Brie and Chutney Crêpe Triangles

Molten Marshmallow-Chocolate Cakes
Instead of chocolate, these cakes ooze melted marshmallow. If you don't have ramekins, you can use muffin pans (about 1/2-cup capacity). Don't substitute chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate for the chocolate chips.

 1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 large marshmallows
Powdered sugar (optional)

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over very low heat, stir chocolate chips and butter until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour.
2. Fill six buttered, floured ramekins (1/2-cup capacity; see notes) about halfway. Press a marshmallow into the center of the batter in each ramekin. Spoon remaining batter equally over marshmallows, completely covering.

3. Bake in the center of a 350° regular or 325° convection oven until tops are puffed up and crackly, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes, then run a knife along inside of ramekins and invert to release cakes. Place right side up on plates. Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve warm.

MAKES: 6 servings

Herb Crusted Turkey

10 - 12 pound turkey
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
3 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh sage
2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons snipped fresh sage
3 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
4 firm, ripe medium pears, halved and cored
2 tablespoons olive oil

Note: remember that you may use dried seasonings, just use 1/3 of the quantity of the fresh amounts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Season cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Sprinkle onion, oregano sprigs, and sage sprigs in cavity of bird. If a band of skin crosses the tail, tuck the drumsticks under the band. If there is no band, tie drumsticks securely to tail. Pull turkey neck skin to back; fasten with a short, wooden skewer. Twist wing tips under back. Make your favorite stuffing and set aside. Place bird, breast side up, on a broiler pan or wire rack of roasting pan.

Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into in center of one of the inside thigh muscles registers 150 degrees F, approximately 2 1/4 hours. Brush turkey with honey. Using wide metal spatula, pat stuffing onto bird. Place any extra in a buttered pan, cover with foil and bake separately. I like to baste later with some of the turkey stock.

Cut band of skin or string between drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. Arrange pears in bottom of pan around turkey; brush pears with oil. Continue to roast until thermometer registers 180 degrees F, approximately 30 - 45
minutes more.

Remove turkey from oven. Remove onion and herbs from cavity, if desired. Cover; let stand 15 - 20 minutes.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

CONVECTION OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place bird, breast side up, on a broiler pan or wire rack of roasting pan. (Using a broiler pan helps bird cook more evenly in convection oven.) Roast turkey until a thermometer inserted into center of one of inside thigh muscles registers 150 degrees F, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Brush turkey with honey.

Using wide metal spatula, pat stuffing mixture evenly onto bird. Cut band of skin or string between drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. Arrange pears around turkey on broiler pan; brush pears with olive oil. Continue to roast until thermometer registers 180 degrees F, approximately 15 - 30
minutes more.

Remove turkey from oven. Remove onion and herbs from cavity, if desired. Cover and let stand 15 - 20 minutes before serving.

Barbecued Chicken Pizza

1 pound boned, skinned chicken breasts

1/3 cup prepared barbecue sauce

Salt and pepper

4 slices bacon (4 oz. total), cut into 1-inch pieces

2 baked pizza crusts (7 to 8 in., 5 oz. each)

1/4 cup cream cheese (2 oz.)

1/4 cup canned diced green chilies

1/2 cup shredded jack cheese

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in an 8-inch baking pan and coat with about 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a 350° F. regular or convection oven until no longer pink at the center of the thickest part (cut to test), about 20 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then tear into bite-size chunks. In a small bowl, mix with remaining barbecue sauce.

Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat, stir bacon until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Place pizza crusts on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Spread each with about 2 tablespoons cream cheese. Spoon chicken in sauce evenly over both crusts; top with bacon, green chilies, jack cheese, and hot chili flakes.

Bake pizzas in a 400° F. regular or convection oven until cheese is browned and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a board and cut into wedges.

Chicken Wellington

3 lbs. fresh mushrooms diced
1 lb. fresh onion, diced
1/2 lb. fresh celery, diced
3 - 4 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mixed herbs - basil, oregano, thyme or rosemary
salt and pepper 
50 (4 oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
50 (5") puff pastry squares

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Dice onions, celery and mushrooms in a food processor.

Salt and pepper chicken breasts. Brown chicken breasts in a pan with oil until about half done. Cool completely.

Lay out pastry and spoon l oz. of veggies onto each one.

Place one chicken breast on each square; wrap pastry around each one sealing with a little water. Brush with egg.

Bake at 375° F. in a convection oven for 20 minutes or in a regular oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Optional: Top the chicken and mushroom mixture with a slice of gruyere cheese before wrapping. Serve with Hollandaise Sauce.

Note: These can be made a day ahead. Place wrapped chicken on a cookie sheet. Make sure that the pastry is covered well with the egg wash. Do not cover the cookie sheet. You can lay a piece of wax paper over very loosely. If you cover them tightly the pastry will get soggy!

Melt-away Strawberry Shortcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine, in chunks
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 quart sliced strawberries (1/4 in. thick)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers until fine crumbs form. Add 3/4 cup cream and stir with a fork until dough holds together.

On a lightly floured board, knead dough just until smooth, 3 or 4 turns. Coat board with more flour and roll dough into a 4- by 8-inch rectangle. With a floured knife or fluted cutter, cut into 6 equal rectangles. Space rectangles 2 inches apart on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake in a 375° F. regular or 350° F. convection oven until shortcakes are deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on sheet at least 15 minutes.

As shortcakes bake, in a bowl, gently mix strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl, with a mixer on medium-high speed, whip remaining 3/4 cup cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, and vanilla until mixture holds soft mounds; cover and chill.

With a serrated knife, split shortcakes in half horizontally. Set bottoms cut side up on plates. Mound strawberries and whipped cream on bottoms. Set tops cut side down on fruit and cream.

NOTES: Prepare shortcakes through step 4 up to 1 day ahead; let cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutmeg Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup salad oil

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add oil, egg, and vanilla and beat until well blended.

2. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat until well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until dough is firm, about 1 hour.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Press each cookie with the lightly floured tines of a fork to flatten slightly.

4. Bake cookies in a 350° regular or convection oven until edges are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes; if baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

YIELD: 3 Dozen

Belfast Baps Recipe

2 1/2 C. warm water
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
2 T. active dry yeast
6 1/2-7 C. bread flour
rice flour

Place warm water in bowl. Water should be just warm to touch, about 90-100°F. Add salt, sugar and yeast. Stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit about 5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Gradually add the remaining flour, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Knead with a dough hook or by hand, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and divide into four equal pieces.

Form each piece into a ball, using rice flour on the board. Place close together on a baking sheet, be sure top is covered with rice flour. Let rise again for about 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F. for 30 minutes. Convection baking works well on this bread if you have that option (bake at 375°F. in that case). Turn the broiler on during the last 5 minutes. But don't walk away! Watch carefully. The top should be a deep brown. Set to cool on rack and listen to the crackle!