Individual Green Salad with Chilli Dijon Salad Dressing

‘Cooking Uncovered‘  all copy rights preserved  

Recipe Title:  Easy to Make Individual Green Salad with Chilli Dijon Salad Dressing (click here to go directly to my YouTube video of this recipe) 

By: Miriam Borys  

Yield: 2 salads 

Ingredients:

1 large tomato

1 cup of bell peppers - your choice (in this 

recipe I use yellow, red and orange bell 

peppers which are so tasty

1/2 cucumber 

4-6 olives - green sicilian

3/4 package (5oz. package) of Herb Blend 

Salad Mix  or lettuce of choice

4 basil leaves  - fresh

Chilli Dijon Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white balsamic or wine vinegar

1/2 red chilli (or more if you like it hotter)

3 drops of hot sauce

1 tsp. dijon mustard

salt & pepper

Wash & dice bell peppers, cucumber & tomatoes of choice. 
(peeling not necessary if using an english cucumber)

Wash basil leaves and cut chiffonade  

Chop up 4 sicilian green olives. Use 2 olives per salad.

On a dinner plate arrange salad greens of choice. 

Top with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and fresh basil.

In a bowl measure out the vinegar and olive oil.  

Add the diced hot chili, salt & pepper, hot sauce and mustard.

Whisk until emulsified.

Spoon dressing over salad and add roasted chicken if desired.  Enjoy!

Chef Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

Chiffonade - a chopping technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and basil) are cut into long, thin strips. This is accomplished by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, then slicing the leaves perpendicular to the roll.

Baked Tuna Casserole - Gluten Free with Gorgonzola & Dubliner Aged Cheddar

Recipe Title: Baked Tuna Casserole with Gorgonzola & Dubliner Aged Cheddar - Gluten Free

By: Miriam Borys

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

½ kg. Pasta of choice (for this recipe I am using gluten free penne  made from brown rice, quinoa, amaranth & corn - see pic below)

6 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon potato starch
2 cups cream
1 cup milk
½ cup gorgonzola cheese (blue cheese)
¼ cup Dubliner aged white cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
1 zucchini - fresh
1 can flaked tuna

Cook pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until half cooked because the pasta will continue to cook in the casserole dish.  Drain pasta and pour pasta into a large casserole dish.

To make the cheese sauce add butter to a heavy sauce pot and melt the butter.

Add the potato starch and stir into melted butter. Keep you heat on a medium low heat so the sauce doesn’t burn.

Whisk in the cream and milk and continue to stir until the sauce thickens

. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the sauce thickens, add cheeses and continue to stir to melt the cheese. Turn the heat off now so that the sauce doesn’t curdle.
Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta (which is now in the large casserole dish) and add the drained tuna.
Wash the zucchini and with a mandolin

 dice zucchini into the casserole with the pasta and sauce. Stir well.

Yes, you are correct, the zucchini isn’t cooked but it will be when lunch is served.  Have faith!
Store casserole in the fridge until you are ready to prepare lunch.
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees or 175 C.
Bake the covered casserole for  35-40 minutes until warmed all the way through. Serve with a tossed green salad and one of my amazing home-made salad dressings.  (click here to go to a copy of a great recipe for a salad dressing).

This pasta dish can be made the day before and cooled until needed.  

Chef Miriam Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

Shallot & Ginger Salad Dressing

Recipe Title:  Shallot & Ginger Salad Dressing (please click here to go to my YouTube Video of this recipe)

By: Chef Miriam Borys

Ingredients:

2 tsp. Shallots
4 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. grated ginger - no need to peel ginger 

Add the shallots, vinegar & ginger to a mixing bowl or a salad shaker. Marinate the shallots & ginger in the white balsamic while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Add all the remaining ingredients below and whisk to combine.

½ tsp. grainy Dijon
1 tbsp. Fresh cilantro – small dice
Cracked pepper
Dash salt
1 tbsp. Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ tsp. sweet ginger garlic seasoning
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. agave nectar or honey

Store in the fridge until needed.

Chef Miriam Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

Apple Cinnamon Pecan Swirls

Recipe Title:  Apple Cinnamon Pecan Swirls (click here to go directly to my YouTube video of this recipe) 

By: Miriam Borys

Yield: 12 

Buttery Cinnamon Spread (make ahead if possible).

