangerine glaze for ham

2 tangerines cut into thin circles
2 cups fresh tangerine juice ( about 8 tangerines)
juice of 1 lemon
2 sticks butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick

In medium sauce pan, add all ingredients and simmer over medium heat until it reaches the consistency of a syrupy glaze.  About 20 minutes
Score the out side of a ham into 2 inch diamonds shape with a sharp knife.
Season with salt and pepper
chop 6 to 7 leaves of fresh sage and mix with 1/4 cup olive oil
Form into a paste and slather the outside of the ham with the paste.
Place ham in a large roasting pan. Pour glaze over the ham and arrange the tangerines and the whole sage leaves over the ham.  Tent with aluminum foil and raost at 275 until heated throught and the tangerines are carmelized.

Asparagus with citrus vinaigrette

2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
juice and zest of 1 orange
juice and zest of 1 lime
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup oil
fresh mint for garnish

Whisk the citrus juices, zest, mustard and salt and pepper together.  Drizzle in oil until the vinaigrette thickens, arrange on a baking sheet pan.  Drizzle 1/2 of the vinaigrette over the asparagus and roast in oven until crisp tender.  Place spears on a serving platter and pour the remanining vinaigrette over the hot asparagus.  garnish with mint

Sea Salt and Herb roasted potatoes

potatoes, red about 1 1/2 pounds
olive oil 1 ounce
garlic minced 1 teaspoon or more depending on your preference
thyme, parsley, or any fresh herbs on hand
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste

scrub potatoes, cut if necessary.  Potatoes that are quite small may be left whole.  Combine oil, garlic, and fresh herbs in a bowl.  Roll the potatoes in the mixture until evenly coated.  Bake on a sheet pan until tender.

Lemon mousse

Powdered sugar
coconut chopped fine, and an addtional 4 ounces toasted
milk 10 ounces
sugar 10 ounces
egg yolks 3 1/2 ounces
cornstarch 1 ounce
lemon juice 4 1/2 ounce
lemon zest blanced 1 ounce
egg whites 10 ounces

Combine milk, and half of the sugar ( 5 ounces)
Make a liaison with the yolks, cornstarch and remaining sugar...( this means just add them together in another bowl., because you will be doing a liaison with them).
Heat the milk mixture and liaison the hot milk into the yolks, and sugar ( this keeps it from curdling)
Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and zest.
Whip the egg whites and remaining sugar unil a soft merinque.
Fold the egg whites into the cooled lemon sauce.
Refrigerate or freeze.

I like using a martini glass or a very pretty dessert dish for this recipe.  Fill bottom of glass with coconut and pipe in mousse.  Garnish with toasted coconut.

1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons rosemary freshly chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cloves garlic minced
5 pounds whole leg of lam
salt to taste

combine honey, mustard, rosemary, pepper, garlic and lemon zest.  Cover and marinate over night in refrigerator

Preheat oven to 450
place lamb in roasting pan and sprinkle with salt to taste
bake at 450 for 20 minutes then reduce heat to 400 and roast for 55 to 60 minutes

To an internal tempature of 145

Let rest 10 minutes before carving

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter room tempature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter room tempature
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375
Butter a 8 x8 inch baking pan
sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl
add egg and beat well
gradually add flour mixture alternately with milk.
Fold in berries
pour into pan
Bake until lightly brown, and a toothpick comes out clean.
35 to 40 minutes
serve warm with custard sauce or whipped cream

Custard sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
3 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
pinch of salt

combine sugar, cornstarch, in a small dish and blend well
beat yolks and gradually add sugar mixture
scald milk
gradually add hot milk to egg mixture whipping it well this is called a liasion.
contiure to cook, stirring constantly until custard coats the back of the spoon about 8 minutes
cool completely
add lemon extract and salt

2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

preheat oven to 325.
grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well
transfer to perpared loaf pan.
bake until top is golden brown and splits slightly
about 1 hour 20 minutes
serve warm

1 loaf

8 slices bacon diced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
2 pounds cooked spinach squeezed dried
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 eggs
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 pound puff pastry
2 addional Tablespoons butter

saute bacon until crisp,  Drain.
melt butter
Add onion and saute until golden

Combine spinach, onion, sour cream, dill and lightly beaten eggs.  You can put this in a blender or food processor, or mix well by hand.
preheat oven to 300
grease an 8 inch round baking dish.
Divide puff pastry into 4 equal parts and roll each into an 8 inch round
reserve any pastry scraps
set one of the pastry rounds in the bottom of the greased dish.
Brush with melted butter
Add another pastry round
Top with spinach mixture and spread to with in one inch of the round... don't cover the entire top... or it will leak out
paint pastry's rim with some water to seal the next round
Add the other round and brush with melted butter.. ( all rounds are used.... two on the bottom, two on the top)
Press to seal
Roll out any scraps and cut into decorations, leaves, flowers, etc. and put on top of the last pasrty... Brush with melted butter
And bake 45 to 60 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and beautiful... ( this looks like a really hard dish to make... it is really pretty... but so easy)  If you don't like feta, consider using cream cheese, mozzerella chees, swiss cheese... whatever you like

