December 30, 2023

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Ingredients

Shortbread Layer

2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)

½ cup granulated sugar (100g)

1 egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

Caramel Layer

14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)

½ cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoon size pieces (113g)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed (200g)

¼ cup light or dark corn syrup (60ml)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache

1 ½ cups high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips or bar broken into pieces (240g)

⅓ cup heavy cream (80ml)

1 pinch Maldon Sea Salt Flakes to sprinkle on topMaldon Sea Salt Flakes

Directions

Shortbread Layer

Preheat oven to 350F with the rack in the middle, line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg yolk then mix until combined. Gradually add the flour and salt, and beat on low just until the mixture is evenly combined and the texture of coarse sand.

Tip mixture into prepared pan, and press down firmly into an even layer. Bake until top is dry and light golden brown about 22 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Caramel

While the shortbread is baking, make the caramel. This is easiest with an instant read candy thermometer, but can be done without. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup. Cook mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly. Mixture will thicken & change from a softer yellow color to a darker one, this taking about 6 minutes minutes. The thermometer should read 220 degrees to 225 degrees. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the bottom from scorching. You will see the caramel start to thicken and pull away from the edge. Immediately pour the caramel over the baked shortbread crust and spread it into an even layer making sure to reach the edges. Chill for about 10 minutes so the caramel sets.

Ganache

Chop chocolate & melt with cream either in a double boiler or in the microwave. For the microwave melt in short 20 second bursts stirring in between. Spread the ganache in an even layer over caramel. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Transfer the shortbread to a cutting board, carefully removing parchment paper. We found that chilling this recipe overnight made it easiest to cut. Cut into 24 small bars or any size you wish.

TIP: To easily cut into squares or bars….
Run a chef’s knife under hot water. Dry the knife then make the cuts while the knife is warm. You might need to do this a few times until all the bars are cut.

~ Marla Meridith

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April 22, 2023

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter

⅓ cup wing hot sauce (we love Frank’s RedHot)

⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese, plus more for serving

1 pinch Kosher salt and black pepper

⅓ cup panko bread crumbs

½ cup celery rib, chopped

½ cup finely chopped carrot

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 large egg

1 lb ground chicken

extra virgin olive oil

sliced green onion

Italian parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 425º. Heat the butter, hot sauce, blue cheese, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine well, cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Mix together bread crumbs, salt, celery, carrots, garlic, egg, and shallots in a bowl. Add the chicken and half of the hot sauce mixture. Mix until just combined, do not over mix.

Coat a 10 inch cast-iron skillet with olive oil, using a paper towel or brush. Form 1 inch meatballs and place in the prepared skillet in a single layer. Drizzle with some more olive oil. Bake until the meatballs are lightly golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes.

Warm the rest of the sauce and drizzle over meatballs. Top with green onions, parsley and some blue cheese. Serve on toothpicks or small cocktail forks.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 24, 2021

Recipe: Moroccan M’hanncha (The Snake) Cake

Ingredients

6 oz (12 tbsp) butter, melted plus another cup for brushing phyllo dough

4 oz (1 cup) sliced almonds, toasted

4 oz (2/3 cup) granulated sugar

11 oz (2 3/4 cups) almond meal

2 oz (1/2 cup) powdered sugar

1 egg lightly beaten

1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp orange flower water, divided

12 oz phyllo dough

1 egg yolk lightly beaten with some water

¼ cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle. Let the phyllo dough thaw if you have not already.

Place the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, mix often and toast until the nuts are golden fragrant, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully as the almonds can burn easily. Transfer nuts to a heat safe bowl to cool.

Pulse the toasted almonds with the granulated sugar in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. The sugar will help prevent the nuts from turning into almond butter. Add the 6oz melted butter, almond meal, the whole egg, powdered sugar and cinnamon to the food processor, keeping almond/sugar in the bowl. Process until the mixture is well combined, scraping down the edges as needed.