1 c butter (soft but not melted)

4 c golden yellow sugar

¼ c cinnamon

Combine in a stand mixer or by hand and beat until light and fluffy. Set aside at room temperature. Prepare this ahead of time and store in cooler until needed. Remove from the fridge the night before so that the Buttery Cinnamon Spread is softer and easier to spread.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter or margarine (cold)

2 c flour – all purpose

1 tbsp. baking powder (double acting if available)

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

¼  tsp. salt

½ cup warm water

1 apple - diced 
1 cup pecan halves ( not necessary but oh so delicious)

Procedure:

1. Combine dry ingredients in a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if doing this by hand.
2. Add cold butter and cut into flour with the paddle attachment. (by hand cut in with pastry blender or 2 knives).
3. Mix until mealy, until the butter is pea size.
4. Add warm water and beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are mixed in about 1 minute.
5. Remove from bowl and place on floured board or counter.
6. Cut dough in half to work with one half of the dough at a time.
7. Roll out dough with a rolling pin so it resembles a rectangle 
8. Spread a thin layer (approx. 1  cup) of Buttery Cinnamon Spread onto dough making sure all surfaces are covered including the corners.
9. Place ½ of the diced (unpeeled) apples and pecans in a  row in the middle of your dough on top of the cinnamon filling (this keeps the apples and pecans from falling out)
10. Roll dough up into a log roll.
11. Cut into 6 equal pieces (or 8 if smaller pieces are needed) with a metal scraper or a knife.
12. Place onto a parchment lined baking tray. With your clean fingers,  open up the top of each of the Apple Cinnamon Swirls so that each swirl looks the same.
13. Continue on with the second half of the dough using the same procedure. 
14. Bake for 15 minutes @ 375° or until lightly golden brown.
15. Remove from oven when golden brown and immediately drizzle with glaze (see below).
16. Serve hot.

Glaze for drizzling:

½ c icing sugar

2 tsp.  Water
1 tablespoon   vanilla  (if vanilla is not available use water as a substitute)

Put above in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside to glaze hot cinnamon biscuits.

Chef Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

Shortbread Cookies - the best traditional old fashioned oatmeal shortbread ever!

Shortbread Cookies - the best ever traditional shortbread (click here to go directly to my YouTube video of this recipe) 

By: Chef Miriam Borys

Ingredients:

½ cup large oats (not the instant or quick oatmeal)

1 ½ cups         all purpose flour
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ cup cornstarch
⅔ cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
1 cup cold butter (½ lb.)

½ cup flour for rolling out the dough (discard after use, 

do not add back into original flour source as it may be contaminated)

Measure oats into a food processor and process until oats are a fine powder. Set aside.

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. This step isn’t totally necessary but sifting does remove tiny lumps and makes the dry ingredients finer. Add processed oats to the flour mixture.

Cut up cold butter into small chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Soften the butter slightly by rotating the blades until butter is creamy.

Slowly add all the dry ingredients and mix until the ingredients form into a soft ball of dough.

Remove from the mixer and wrap in parchment and let chill for ½ an hour before rolling. 

Cut the dough into 4 pieces for easier handling.

Lightly dust the counter or cutting board with a sprinkling of flour. Do not over flour as this will dry out your dough.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin (or a clean bottle) until the dough is all the same thickness of approximately ¼ of an inch.

Cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter or cut with a sharp knife into desired shapes. You can also use the top of a drinking glass for a round cookie shape.

Place cookies (so as not touching each other) on an engrossed, parchment-lined baking tray.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees first and then bake until still white but slightly browned on the edges for approximately 6 minutes. Careful not to over bake. The baking time depends on the accuracy of your oven. I now realize that some ovens, especially the older ones do not register accurately, so watch your cookies so they don’t get too brown.

Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

Toasted Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Toasted Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (click here to go directly to my YouTube video of this recipe) 

By: Chef Miriam Borys

Yield:  3 dozen small cookies

Ingredients:

¼ lb. Butter (½ cup)
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour ( or ½ cup a p flour & ½ cup wholewheat flour)
1 large egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup  large oat flakes (not instant) (can be baked for 7-8 minutes at 350 and let cool first)
½ cup coconut flakes
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2  tsp. Salt
1 cup of chocolate chips or more (I use 1/2 dark and 1/2 milk chocolate chips)

In a mixer or by hand cream room temperature butter and sugars together. Add the egg and and vanilla and continue to mix.