12 ounces fresh or frozen cod or halibut
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup tequila or white wine
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small clove of garlic minced
2 teaspoons cilantro chopped
salt and pepper to taste
red onions cut into wedges
1 red pepper cut into wedges
1 green pepper cut into wedges
cherry tomatoes

Cut fish into 1 inch cubes.
For marinade, in a medium bowl stir together the tequila, lime juice, oil, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Add fish and stir to coat.
Let marinate 15 to 30 minutes
Drain fish
Place fish on skewers, alternating between vegetables and fish.
Broil, or grill until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Kidney beans 1/2 of a # 10 can or about 1 1/2 pounds cooked
coconut milk  2 cans
onions diced 1/2 large
garlic powder 1/4 cup
thyme 1/4 cup
red bell pepper 1/2 chopped small
green bell pepper 1/2 chopped small
sugar 3/4 cup
salt to taste
pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
bay leaf 3
butter 5 ounces

2 quarts rice ( long grain)

Use the juice of the kidney beans
rice is always 1 part rice to two parts liquid

so save the liquid from the kidney beans, add the coconut milk, then add water to come to 1 gallon of liquid

this makes a large amount and would feed a crowd... so you can cut down this reicpe

to cut down a recipe.... in the industry we do this .... New divided by old to get the conversion factor....

onion yellow 1/2 large
onions green 10 stalkes
garlic powder 3 TBSP
thyme dried 1 1/2 TBSP
pickling spice 2 TBSP
red wine vinegar 1 cup
soy sauce 2 cups
olive oil 1/2 cup
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Blend ingredients together in a blender.

Pour over half over chicken, pork, beef,... reserve the rest for a sauce.




This recipe is from a friend of mine that grew up in Jamaica.... it is the bomb!!!

Nachos

Tortilla chips as needed
1 can refried beans your choice
shredded cheddar cheese 1 pound
jalapeno fresh sliced thin to taste ( I like about 2 jalapeno's)

1/2 pound ground beef
1 small onion chopped fine
1 small clove garlic minced small
1 1/4 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of a fry pan about 2 teaspoons

Heat the oil in a fry pan add the onion and cook until softened
add garlic and spices
add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.

fresh guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1 tablespoon red onion minced
1 small clove garlic minced
1/2 small jalapeno minced
1/2 small tomato chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilanto leaves minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice

remove pit and scoop out avocado.  Using a fork mash the avocado with the onion, garlic, jalapeno andd cilantro
add tomato and lime juice.
adjust seasonings as needed.
sometimes I will add a little chili powder, and cumin to the guacamole.

Salsa

you can use either fresh or canned tomatoes. 
this time of year I go for a can of diced tomatoes......not fresh.

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
2 tablespoons red onion minced
1 small clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced
1 small jalapeno minced
lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

may add chili powder and cumin to taste

add to a food processor and pulse until chunky but combined


to make the Nacho's

add a base of tortilla chips to a oven proof pan
add 1/2 of the refried beans
add 1/2 of the beef
add 1/2 of the cheese
repeat
base of tortilla chips
refried beans
beef
cheese
bake in a preheated oven of 400 degrees until cheese has all melted.

Scoop on guacamole, sour cream and salsa...garnish with sliced jalapeno! 


Enjoy

16 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar ( more if needed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream

beat the cream cheese until smooth ( be sure you have softened it to room temp first)
add the powedered sugar and combine

in a separate bowl whip the cream until it almost forms stiff peaks

put the whipped cream into the cream cheese bowl and beat together just until incorperated.  DO NOT overmix.
pull the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the excess cream cheese from the bottom.

A student of mine made this recipe and it is totally amazing! 

4 cups water
4 cups milk
3 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups polenta
1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated

In a large pot bring the water, milk, and butter to a boil.  Whisk in the polenta stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.  ( I was always shown to let the polenta pour through my hand to insure it doesn't have lumps.  Simmer up to 45 minutes stirring often, until creamy.  Add the sour cream and parmesan
check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.

1 pork tenderloin sliced into 1 inch thick pieces keep them in rounds
8 slices of bacon
2 shallots minced
2 celery ribs minced
3 tablespoons Cognac
1 cup stock (chicken stock or vegetable stock is fine)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste

wrap the bacon around each piece of pork and secure with a string
season with salt and pepper
melt the butter and add the oil to a pan
add the shallots and celery and saute until tender
add the pork wrapped in bacon to the saute pan and brown on both sides
remove the pork
place pork on a heat resistant pan and cook in the oven until the bacon is crisp and the pork has reached an internal temp of 145 degree.  Keep warm.

add the Cognac and flame and shake the pan until the flames die down.. if you don't want it to flame too much, take pan off from the heat and add Cognac.... have a lid handy if you want the flames to go out right away.
stir in the tomato paste, add the red wine and stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the string from the pork
add the sauce to the bottom of a heated serving dish
place the pork on top of the sauce.

serve with creamy polenta, and steamed asparagus or any vegetables you like.