Grease the 12 inch cast iron skillet with butter. Unroll the phyllo dough, place on a large clean work surface. Have the 1 cup melted butter handy. While you are working, keep the stack of unrolled phyllo dough lightly covered with a clean damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Carefully take one sheet of the phyllo dough and place it longways in front of you. Lightly brush with a layer of the melted butter. Continue to layer in this way with two more sheets, brushing butter in between each layer and on the top most layer.
Roll a golf ball sized piece of the almond mixture in your hands until you have a 1/2 inch snake. Piece the snakes together until they are long enough to fit the entire length of the stacked phyllo sheets. Place the almond snake at the edge of the phyllo dough, lay the snakes across the dough so they fit end to end. Starting at the side closest to you, roll the dough until you have a long coil. Continue to make these coils in the same way until you have enough to make a single layer in the skillet. They will resemble cinnamon buns. Place the coils in the skillet, they can and will touch.

Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg yolk wash. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Gently heat the honey and the 1 tbsp of orange flower water, drizzle it over the pastry. Serve warm or at room temperature.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 8, 2021

Recipe: Grilled Salmon with Couscous in Foil Packets

Ingredients

2 cups cooked pearl couscous

1 lb boneless salmon filets (skin on or removed)

olive oil

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 large zucchini, sliced

1 yellow summer squash. sliced

1 red onion, sliced

¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced

¾ cup sliced Kalamata olives

2 lemons, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

freshly ground pepper

Kosher salt

4 fl oz vegetable broth

½ cup chopped Italian parsley

Directions

Prepare couscous to package directions. Pre heat the grill to medium high (400-450 degrees.) If cooking over an open flame, place a grill grate over the fire.

Place a large piece of tin foil on a work surface. Drizzle some olive oil on the bottom.
For each salmon slice, layer on the following (remember to divide all ingredients into four portions): 1/2 cup cooked couscous, one slice salmon, yellow summer squash, zucchini, tomato, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, lemon slices, garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper & parsley. Drizzle some broth and a little more oil over the top. Fold the foil edges over the salmon making a packet. Leave a little room in the packet for air to circulate.

Place the wrapped salmon over the grill or open flame and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the salmon and your desired level of doneness. You can test salmon while it’s cooking by opening up the foil, but be careful of the steam! Using a sharp knife peek into the thickest part of the baked salmon. It’s almost done when it’s beginning to flake, but still has a little translucency in the middle. Once your salmon flakes easily with a fork, it’s done. If you like it a bit more on the rare side take it off the grill at the very slightly translucent phase and let it rest off the grill for a few minutes before serving.

You can also bake this in the oven! Simply follow all of the prep work and preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place the wrapped salmon on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is done to your liking. See Step 4 for how to judge doneness.

This salmon can also be enjoyed the day after you cook it. Simply reheat in a lightly oiled skillet or in the microwave.

~ Marla Meridith

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May 9, 2021

Recipe: Ultimate Campfire Skillet S’mores

Ingredients

11 oz (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

11 oz (1 bag) butterscotch chips

7 oz shredded, sweetened coconut

⅓ cup half and half

10 oz (1 bag) marshmallows

graham crackers for serving

Directions

Over the Campfire

Set a metal rack a few inches over your campfire. Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet with foil and melt the butter. Evenly layer in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and coconut. Drizzle in the half and half. Top with a generous layer of marshmallows. Tent with another piece of foil and cook for 6-10 minutes until the marshmallows are gooey. Remove skillet from the flame. Using a propane torch, brown the marshmallows to your liking. Serve with graham crackers.

Over the Grill

Preheat the grill to medium high and follow the directions above.

