What's For Dinner - Day 14

Mystery Ingredients
Canned Strawberries
Grands Biscuits
Hangar Steak
Ham Slices

Final Product
Mini "Croque Monsieur" Sandwiches with Strawberry BBQ Dipping Sauce

For the dipping sauce:
1 can strawberries with half the liquid drained
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp strawberry jam
Salt & pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and puree with a hand blender, or in a food processor. Set aside.

For the sandwiches:

Grands Biscuits

Hangar Steak

Ham Slices

4-5 slices Taleggio cheese (or swiss)

Flour, for rolling

Salt & pepper

1 egg + 1 tbsp water, mixed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Season the hangar steak with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet for 5 minutes on both sides. Set aside on a plate to rest. Meanwhile, sprinkle some flour on your board, and roll out each biscuit so it is just bigger than the ham slices. 

Once the steak has rested, cut very small pieces off and set aside (you may not use the whole steak). Take one of the rolled out biscuits and place a ham slice on top, then some of the steak pieces and a slice of cheese. Brush the edges of the biscuit with the egg mixture. Place another biscuit on top and crimp the edges. Repeat for the rest of the biscuits until you have either 4 or 5 sandwiches.

Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and brush with more of the egg mixture. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot (but be careful...these get VERY hot inside!)

RATING: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 13

Mystery Ingredients
Chicken Wings
Rice Cakes
Pound Cake

Final Product
Rice Cake coated Buffalo Wings
&
Sauteed Apples over toasted pound cake and Fresh Whipped Cream

For the buffalo wings:
Chicken wings, cut into drumettes and wings
Rice Cakes
Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup hot sauce
1 tbsp butter
Oil for frying

Place about 3-4 rice cakes in the food processor and pulverize until finely ground. Season the wings with salt, pepper and parsley. Season the rice cakes with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss the wings in the mixture. Fry the wings in a cast iron skillet until cooked through.
Pour the hot sauce and butter into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and pour mixture into a large bowl. Toss cooked wings in the sauce and serve hot.


For the Apples & Pound Cake:
4 firm apples, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup apple flavored wine (or brandy)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

In a large skillet, melt the 2 tbsp butter and add the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Saute the apples until they are soft, like in an apple pie. Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine or brandy. Put the pan back on the heat and reduce the sauce for about 3 minutes.
Pour the heavy cream into a metal bowl along with the sugar and vanilla. Whip with a whisk or a hand mixer until light and fluffy. (Careful not to over-whip, otherwise you'll end up with butter!)
Cut the pound cake into slices and toast for about 3 minutes. Pour the apples over the pound cake. Top with whipped cream and serve!

RATING: 
Wings: ***** (5 stars!)
Pound Cake: ***** (5 stars!)