Peach and Pear Turnover

Peach and Pear Turnover

What do you do when you get up on a Saturday with nothing in the house but some plums and peaches and some phyllo dough? I create...and holy toledo did it turn out good!!

 I started by cutting up the peach and the plum, adding them to a pan over medium heat. Once the juices started to form, I added in just a little sugar. Stirring, adding sugar to taste until the fruit just begins to caramelize. In the meantime- I got out 4 sheets of phyllo dough. Buttering each piece with a very thin layer of butter, folding in half and adding to a glass baking dish which has been covered in a thin layer of butter. When the fruit is done caramelizing set in the center of the dough. Folding into a burrito like package Top with a little more butter spread across the top and sprinkle with sugar!

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, then put on a little more melted butter and sugar, bake another 5 minutes- turning the heat up to 400 degrees until golden brown.

 Enjoy- it is truly delicious!

Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart Ingredients

2- 3 large heirloom tomato ( I used half an orange, half a yellow and half a red heirloom tomato)
12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 ounces rindless goat cheese, crumbled
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs - basil, chives, and parsley

 Directions

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 2. Core and slice the tomatoes into 1/8 thick chunks, discarding the end slices. (The tomatoes should be cut on the thin side so their juices can evaporate during baking before they have a chance to make the crust soggy.) Place the tomato rounds on paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels and let stand to drain excess juices while preparing the phyllo crust.

 3. Place a phyllo sheet on the baking sheet. Brush the phyllo with olive oil. Brush remaining phyllo sheets.. Fold over the four sides of the phyllo stack to make a 1-inch-wide border. Sprinkle the area inside the border with the Parmesan. Top with the tomato slices, overlapping the slices as needed.

4. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the herbs and add more Parmesan on top…

 5. Bake until the phyllo is crisp and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly or to room temperature. cut into rectangles and serve!

The story of Beer Cheese Soup....

When I was young my Uncle Phil, Mom, my friend Lisa and I once went on a winter adventure. We headed up to Northern Minnesota for a weekend of snowmobiling. I remember clearly how we somehow ended up singing a song called " I'm not Lisa" the entire way up North but even more clearly I remember the Beer Cheese soup we had at a little Inn after a cold day of snowmobiling. I have tried for years to find a recipe that matched that delicious batch but haven't found anything close, so I have done some experimenting and here is what I have found....

Three Cheese Beer Soup

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese- shredded by hand ( it melts better!)
6 ounces white cheddar cheese- shredded by hand ( it melts better!)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
5 cups chicken broth
1 -12 oz bottle of beer
1 cup whipping cream
10 slices bacon- cooked crisp, drained and chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Bring cheese to room temperature- about 30 minutes. In Dutch oven heat butter until melted over medium heat. Add in onion, and garlic, cook for 10 minutes until tender and slightly browned.

2. Stir in flour and dry mustard then slowly add broth, whipping cream and beer cooking until bubbly- stirring constantly.

3. Gradually add cheese until melted. Add in bacon, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

Makes about 10 servings

Apple Pork Roast

It's fall in Minnesota, the leaves are red and yellow, the air is cool and the sun is shining. It's the perfect time for Apple Pork Roast. Fill the house with the smell of apple and tempt your family to the dinner table!

3 1/2- to 4-lb boneless pork top loin roast
3 clove garlic, cut into thin slices
1 tsp coarse salt or regular salt
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 ts[ coarsely ground black pepper
3 medium apples, I suggest something tart like honey crisp
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Trim fat from meat. Cut a few slits about an inch deep in meat; insert a piece of garlic in each slit. Make the rub in a small bowl by combining salt, rosemary, and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over meat; rub in with your fingers.

Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer. Roast, uncovered, in a 325° oven for 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 145°.

Spoon off any fat in roasting pan.

In a large bowl combine the apples, brown sugar, apple juice, lemon juice. Spoon the apple mixture around meat.

Roast, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes more or until meat thermometer registers 155°.

Transfer meat to a serving platter. Cover meat with foil; let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. (The internal temperature will rise about 5° during standing.)

Remove the rack from the roasting pan. Stir the apple wedges into the pan juices. Serve with the meat.