Nice enough for company!

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!  and a Happy New Year! 

Sorry, I haven't had much time to post recipes..and I have many great Christmas cookie, candy, and such to give to you...( Maybe I have saved us from too much weight gain over the holidays...) 

I am going to post healthy food in January... but right now .... I am practicing for a culinary ACF salon in Madison at the start of the new year.. Am excited to compete...this has been a great learning experience.... I really have learned so much...and am hoping it will help my students when they compete for Skills USA.. 
I am so lucky to be able to teach culinary arts.... I have the best job ever!

Here is to the most amazing year ever.... filled with happiness, hope, and health!

I can be reached at chefpennymoline@gmail.com for any comments.

Hope you have enjoyed my little blog as much as I have writiing it...

Penny

FOR THE VEGETABLES;

1 ONION, CHOPPED SMALL DICE
3 MEDIUM CARROTS, PEELED AND DICED
3 CELERY STOCKS DICED

4 RED POTATOES DICED AND STEAMED UNTIL ALMOST SOFT, (you can put them in the microwave to cook until almost cooked)

1 EIGHT OUNCE CONTAINER OF CHOPPED MUSHROOMS THINLY SLICED
1 TEASPOON THYME
1/2 TEASPOON OREGANO
1/4 CUP FRESH PARSLEY
2 TEASPOONS  CURRY POWDER
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

3 CUPS DICED COOKED TURKEY
2 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
2 TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE
1 TEASPOON FRANKS RED HOT SAUCE

1 SHEET 9 BY 10 FROZEN PUFF PASTRY
1 EGG
1 TABLESPOON MILK

6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
1/2 CUP FLOUR


IN A SAUCE PAN MELT THE BUTTER, ADD THE VEGETABLES AND COOK UNTIL THE ONION IS TRANSLUCENT, AND THE VEGETABLES SOFT..
ADD THE CURRY POWDER AND COOK FOR ONE MINUTE TO BRING OUT THE FLAVOR.
ADD THE FLOUR AND COOK UNTIL THE FLAVOR OF STARCH IS OUT OF THE FLOUR.. TASTE IT IN THE BEGINNING, THEN COOK IT UNTIL THE STARCH IS COOKED AND GOOD ( remember fat and flour makes a roux, and you want to cook the roux until the flavor is that almost of a pie shell)
ADD THE CHICKEN STOCK,
ADD THE TURKEY AND POTATOES
ADD THE LEMON JUICE AND FRANKS RED HOT SAUCE
ADD THE HERBS EXCEPT PARSLEY
COOK UNTIL THICK AND BUBBLY
ADD PARSLEY AND SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
TRANFER TO A OVEN PROOF 10 INCH PIE DISH


ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE ROLL OUT THE PUFF PASTRY TO 1/8 INCH THICKNESS
LAY THE PUFF PASTRY OVER THE FILLED PIE DISH
AND BAKE IN A PREHEATED 375 OVEN UNTIL THE CRUST IS GOLDEN

THE BRINE

2 QUARTS CRANBERRY JUICE
2 QUARTS ORANGE JUICE
3 GARLIC CLOVES
1 CUP KOSHER SALT
1/4 CUP RED PEPPER FLAKES
3 OUNCES FRESH GINGER FINELY SLICED
3 ORANGES SLICED THIN
7 BAY LEAVES

TO MAKE THE BRINE ADD ALL INGREDIENTS TO A LARGE STOCK POT AND BRING TO A BOIL OVER HIGH HEAT.  lET BOIL 1 MINUTE THEN REMOVE FROM HEAT.  ADD ABOUT 4 CUPS OF ICE AND ALLOW THE BRINE TO COOL TO ROOM TEMPERATURE, ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS

REMOVE THE POP UP TIMER, THE NECK, GIBLETS AND ANY EXCESS FAT FROM THE TURKEY .  RINSE THE TURKEY INSIDE AND OUT UNDER COOL WATER.  PLACE THE TURKEY IN A 5 GALLON BUCKET OR OTHER LARGE CONTAINER.  POUR THE COOLED BRINE OVER THE TURKEY.

IF NECESSARY, PLACE A HEAVY WEIGHT ON THE TURKEY TO KEEP IN UNDER THE BRINE.  COVER WITH PLASTIC WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS.

REMOVE THE TURKEY FROM THE BRINE AND PAT DRY WITH PAPER TOWELS.  THROW AWAY THE BRINE.