Baked in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Place the butter in a 10″ cast iron skillet. Melt the butter in the oven. Remove the skillet from the oven. Evenly layer in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and coconut. Drizzle in the half and half. Top with a generous layer of marshmallows. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

~ Marla Meridith

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April 15, 2021

Recipe: Campfire Loaded Veggie Nachos

Ingredients

1 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 10 ounce can Rotel, drained

½ large red onion, diced & divided

1 2 ounce can sliced black olives, drained

1 tsp Tajín Clásico mexican spice blend

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp cumin

1 16 ounce bag tortilla chips

1 8 ounce package shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 ripe avocado

1 batch of Creamy Chipotle Sauce

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

lime slices

sliced jalapeños

Directions

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet with foil.
Combine the corn, beans, 1/2 of the onions, Rotel, olives, Tajín Clásico, pepper and cumin in a large bowl.

Place 1/2 of the chips in the skillet, top with 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the corn mixture. Repeat with another layer of chips, corn mixture and cheese.

Campfire or Grilled Nachos

If you are heating over the campfire; tent with foil and grill until the cheese melts 8-10 minutes. Remove from the fire, carefully remove foil. Top with avocado, the rest of the onions, cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeños and drizzle Chipotle Cream Sauce.
If using the grill, heat over medium high heat and follow the rest of the directions. Serve immediately.

Baked Nachos

Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with rack in the middle. Place the skillet in the oven, tent with foil and bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, carefully remove foil. Top with avocado, the rest of the onions, cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeños and drizzle Chipotle Cream Sauce. Serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

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April 12, 2021

Recipe: Grilled Brie with Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

2 wedges brie cheese, or 1 large round

1 pt grape tomatoes, quartered or 1 pound ripe tomatoes diced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

¾ tsp salt and more to taste

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped basil ribbons, chiffonade

1 loaf sliced rustic baguette or pita chips

balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan for topping

Directions

Tomato Basil Salad

Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt pepper and basil in a large bowl.

Grilled Brie

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet or griddle with foil (this makes for an easier clean up.) Place the brie in the center of the skillet. Grill over a campfire or hot grill for 15-20 minutes or until the brie softens and bubbles.

Baked Brie

This is easy to make in your kitchen too! Simply preheat oven to 375˚F with the rack in the middle.

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet or griddle with foil (this makes for an easier clean up.) Place the brie in the center of the skillet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the brie softens and bubbles.

Serving

Top the melted brie with the tomato basil mixture. Top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan. Serve with baguette.

~ Marla Meridith

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March 30, 2021

Recipe: Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

Ingredients

Pastry Dough

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp Kosher salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

½ cup ice water

Strawberry Filling

1 lb fresh strawberries, stems removed and quartered

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 pinch Kosher salt

For Assembly

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk

¼ tsp Kosher salt

1 tbsp strawberry filling for each pop tart

Vanilla Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

34 tbsp milk

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

food coloring and sprinkles if desired

Directions

Pastry Dough

Place the flour salt and salt in the bowl of a food processor, pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and water. Pulse until just combined. At this point you should be able to pinch the dough together with your fingers. If it’s too crumbly add the tiniest bits of ice water until the dough just sticks together. Transfer the dough to a large, clean work area. Divide dough into two portions and press into flat disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to two days.

Strawberry Filling

In a medium saucepan combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon until the strawberries start to sizzle. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook and mix for 10-15 minutes, until the berries release their juices and become saucy. Transfer the strawberries to a heat proof container and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, place in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble the Pop Tarts

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Remove the dough one disk at a time from the fridge. Remove the plastic wrap and let the dough sit out a few minutes on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the dough to 4 X 2 1/2 inch rectangles. Save any scraps and continue to roll until you don’t have enough dough left to continue. Do the same process with the second disk. You should end up with 22 rectangles.

Make the egg wash: whisk together the egg with the milk and salt.

Spread one tablespoon of the strawberry filling onto the center of eleven rectangles. Brush some egg wash on the edges of the dough. Place the other eleven pieces of dough over the ones with the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal the tarts. Using a paring knife, cut three small slits or “X’s” in the top of each pop tart. This will ensure that the pop tarts don’t explode while baking. Place the filled pop tarts onto the baking sheets with and inch in between each tart.

