Dipsea Cafe's Chicken Pot Pie

The secret of the Dipsea Cafe's delicious Chicken Pot Pie is in the crust -- it has fresh sage baked right in! Thanks to John, the owner, for the following recipe:

Makes about 6 pies

Filling:
3/4 cups butter
1 onion, diced
1 cup leeks, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced

Heat butter and saute until onions are soft

Add:
3/4 cups flour and mix well

Slowly add:
1/4 gal hot chicken stock and stir

Season with:
Salt
Pepper
Thyme
Bay leaf

Simmer for 20 minutes

Add:
Meat from 1 chicken, chopped
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups cooked diced potatoes
Mix well and let sit for 30 minutes

Pie Dough:
41/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp salt
1Lb cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup ice cold water
1 bunch chopped fresh sage

Fill pot pies and bake @ 350 for about 30 minutes

The Humble Biscuit

The last time I was in Alabama, my Grandfather took me to Gibson's Barbecue for breakfast, where the motto is "Too Much Pork for Just One Fork." Their biscuits are so good, they make me want to cry...

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine (8 tablespoons; divided)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in remaining 4 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add buttermilk all at once. Stir only to moisten and until dough is free from sides of bowl.

Knead gently 10 to 12 folds. Use a light hand in kneading. Do not overknead or biscuits will be tough.

Roll or pat out to at least 1 inch thick. Cut with a 2- or 3-inch cutter that has been dipped in flour. Place biscuits in the baking pan with the melted butter; turn biscuits over so both sides are coated. Place close together in baking pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Note: Mix all ingredients together just before baking. If you need to hold them, the cut dough rounds can be refrigerated for up to 1 hour. Makes 12 (2-inch) biscuits or 9 (3-inch) biscuits.

Of course, a real Southerner wouldn't eat these for breakfast without the Old-Fashioned Sausage Gravy...

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound fresh pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milkSalt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until the sausage is broken up and browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the onion and continue cooking until the onion is tender, another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Makes 6 servings.

Comfort food at its simple best!

(photo and recipes from the Newshouse News Service)

Goat Cheese Quiche

Coco's been at it again, whisking up a Quiche au Chevre that I used to make often in France, but had sort of forgotten back here in California. But with all the wonderful local cheeses, you can't go wrong. And just because that wasn't challenging enough, she roasted fresh beets for a salad with walnuts, walnut oil, and champagne vinegar. Is there anything she can't do?

Ingredients
1 prepared refrigerated pie crust
3 oz diced prosciutto
1 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1 tbsp flour
4 oz fresh goat cheese
2 zucchini
parsley, chives, finely chopped
salt, pepper, nutmeg
butter

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter the tart pan and place the crust in the pan, prick the crust bottom with a fork. Keep cold. Wash the zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice. Beat the eggs, then add the cream, flour, salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. Break up the goat cheese with a fork and incorporate, then add the zucchini and diced prosciutto. Fill the pie crust, sprinkle with parsley and chives. Bake for 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown.

Perfectly Natural Vanilla Ice Cream

Everyone in this household is a purist; when it comes to ice cream, vanilla always wins the day. This is the most delectable homemade ice cream we've ever churned out. And I love that it has no processed sugar!

Ingredients
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp arrowroot
3 cups heavy cream, not ultrapasturized

Directions
Beat egg yolks and blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into your ice cream maker and process according to instructions. For ease of serving, transfer ice cream to a shallow plastic container, cover and store in the freezer (duh).

Okay, I just have to make a plug here for Michael Rechiutti's Extra Bitter Chocolate sauce (kinda blows the sugar thing)... but fresh berries in season are nice, too.

Spinach-Cheddar Casserole

This is the only way I can get my kids to actually enjoy spinach (they usually eat it grudgingly); they ask for seconds or thirds of this dish every time! It's a fabulous brunch item for grownups, too.

Ingredients
4 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
16 oz container cottage cheese
1 cup packed grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tbsp dried dillweed

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Beat eggs, salt, and pepper to blend in a large bowl. Mix in spinach. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well blended. Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Bake casserole until center is firm and top is golden, about 45 minutes.

Sweet-n-Sour Sauce

I've been asked for this recipe (ancient Chinese secret) so many dozen times, I'm embarrassed to reveal how simple and pedestrian it really is...

Ingredients
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup rice vinegar (red wine vinegar works as well)
1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour over your favorite cooked stir-fry ingredients (for the kids I usually use chicken, bok choy or broccoli, red and yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced carrots, and water chestnuts) over medium high heat and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Heavenly Granola

This is the best granola I've ever tasted (it has an even texture with no clumps), and the kitchen staff at Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg were gracious enough to share it with me. Amen!

Ingredients
6 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup wheat germ
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup sesame seeds
2/3 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light vegetable oil
1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place the oats, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and almonds in a large bowl; mix to combine. Transfer to a very large baking pan. Place the honey and oil (and extract) in a saucepan and heat until well mixed and viscous. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until honey mixture is evenly incorporated. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes (and more frequently at the end of baking) for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove when golden brown. Add dried fruit. Stir every 5 minutes as it cools to prevent clumping. Store in airtight container. Great over plain yogurt!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

This recipe is one of our family favorites from a book called The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces by Diane Seed, given to me almost twenty years ago by one of my best friends, Laura.

