Tortellini Tapas - Appetizers

Laura and Annie from "The Happy Auer Show" (pronounced "happy hour") prepare this seemingly easy recipe of Tortellini Tapas (Appetizers). Although I haven't tried their recipe yet, it appears to be simple and quick, and also looks pretty tasty!



Ingredients

1 pkg Buitoni three cheese filled tortellini
1/2 cup peppercorn ranch dressing
1 egg
Contadina roasted garlic & savory spices bread crumbs
2 cups canola oil

1/2 cup peppercorn ranch dressing
1/4th cup chopped fresh cilantro (washed, stems removed, and dried)
Pace chunky mild salsa

Directions

Boil cheese tortellini according to package directions (boil gently from 7-9 minutes)

Whisk together peppercorn ranch dressing and 1 egg.

When tortellini is al dente, rinse in cold water and drain well.

Dredge well-drained tortellini in ranch mixture and set aside.

Place bread crumbs into a plate or bowl and roll each tortellini until well-crumbed.
Place rolled tortellini on baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Place chilled tortellini in hot oil and fry about 3 minutes on each side... turning over gently with a slotted spoon.

When tortellini are golden, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

NOTE: To keep warm, place into a preheated 200-degree oven.

Dipping Sauce

Place cilantro, ranch dressing, and salsa in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Chill for about an hour before placing into attractive serving dish.

Always Enjoy!

Banana Bread With Walnuts & Dates

Although this recipe for Banana Bread with Walnuts & Dates is very simple to prepare... it doesn't short-change on flavor. I hope that Maggie and my other readers enjoy it as much as I did!



Ingredients

3 overripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 nutmeg (ground or fresh)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, add bananas and eggs and mash contents thoroughly. Add sugar and mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add to banana mixture and mix well.

Add walnuts and dates to mixture and fold until well incorporated.

Pour banana mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

NOTE: If your bread isn't done in the suggested hour, don't let it bake for an additional 10 minutes without checking every 2 minutes so that it doesn't become overly done (as it appears in the video).

NOTE: If you like a very moist banana bread, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your mixture.

Always Enjoy!

Bread Pudding and Caramel Sauce Recipe

One of my subscribers requested a recipe for Bread Pudding. The following recipe video by "freitasex" (which I think is "Freita's ex"), appears to be a pretty tasty pudding and also includes a delicious Caramel Sauce recipe. I've also included my very own Chocolate Bread Pudding in the next post. I hope that you will enjoy!



Ingredients

6 eggs
32 oz of light cream or half and half
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 cups any dry day old bread or croissants (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 cup raisins

Directions

Mix together your first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

Soak bread crumbs and raisins in custard for about 2-3 hours (use a heavy dish or bowl to weigh the crumbs down into the mixture).

Spray an 11x8-inch glass baking dish with Pam. Add bread crumbs and raisins evenly in dish.

Place above baking dish into a 13x9-inch baking dish and use as a water bath by placing boiling water into the larger dish before baking.

Bake pudding in a 350°F or 180C preheated oven for 50 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

4 oz butter
2 T corn syrup
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream

In a small heavy pan, whisk together sauce ingredients as shown in the video... adding the heavy cream toward the end.

Note: If you decide to substitute the French baguette for raisin bread, you can still add additional raisins.

Note: To prevent scalding accidents, place your pudding dish into the larger dish and carry both to the oven before filling with boiling water.

Always Enjoy!

Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe

This awesome recipe for Chocolate Bread Pudding is a favorite of many of my chocoholic friends. I remember my mother making this delicious pudding for the holidays when I was growing up with a dollop of "real" whipped cream on top. And yes, she made her own whipped cream!

Your Ingredients: (serves 10 to 12)

1 (one-pound) loaf brioche bread
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 whole vanila bean, cut in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
8 ounces Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1.5 sticks melted butter
8 large egg yolks (freeze the whites for a meringue)
1 cup granulated sugar
real whipped cream
mini-chocolate chips

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 325°F.

BUTTER a 13x9-inch baking dish. (You'll also need a roasting pan to serve as a water bath container.)

CUT brioche into 1-inch cubes and place them in the buttered dish.

ADD the milk, cream, vanilla seeds, and vanilla pod to a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat down low and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes to intensify the vanilla flavor.

WHISK together the egg yolks and sugar; set aside.

REMOVE the vanilla pod (discard) and reheat the milk-cream mixture to boiling.

REMOVE from heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until all ingredients are very well blended.

POUR custard over the brioche cubes and use a fork to poke holes through cubes, making sure that custard is soaking through. Cover with plastic wrap and let pudding stand for 2-hours, occasionally pressing the cubes down into pudding. In the meantime, fill a large saucepan with water and heat over high heat to boiling. Turn off heat once it comes to a boil.

PLACE your baking dish inside of the larger pan and place in the preheated oven. Being very careful, fill the outer pan with enough hot water to reach the halfway point of the pudding dish. Bake until pudding is set, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

SERVE warm and top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle a few mini-chocolate chips on top for garnish.

Always Enjoy!