Brush the egg wash on the tops of each pop tart. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Frosting the Pop Tarts

While the pop tarts are cooling make the frosting. Whisk together the powdered sugar with milk and vanilla. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Drizzle the frosting over the pop tarts and add sprinkles while the frosting is still runny. Let the frosting set for a few minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Enjoy within 3 days.

~ Marla Meridith

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March 19, 2021

Recipe: Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cups chopped apples (1/2 inch pieces)

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 lb brioche or sourdough bread, cut into cubes

8 oz (1 package) full fat cream cheese, cut into cubes

12 large eggs, beaten

1 ½ cups half and half

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

½ cup raisins

2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp Kosher salt

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook about 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Continue cooking until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.

Butter or spray a 9X13 casserole dish. Place 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the apple mixture and cream cheese cubes. Layer again with the rest of the bread cubes and then the rest of the apple mixture & cream cheese.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, orange juice, maple syrup, raisins, vanilla, rest of the cinnamon and salt. Pour over the apple/bread mixture. Cover the casserole, set in the fridge and let soak for at least 2 hours to overnight.

Remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Top with the pecans.

Pre-heat the oven to 350˚ F with the rack in the middle. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked through.

Serve immediately with more maple syrup and whipped cream.

~ Marla Meridith

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December 16, 2020

Cranberry Hand Pies

Ingredients

For the Pastry

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tbsp granulated sugar

½ tsp salt

20 tbsp cold unsalted butter, preferably a high-fat, European-style butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4-6 tbsp ice cold water

Filling and Assembly

1 lb fresh cranberries

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp corn starch or instant tapioca

1 egg, beaten

coarse sanding sugar for topping

Directions

For the Crust

Pie crust: In a food processor, briefly pulse together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse until mixture forms chickpea-size pieces (3 to 5 one-second pulses). Be sure the butter is cold at this step. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture is just moist enough to hold together. You should be able to pinch it & it stays together.

Form dough into two balls, wrap with plastic and flatten into disks. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to 24 hours before rolling out and baking.

For the filling

Combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, vanilla and starch in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer. Cook another 6 minutes, some cranberries will burst and mixture will start to thicken. Transfer the cranberries to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Sauce will thicken as it cools. DO AHEAD: You can make this filling up to 5 days ahead of when you want to use it.

Assembly

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with the racks in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator & let it sit out a few minutes until just pliable. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk into 1/8 inch thickness. Punch out heart or round shapes I used a 4 inch heart cookie cutter.

Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the cranberry mixture onto the middle of a dough heart. Wet the rim of the disk with some egg wash Place another heart on top. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Continue with the rest of the dough and filling. Place shapes on 2 cookie sheets. Refrigerate pies for 45 minutes.
You will likely have filling left over, it’s great on pancakes or mixed into oatmeal.

Remove pastry With a sharp knife, make a X on the top to vent. Brush on egg wash and dust with some sugar.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

~ Marla Meridith

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November 6, 2020

Skillet Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Crumble

Ingredients

For the Cake

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup full fat sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

For the crumble

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 pinch salt

Directions

For the coffee cake

Pre heat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet with butter or vegetable oil.

Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the sour cream, eggs one at a time and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions. Combine well but don’t over-mix.

Spread 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan, smooth with a knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 of the crumble onto the batter. Spread and smooth the rest of the batter over the crumble. Top with the rest of the crumble, pressing in very gently.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out virtually crumb free.

For the crumble

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add in the butter and mix with clean hands or a pastry cutter. The crumble should stick together and the pieces of butter should be no larger than peas.

~ Marla Meridith

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October 20, 2020

Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies with Feta

Ingredients

2 broccoli crowns, sliced into florets

1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced

½ zucchini, sliced into half moons

½ lemon, cut into slices

1 8 ounce block of feta cheese

6 mini bell peppers, sliced in half

¼ cup olive oil

sea salt, pepper and dried oregano

Directions

Pre heat oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit.

Slice all the veggies, lemon and feta. Place on an unlined sheet pan in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with quinoa, rice or pasta.

~ Marla Meridith

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