Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Every time I travel by train or plane I buy one or two food magazines to keep me busy. Last week when I traveled home for the holidays I purchased a magazine I never had before, Everyday Food, the Martha Stewart publication.  I always saw it on the shelves but never bought it, probably because of it's small size.  Well I was totally wrong about that one!  Although small is size, it's big in the recipe department.  I found at least 10 easy recipes that I wanted to try out.  The first one I decided to try was this tomato and goat cheese tart. 

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 tablespoon fat free plain greek yogurt

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

2 leeks, white and light green parts only

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

2 plum tomatoes sliced

2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 teaspoons chopped basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan and unfold thawed pastry on it.  In a small bowl stir together yogurt, mustard, and season with salt and pepper.  Spread the mixture over the puff pastry evenly.  Fold over 1/2 inch border on all sides and press edges to seal.  Refrigerate while preparing the leeks and tomatoes.

Meanwhile, halve leeks lengthwise, rinse well, pat dry, and slice 1/4 inch thick.  Saute leeks in a large pan with melted butter or olive oil.  Season leeks with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 6 minutes.  Arrange the leeks evenly on the puff pastry.  Top with the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper.  Bake until pastry is golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes.  Let cool slightly and top with crumbled goat cheese and basil.  Serve warm or at room temperature, ENJOY!

If you have any extra ingredients, use them to make a great omelet the next morning!  That's what I did...I even mixed it all up in a container so that all I needed to do in the morning was pour the egg and veggie mixture into a heated pan and cook it up for breakfast!  It's as easy as that...two meals in one!

Deli Roll

This recipe is actually something I've eaten at a friend's house.  I have made it once or twice before and anyone who's ever eaten this has loved it!!  It's a super easy recipe to make, and you can really use any deli meat you like or have on hand!  All you need is deli meat, puff pastry, mustard, egg wash, and an oven!!   NO measurements required either!

Here are the pictures of how to assemble a deli roll:

Open the thawed puff pastry sheet on a foiled and oiled baking sheet.  Spread a generous amount of mustard down the center of the pastry.  Layer with turkey slices, 1-2 layers.

Next layer the pastrami over the turkey.  Fold one side of the pastry over the center and then the other side over the first side (see picture below).  Seal the pastry together with egg wash and also make sure to brush egg wash over the top.

This is what the deli roll should look like before it goes into the oven.  Bake at 360 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until medium golden brown.

Voila...Here's your finished Deli Roll!  Let stand 5-7 minutes before serving, it will be very hot!

Chicken Pot Pie

So it seems as though everywhere I turn I am hearing about Chicken Pot Pie. It's been all over the Food Network. Ina's making lobster pot pie, Big Daddy's making Pot Pie Soup, The Neely's are doing it too, even my friend Hilary's mom has been making it....what's all the hype???? So I decided to see for myself what this dish is all about. My version is kosher and made with a puff pastry top. This is going to be my first time making the dish as well as eating it! I'll let you know how it goes...So here's my recipe, Enjoy!

Elia's Version of Chicken Pot Pie (makes five 10 oz ramekins)

2 breasts cooked chicken cut into bite-size pieces (I got help from the store and bought rotisserie chicken)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 cup shelled edamame

2 stalks of celery cut thinly

1 large onion roughly chopped

6 tablespoons olive oil

5 tablespoons flour

1 cup roasted and fully cooked potatoes cut into bite-size pieces (I am using fingerling potatoes, but any will do)

2 cups chicken stock and 2 bouillon cubes

2 teaspoons chopped rosemary (for sprinkling on top of pastry)

kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 egg mixed with splash of water (egg wash)

1 sheet thawed frozen puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farm, it's Pareve!)

1. Roast the potatoes on baking sheet with 3 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper.

2. Saute the onions and celery in 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the flour to the pan and stir constantly for about 2 minutes.

3. Slowly add the chicken stock and stir well until thick.

4. At this point stir in the cooked potatoes, peas, edamame, carrots, rosemary, and chicken. Turn off the heat and stir until all components are mixed evenly.

5. Spoon the mixture into ramekins.

6. Measure a circle 1/2 inch larger than the ramekin of puff pastry for the cover. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash along the rim and sides of the ramekins. Place the puff pastry round on top of the ramekin and pinch to sides. Brush with egg wash and cut a slit into the pastry. Sprinkle with kosher salt and rosemary.

7. Place ramekins on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Let stand for about 5 minutes.

9. ENJOY!!!!

Here's my friend Stacey enjoying my pot pie. Nothing says comfort more than chicken pot pie after a long day of work! I think she liked it....