Lavender Lemon Curd

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (a little over 1 lemon)
• lemon peel (use a peeler to take the peel off without getting the white part)
• 1 tbs. lavender blossoms
• 1/4 cup butter

Mix together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, peel, and lavender in a small pot. Use that pot in a double boiler over gently simmering water and whisk often for about 10-15 minutes. It should just start to thicken. Take off the heat. Add in the butter and mix till incorporated. Strain the peel and blossoms out. Chill for at least 4 hours.

The lavender is entirely optional but adds a nice flavor.

This makes a great substitute for syrups or jams on breakfasts and sandwiches.

Spring rolls

• 2 cups Shredded chicken
• 2 cups thin rice noodles-cooked according to package directions
• 1/4 cup basil
• 2 cups broccoli slaw or diced cabbage
• rice paper wrappers

Sauce-whisk together

• 4 tbs. soy sauce
• 1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbs. sesame oil
• 1 tbs. basil oil
• 1.5 tbs. hoisin sauce

Mix together all the ingredients except the rice paper wrappers. 

Soften the wrappers in water until pliable. Fill will the pasta mixture. Fold up like a burrito.

Cheese Souffle

• Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/3 cups milk, hot
• 4 large egg yolks 
• 6 ounces ages white cheddar
• 5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water 
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Use some butter to grease an 8 inch souffle dish. Then use the grated parmesan to coat the edges. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, and allow the water to cook out. Whisk in flour, mustard, salt, and garlic. cook for 2 minutes. 

Whisk in the milk slowly and turn heat up. As soon as it boils, remove it from the heat.

In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks till creamy. Then slowly temper them in to the flour and milk mixture. Mix well. Add the cheese and take them off the heat. Mix well. 

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Then slowly fold in the egg whites into the cheese mixture. 

Slowly pour into the souffle dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Top should be browned and egg should be cooked through. 

This recipe originally comes from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/cheese-souffle-recipe/index.html#!

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

This recipe is originally from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Double-Layer-Pumpkin-Pie/Detail.aspx

• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 1 Tbs milk
• 1 Tbs white sugar
• 1.5 cups whipped cream/whipped topping
• 1- 9 inch prepared graham cracker pie crust
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2-3.5 oz vanilla pudding mix
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• .5 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Whisk cream cheese, milk, and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in the whipped topping and spread mixture into the bottom of the crust. Chill for 2 hours. 

Mix together milk and pudding mix, pumpkin, and spices. Mix well and let sit for 5-10 minutes. 

Spread over the cream cheese layer. 

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

biscuit quiche

My roommate led me to this recipe http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/bacon-quiche-biscuit-cups/404b70ce-f223-45d7-9db1-44e4f85ab47e.

Ive made a few modifications to help it turn out even better.

• 5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 bunch of green onion, chopped
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbs milk
• 1 package of pillsbury flaky biscuit dough. (8 biscuits)
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese (swiss works best but cheddar or parmesan will work)

Start by blending the cream cheese and milk till soft and smooth. Add in the eggs. Then add in the bacon, green onion and cheese. Mix well.

Open up the can of biscuits and cut each of them in half. Roll each half out flat into a circular shape and mold into a greased muffin tin. 

Press into the sides of the tin.Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Try not to overwork the dough. 

Just fill each biscuit shell with the filling, Its okay if there is a little space at the top. The filling and dough both expand.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until the dough is browned and the filling has set. 

Don't go for the off brand biscuit dough. To work well, you need the good stuff.

Tangerine sponge/custard cake

This recipe originally comes from here but I have made a few adjustments.

• 1 tbs butter-softened
• 1 tbs. minced or grated tangerine peel
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup tangerine juice
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 3 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a souffle dish. 

Start by mixing the butter and tangerine peel. Then mix in the flour, vanilla, and egg yolk to make a paste. Slowly mix in the tangerine juice and then the milk until everything is smooth. 

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks. Then slowly beat in the sugar. 

Fold the egg white mixture into the tangerine mixture. Carefully and slowly pour the mixture into the prepared souffle dish. Place the dish in a water bath and bake for about 40 minutes. Chill for at least 1 hour. 

As it cooks the mixture separates into a cake layer and a custard layer. 

This dish should work just as well with most citrus fruits. Lemons and limes will be more tart but oranges, grapefruits etc. should work out to a similar flavor. 

yorkshire pudding

• 4 eggs in a measuring cup
• Equivalent amount of milk
• Pinch of sugar
• Equivalent amount of flour
• 2 tbsp water
• Grease from a meat roast or shortening or butter

Break the eggs into a measuring cup and see how much it makes-remember this amount. Then mix in that same amount of milk and a pinch of sugar. Beat together. Rest for 20 minutes. 

Mix in the same amount of flour as there was eggs. Beat till smooth. Sit at room temp for 1/2 hour

Spray a muffin tin tin put tsp of fat in each tin in a 450 degree oven till it sizzles. 

Beat in 2 tbsp water into mixture. Pour in some of the mixture into the muffin tins until each muffin hole is about 1/2 full. Bake at 450 for about 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Penne Rustica

This recipe is our tradition new year's meal. It is decadent and delicious. The recipe calls for chicken, but because we have duck at Christmas, we always use leftover duck instead.

Sauce:

• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp chopped rosemary
• 1 cup marsala wine
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 cups cream

Pasta portion:

• 4 oz. bacon
• 18 shrimp-peeled and deveined
• 12 oz chicken, sliced
• 16-24 oz cooked penne pasta
• 6 oz butter
• 1 chopped shallot
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp paprika

For the sauce: saute butter, garlic, and rosemary until garlic begins to brown. Add in wine and reduce by about 1/3. Add remaining ingredients. reduce by half. Set aside.

For the pasta portion: saute bacon until crisped. add butter, shallots, and shrimp, cook until shrimp are pink but still slightly translucent. Add in the chicken (or duck) and salt and pepper. Mix evenly. Add the sauce and half of the parmesan. Simmer until it thickens. Combine pasta and sauce mixture in a large bowl. Pour into a casserole dish and top with remaining cheese and sprinkle the paprika over the top. Bake at 475 for 10-15 minutes.