March | 2015 | Home Is Where The Haggis Is

Monthly Archives: March 2015
- W.O.W. Sonoma Chardonnay
  
  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 25th
  Finding an inexpensive Chardonnay has proven to be a challenge in the past. The cheaper Chardonnays have a harsh, bitter taste and lack a smooth, buttery finish. I tried to rationalize why this would be the case when there are so many wonderful reds on the market. Maybe it’s because with a red, the murky layers and melding of different grapes can mask any imperfections whereas with whites, clarity and purity are key components to create a beautiful wine. (Just a guess, I am no expert!)
  
  I have heard good things about Kirkland (Costco’s Store Brand) wine so I decided to try their Sonoma Chardonnay and-ding, ding, ding- we have a winner! For $6.99 you get the fruity flavors of apple and pear with a toasty vanilla and oak finish. Yum! This will be a great go-to wine for the summer.
  
  Don’t mind the picture of the snow in the background above. Just picture yourself sipping this wine when the sun is still high in the late afternoon sky and the landscape around you is enveloped entirely in green.
  
  Cheers my dears!
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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Kirkland Wine, Kirland Sonoma Chardonnay 2013
- Classic Lemon Squares
  
  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 23rd
  Yesterday I hosted our first official Mom Book Club meeting. It was a smashing success! So many great women attended who all brought amazing food, wine and ideas to the table. The fun thing about a book club is not just discussing the book, but seeing where conversation will steer. The dialogue was enlightening, positive and downright hilarious. We already look forward to our next meeting.
  
  For food, I tried to keep it simple with cucumber sandwiches, cheese, crackers and lemon bars. The lemon squares are perfect for a spring/summer brunch, potluck or fun occasion. There’s just something about them; I think it’s the pretty color and shot of citrus that remind us that warmer days are here (well, almost).
  Lemon Squares
  - Servings: 20-25 bars
  - Time: 1hr 10mins
  - Difficulty: moderate
  - Print
  Credit: cookingclassy.com
  
  Ingredients
  
  Crust:
  
  2 cups all-purpose flour
  1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
  1/3 brown sugar
  1/2 tsp salt
  3/4 cup butter, diced into small cubes
  
  Filling
  
  2 cups granulated sugar
  6 Tb all-purpose flour
  1/8 tsp salt
  zest of 1 lemon
  3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  4 large eggs
  3 large egg yolks
  3 1/2 Tb heavy cream
  
  Directions
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
  2. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  
  3. In a food processor (or a large bowl mixed with a fork), pulse together the flour, sugars and salt. Add butter and combine until mixture is crumbly.
  
  4. Pour crust mixture into pan and using plastic wrap, press the mixture evenly on the bottom of pan. Discard plastic wrap. Bake crust in oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.
  
  5. While crust is baking, whisk in sugar, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  
  6. About 10 minutes before crust is done baking, mix in juice of lemons and orange, lemon zest, eggs, egg yolks and heavy cream. Whisk vigorously to blend ingredients well. Pour mixture over hot crust and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
  
  7. Bake until filling is set, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover and chill in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours or overnight. Cut into squares and dust tops with powdered sugar.
  
  Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
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  Posted in Baking
- Strawberry Fruit Rollups
  
  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 12th
  My daughters love fruit rollups from the store. Aside from the garish colors and blast of sugar, I am okay with buying them every now and then. Then I saw a recipe on…Pinterest! (Where else?) I decided to give the homemade version a try. My youngest assisted me in the kitchen and had fun making them, but when it came time to take a bite she hesitated. I tried one and was surprised at how similar the taste was compared to the store bought version. She proceeded with caution, took a smile bite and immediately spit it out. Maybe it’s the seeds? My oldest one was excited to try them when she got home from school and sadly, she gave it a thumbs down too. I think they make a great portable snack. In retrospect, I should have offered them after their evening swim lessons when they will eat anything. Oh well, I think they taste great so more for me.
  
  You could try this recipe with your kids and probably have better luck. It’s simple to make. Spring break isn’t far away and this would be a perfect way to sneak in some science.
  
  Recipe from Fifteen Spatulas
  Strawberry Fruit Rollups
  - Time: 4 hrs
  - Difficulty: easy
  - Print
  Ingredients
  
  8 ounces strawberries, stems removed
  1 Tbsp lemon juice
  3 Tbsp sugar
  
  Directions
  
  1. Place strawberries into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
  
  2. Transfer strawberry puree to a saucepan. Add lemon juice and sugar. Turn heat on stove to medium and cook for about 10 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
  
  3. Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour strawberry mixture over paper and use an offset spatula or knife to smooth out into a rectangular shape.
  
  4. Bake in the oven for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. You want the middle to be slightly tacky, but you don’t want the entire rollup to be crisp and cracking. The sides might crack a little though and that’s fine.
  
  5. Remove fruit leather from oven and cool for about 10 minutes. Use a pizza cutter to cut strips and roll ’em up! Enjoy.
  The start of cooking the strawberry mixture. Still needs to thicken.
  
  The rectangular shape can be a bit misshapen. It gives it more of a rustic, homemade look.
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  Posted in Baking | Tagged Homemade Fruit Roll Ups, Strawberry Roll Ups
- Lasagna With Sweet Corn and Mascarpone
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 10th
  This meatless lasagna would make a great Friday night meal during Lent or just about any night of the week. Serve it with a salad, some bread and a glass of buttery Chardonnay.
  
  Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
  Lasagna With Sweet Corn And Mascarpone
  - Servings: 6
  - Time: 1hr10mins
  - Difficulty: easy
  - Print
  Ingredients
  
  11 lasagna sheets
  3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
  1/4 cup milk
  3 cloves garlic, minced
  8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 cup
  1 large lemon, zested
  1/4 tsp salt
  1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  3/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves
  1 1/2 cups shredded Provolone
  Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  
  Directions
  
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  
  2. In a food processor, blend the corn, milk and garlic until chunky. Add the mascarpone, 1 cup of Parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until just combined.
  
  3. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the the pasta and cook according to package directions, about 8 minutes stirring every so often.
  
  4. Place first layer of noodles in 9×13 pan. Spoon 1/2 of the filling over the top of noodles and sprinkle 3/4 cup of the Provolone. Add another layer of noodles and spread remaining filling over the noodles. Sprinkle the remaining Provolone as well as the 1/2 cup reserved Parmesan cheese on top. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Back in oven for about 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbling. Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy.
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  Posted in Cooking | Tagged Corn Lasagna, Recipe for Lent
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