Individual Beef Wellington

I tried this recipe last fall when I had my family out for dinner. They just melted in your mouth. I bought the beef tenderloin at Costco and I swear by the President's Choice Puff Pastry. Just thaw it out according to the package directions. It is already rolled out and ready to go. I cut each piece in half, but I didn't trim it like the recipe says, as the pastry was already the perfect size, I just lightly brushed the pastry edges with water and folded them under. 30 minutes later they were perfect!

6 beef tenderloin steaks (1 1/2 to 2 inches thick and 8 oz. each)

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped shallots

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed beef consomme, undiluted

3 tablespoons port wine

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

In a large skillet, brown steaks in 2 tablespoons butter for 2-3 minutes on eack side. Remove and keep warm.

On lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 14in. by 9 1/2in. rectangle. Cut each sheet into two 7in. squares (discard scraps). Place a steak in the center of each square.. Lightly brush pastry edges with water. Bring opposite corners of pastry over steak; pinch seams to seal tightly. Turn over. Cut four slits in top of pastry.

Place in a greased 15in. by 10in. by 1in. baking pan. Brush with egg. Bake at 400*F for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145*, medium 160*; well-done, 170*.

Meanwhile, in the same skillet, saute mushrooms and shallots in remaining butter for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Combine flour and consommeuntil smooth; stir into mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil; cooka nd stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in wine and thyme. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Serve with beef.

Fruit Cocktail Cake

In Anna and Kristina's Grocery Bag, the test-driving twosome from The Shopping Bags narrow their focus to the kitchen and put cookbooks to the test.In each episode, Anna and Kristina try out and review recipes, ingredients, appliances and food prep techniques to see if the average cook can re-create the beautifully photographed meals. At the end of the show, a guest chef or food expert will give a final evaluation of the meal and decide if the cookbook delivers the goods.

A couple of nights ago they test drove the Fruit Cocktail Cake to rave reviews. The recipe came from TheBestOfBridge cookbook. You can check it out yourself at http://www.thebestofbridge.com/ Oh by the way, the Fettuccine with Sambuca and Cranberries sucked!

If you don't have self-rising flour, you can make your own. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Ingredients
2 cups flour (I think they mean self-rising flour, which I didn't have. AP will work)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 regular size can (14 ozs or so?) Fruit Cocktail

Icing:
1 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
coconut (depends on how much coconut you want. Probably a medium sized bag worth)

Preheat oven for 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the cake. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out fairly clean. Start checking around 25-30 minutes. Take the cake out, but don't let it cool for too long before you put the icing on. You want the cake to still be warm when you put the icing on.

To make the icing: Cook the butter, sugar, and milk in a saucepan until they come to a boil, then turn down heat and add coconut.

Poke holes with a fork into the cooked cake and then spread the icing onto the cake while still warm.

Coffee-Flavored Liqueur

This is the recipe referred to in the Calypso Pie Recipe a.k.a. The Keg's Billy Miner Pie.

Coffee Flavored Liqueur

Hands on time: 10 minutes Total time: 1 hour Serves: Makes 1 gallon

Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar
6 1/2 cups water, divided
1 cup instant coffee
1 (375 milliliter) bottle 190-proof grain alcohol, such as Everclear (1 1/2 cups vodka)
2 vanilla beans

Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; simmer for 20 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, mix instant coffee with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cool. Combine both mixtures; add alcohol and remaining 2 cups water. Pour into four 16-ounce bottles and add 1/2 vanilla bean to each.

Copycat Chocolate Fudge Sauce

This is the recipe refered to in the Calypso Pie Recipe a.k.a. The Keg's Billy Miner Pie.

Copycat Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a heavy saucepan, stir together sugar and cocoa. Add milk and syrup and stir until blended. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil; continue stirring and boiling for 8 minutes. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter and stir until melted, then add the cream. Return to the heat and boil an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool; store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. To serve, uncover and heat the jar in a saucepan of warm water for a few minutes (or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds).

The Keg's Billy Miner Pie

This is a recipe I found when looking for a copycat recipe for the Keg's Billy Miner Pie. I made it earlier this summer for a BBQ dessert that we were invited to. OMFG! Just a word of advice, a deep freeze works better for this pie as opposed to your freezer on your fridge. Just take the pie out a few minutes before serving.

Southern Recipe Restoration Project The contributor: Ashley Leckey, a Tallahassee native and University of Georgia graduate who has lived in Atlanta since 2004. The story: “My grandma Cele Marcoux was a jack of all trades. She was an editor of a newspaper, she worked in a dental lab, she had a line of luxury ties, she served as a nurse in the Army. “But what Grandma really loved was entertaining, and she was well-known for the parties she would throw. I am lucky enough to have inherited her collection of family recipes -- handwritten and typewriter-printed. I have some from my great-grandmother as well. " -- Susan Puckett, for the Journal-Constitution Leckey notes that her grandmother sometimes used the Copycat Chocolate Fudge Sauce recipe to make this pie, and flavored the ice cream -- coffee or vanilla bean -- with her homemade coffee-flavored liqueur. See links below for those recipes.

Calypso Pie
Hands on time: 30 minutes Total time: 3 hours Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), divided
18 Oreo cookies, crushed
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 quart coffee ice cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions:

Melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter; press into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch pie plate and chill. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and remaining butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and salt. Add the evaporated milk gradually, blending well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Set aside to cool to room temperature. When the shell is chilled and the sauce has cooled, set out the ice cream to soften slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Fill the pie shell with the ice cream. Put the pie in the freezer until ice cream is firm again.

In the meantime, beat the whipping cream until it just holds a peak. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar.

Spread the fudge sauce over the ice cream layer, then mound the top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pecans. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Remove and let sit a few minutes before slicing.

Almost-Famous Cheddar Bisquits

Red Lobster keeps a tight lid on it's Cheddar Bay Bisquit, but that didn't stop Food Network Kitchens from creating a perfect replica.

Almost-Famous Cheddar Biscuits
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
12-14 biscuits

Ingredients
For the biscuits:

Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 ounces grated yellow cheddar cheese (about 1 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup whole milk

For the garlic butter:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Lightly mist a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Make the biscuits: Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse until combined. Add the butter; pulse 4 or 5 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3 times. Pour in the milk and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and forms a shaggy dough. Turn out onto a clean surface and gently knead until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.

Drop the dough onto the baking sheet in scant 1/4-cup portions, 2 inches apart, and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the garlic butter: Melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the biscuits with the garlic butter and serve warm.

Photograph by Kate Mathis

Sing a Pore Sling Slush

Okay, just in case you didn't get a buzz from the Orange Creamsicle Slush why not whip up a bucket of this slush to have on standby!

Sing a Pore Sling Slush

12 ounces gin or vodka
1/2 cup cherry brandy
1/2 cup grenadine
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 can frozen lemonade
4 cups water
6 oz. bottle cherries (with juice)
19 oz. can pineapple juice

Combine all ingredients together and freeze. To mix use 1/2 cup slush and 1/2 cup 7-up or ginger ale.