Ingredients
1 lb spaghetti
5 eggs
4 oz heavy cream
salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
7 oz streaky bacon
4 oz freshly grated Parmesan and pecorino romano, preferably half and half

Preparation
Beat the eggs and cream together with a pinch of salt*. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the diced bacon and cook gently until the fat becomes transparent. Cook the spaghetti, following packet directions carefully to avoid over-cooking. Drain the pasta and add it to the large bacon pan. Stir well. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the beaten eggs and cream and a small quantity of the cheese. The eggs will coagulate as they come into contact with the hot pasta so it is very important to work quickly. Stir until each strand of pasta is coated with a thick yellow cream. Now stir in the rest of the cheese and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve at once.

*Cook's note: Make sure to let your eggs and cream stand at room temperature for a couple of hours before making this dish, otherwise your pasta dish will be cold. (I learned this the hard way...)

7-Layer Cookie Bars

Seven ingredients, technically...

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. coconut
1 c. chopped nuts

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 9"x13" pan. Layer ingredients in this order: crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts. Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk over layers. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Cut and remove while warm.

These will disappear faster than you can say "they're done!"
-- better make a double batch!

Asparagus Torta

This recipe comes from the inside wrapper on the asparagus from James' family's farm!

Ingredients
2 lbs asparagus cleaned and trimmed
6 eggs
3 Tbsp virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/4 Cups Parmesan cheese
1 Cup seasoned bread crumbs

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F, oil bottom and sides of an 8x8x2 pan. Cook asparagus until tender and let cool, cut into small pieces. Beat eggs with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and asparagus, salt and pepper, mix well. Add cheese and breadcrumbs to mixture. Pour into prepared pan and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Bake approximately 45 minutes, until nice and brown. Cool and cut into squares to serve.

Tip(!): When we're feeling really special, we use just the tips of the asparagus to make this recipe, reserving the stalks for a shaved salad.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Just in time for Easter, here's the perfect recipe for a sugar cookie that keeps its shape!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation
1. Whisk together flour and salt a set aside.
2. Using your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well blended.
3. With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until the two are thoroughly blended.
4. Turn out the dough onto to some waxed paper and divide into two portions. Roll to 1/4 inch thick (get wooden slats from the hardware store and straddle the rolling pin across them to make them to make a perfectly even thickness). Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Cut out shapes and bake 12-16 minutes, until cookies are just golden around the edge.

Decorate and share! (for complete instructions and great decorating ideas, consult a professional book called Cookie Craft.

Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

When Coco gets the notion to "cook up a little something for dinner" she doesn't mess around! She found this recipe, and it's one of the most popular dishes we've posted.

Ingredients
1 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup (packed) drained, coarsely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried basil
4 5-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix artichokes, cheese, tomatoes, and basil in medium bowl. Using small sharp knife and working with 1 chicken breast at a time, cut 2-inch-long slit horizontally into 1 side of chicken breast. Move knife back and forth in slit to form pocket. Divide 1 cup cheese mixture among chicken pockets (reserve remainder for frittata). Press edges to seal. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Turn chicken over; transfer skillet to oven. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

serve with Rice Pilaf with Pine Nuts:

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted if desired

Preparation
Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff rice with fork; add pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings

(from Bon Appétit, February 2008)

Smoky Beef Stew

Bacon, smoked paprika, and chipotle chile powder (from dried smoked jalapeños) give this stew layers of smoky flavor. Prep and Cook Time: 4 hours. Notes: You can make this a day ahead through step 3 and chill it. Add 15 minutes to the cooking time for the potatoes, since the liquid will take longer to boil. Find smoked paprika (often labeled pimentón de La Vera) at gourmet grocery stores.

Ingredients
About 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
4 strips hardwood-smoked bacon, chopped
2 large onions, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. wedges
About 1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (see Notes)
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
2 bottles (750 ml. each) dry red wine
2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4- by 2-in. sticks
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced chives

Preparation
1. Heat a heavy, large casserole or Dutch oven (not nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. oil. When hot, add 1/5 to 1/4 of the beef. The first piece should sizzle when it hits the pot; if it doesn't, remove it and wait for the oil to get hotter. The pieces should not touch—you want plenty of room so the juices will evaporate quickly and the meat can brown. Cook until well browned and a bit crusted, about 5 minutes each side, adjusting heat so meat sizzles but does not burn. They're ready to turn when they release from the pot easily. Transfer meat to a bowl and repeat with remaining meat and oil, for a total of 4 or 5 batches. This takes about an hour when done properly.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Add bacon to pot and cook until fat renders and bacon starts to brown. Transfer bacon to bowl with beef. Add onions to pot and stir in 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer onions to bowl with beef. Add flour to pot and cook, stirring, until it starts to turn golden and smells faintly of piecrust, about 2 minutes. Add smoked paprika and chipotle powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

3. Add wine and increase heat to high. Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add reserved beef, bacon, and onions. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and bake until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

4. Return pot to stove. Add potatoes and bring to a boil. Add carrots and bring back to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes. Stir in butter and add salt to taste. Serve hot, garnished with blue cheese, pepper, and chives.

(from Sunset Magazine, February 2008)