1. Add all the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms cookie dough
2. Add chocolate chips of choice.
3. Scoop to bake or roll in parchment paper to freeze for later use.
4. Bake cookies at 350° for 15 minutes 

Options: The sky is the limit for these delicious cookies
¼ cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup dark chocolate
1 peanut butter bar broken up into chunks
1 cup of dried cranberries or cran- raisins for the festive season

Hazelnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hazelnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (click here to go directly to my YouTube video of this recipe)

By: Chef Miriam Borys

Yield:  4 doz. 1 oz. cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup toasted hazelnuts (nuts can be omitted if desired)
1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ lb. Butter (½ cup)
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. Vanilla
1 cup  large oat flakes (not instant) (can be baked for 10 minutes at 350 and let cool first)
½ cup coconut flakes
½ cup whole wheat flour
1/2  tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. Salt
½ to 1 cup of chocolate chips
Note: if you choose not to add hazelnuts make sure you add a total of 1 cup of flour to this recipe

1. If using hazelnuts add ½ cup white flour with 1 cup of toasted hazelnuts to a food processor and combine until small chunks and slightly powdery. Set aside for later use in this recipe.
2. In a mixer or by hand cream butter, sugars & egg.
3. Add all dry ingredients including the flour/hazelnut mixture from the processor and mix until it form cookie dough
4. Add chocolate chips of choice.
5. Scoop to bake or roll in parchment paper to freeze for later use.
6. Bake cookies at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Options: The sky is the limit for these delicious cookies
¼ cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup dark chocolate
1 peanut butter bar broken up into chunks

Sour Cream Bumbleberry Pie with Guest Baker Sophia-Kathryn

Recipe Title: Sour Cream Bumbleberry Pie with Guest Baker Sophia-Kathryn

Or as seen on KSTC9 Just Desserts (November 2/13 http://kcts9.org/kcts-9-cooks/kcts-9-cooks-just-desserts

By: Miriam Borys

Ingredients:

PASTRY (yields 5 small pies)

5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 lb. shortening
4 tbsp.  white vinegar
1 cup ice water
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Pastry Assembly

1. Mix together flour, salt and brown sugar. Whisk together to remove the lumps.
2. Cut up shortening into small cubes, return to cooler to keep cold.
3. Add vinegar and egg to liquid measure cup. Beat with a fork.
4. Add enough ice cold water to egg/vinegar mixture to make a total of 1 ¼ cup of liquid.
5. Place measured dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
6.   Add shortening and with a knife or a pastry blender start cutting the shortening in to the flour until all the shortening is broken up and about the size of a quarter and mealy. 
7. Add liquid mixture to the flour mixture and combine until the pastry is formed and comes together. Do not over mix at this stage or your pastry will be tough. 
8. Roll dough up into a flat disc and wrap in parchment paper and place in a clean plastic bag and store in the fridge until needed.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ Making this pastry ahead is a great time saver. It keeps well for over a week in the fridge as long as it is wrapped well. After making pies freeze the remaining pastry for use later.

SOUR CREAM PIE FILLING

1 egg
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sour cream
In a bowl mix together egg, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of flour, and sour cream. Whisk to remove lumps. This is the sour cream filling that will be poured over the rhubarb before the pie is baked.

CRUMBLE TOPPING
½ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup melted butter

Melt butter. In a small bowl mix flour and brown sugar with melted butter. Set aside for topping.

PIE ASSEMBLY - for 2 small pies

12 cups mixed berries (strawberries, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry)
1/4 cup flour, minit tapioca or Clear Jel (available from bakery supply companies)

Cut the pastry into 4 or 5 chunks. 

On a well floured surface shape the pastry into a round disc. It is easier to get a round shape when starting with a round shape. With a rolling pin, roll the pastry out carefully until thin and approximately 1 ½ inches larger than the rim of your pie plate. 

Mix fruit with flour or tapioca first.

Line the bottom of  unbaked pie shell with fruit frozen or fresh. If using fresh you may need a bit more.

Pour sour cream filling over fruit.

Sprinkle crumble topping over fruit and sour cream filling. 

Bake in a 350 degrees and bake for 50-60 minutes until mixture just starts to bubble out and pastry is golden brown.

Sour Cream Bumbleberry Pie with Guest Baker Sophia-Kathryn 

Delicious Option:
Sour Cream Rhubarb & Strawberry Pie
Reduce sugar to 1 cup and the rhubarb to 4 cups.
Add 3 cups of strawberries.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ If using a stand mixer in pastry making do not multi task. Stay at the mixer and pulse the machine on and off until the flour and shortening are slightly mixed but not totally combined. There should still be big size chunks of shortening showing and plenty of loose flour. Do not be alarmed at this because if you go too far at this stage you will ruin the pastry.