Weekend Round-Up

Fall has been making its way across our yard this past week. It waves a wand of color brushing the tips of the trees.

Savor some fall dishes to usher in the season.

Cinnamon Apple Puff Pastry with Maple Glaze

Cook's Notes: These apple cinnamon spiced pastries are perfect for fall dining. The recipe serves 6 and was adapted from the publication Real Food Byerlys and Lunds.

 Cooking Tip: The smaller the apple pieces the better they will be for cooking. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 3 apples, crisp (I used Sweet Tango) peeled and diced, small bite-sized
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg and cardamom 
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 large egg

Icing Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
•  2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon whole milk or half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
• Roll out puff pastry on wax paper that has been lightly floured to a square.
• Transfer to a small parchment-lined baking sheet. 
• With a small knife lightly score a 1/2 border around the inside of the square. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
• In a large bowl mix diced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, and spices. 
• Using a slotted spoon to place the apple mixture on the pastry within the scored lines. 

• Brush the borders with an egg wash.
• Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake for 20 minutes.

• Cool for 10 minutes. Mix icing ingredients and drizzle over-baked pastry. Serve immediately.

Eggs Benedict Ala Mode Hash Brown Waffles 

Cook's Notes: An intriguing and just delicious recipe serving your favorite eggs benedict over hash brown waffles. Same great taste but just a new way of looking at a standard dish. Preassembling the ingredients is a must for this recipe to go smoothly. Would be perfect for breakfast or your next brunch. 

Cooking Tips: Decide what are going to be your add-ins for this egg dish and prepare ahead. The photo shows tomato and avocado slices.

I shortcutted the hollandaise sauce by making a packaged one from Knoors.

My waffle maker is a small one 7-1/4 diameter and the batter was enough to make 3 hash brown waffles. Be sure the waffle maker is well greased.  

Ingredients:

• Poached egg/eggs
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Add-ins e.g. smoked salmon, cooked bacon, tomato, avocado, prosciutto, flaked crabmeat, sauteed spinach, guacamole 
• Hollandaise sauce

Waffles

• 1- 20. oz package of refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes or thawed frozen shredded hash browns 
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

• Grease and preheat the waffle maker. In a large bowl mix cornstarch and butter. Add in shredded hash browns and mix well. 
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Make waffles first and transfer them to a baking sheet to keep warm.
• Divide the mixture into 3 batches about 2 cups. 
• Spread one batch on the bottom of the waffle maker and cook for 12 minutes. Even if the light goes off on the waffle maker keep cooking to be crisp. Transfer the cooked waffle to the baking sheet to keep warm in the oven.
• To poach eggs bring water with white vinegar to boil, add in egg/eggs/reduce heat to low, and cook until whites are set, 3-5 minutes.