Update from Willow Writer Danielle: Food Selections!
This month has been quite eventful! We tasted the amazing food for the reception, and to say the least I was stuffed when we left! I personally like the idea of giving guests a choice between a beef and a white meat. We chose the Chicken Marsala (it was so flavorful and tender) and the Beef Tips (it literally fell apart it was so tasty!)
We started the meal off with Potato Leek soup, Wedding soup and the Wisconsin Beer, Bacon and Cheese soup! (All of them were amazing!) However, I wanted to think as one of our guests and what they would want so we chose the Wedding soup.
After, the delicious assortment of food tasting the Chef came out to meet us, and my husband-to-be commented how the cheese soup was the best he had ever had in his entire life, but that he got over ruled by me.
After we were almost finished with our meals, the Chef came out with two quarts of cheese soup and told David this was his wedding gift from the Chef and to enjoy! Well, after we got home and ate the entire two quarts of soup that evening we both decided that this was going to replace the Wedding soup option for our dinner menu!!
Our other sides are going to be the Potato Cups that reminds me of a twice baked potato and the Glazed Carrots with no nuts because David is deathly allergic!!!
I just really appreciated how The Willow Room went the extra step to make us both feel so special on that day and we got free soup! Can’t wait for what April has in store…….choosing invites, favors and more!!!
March Recipe from Chef: Crostoli!
It was during the Carnevale of Ambrosiano, a celebration which takes place on Ash Wednesday and ends the Saturday after in Milan Italy, that I encountered a delightful fried cookie known as Crostoli. They are easy to make and very tasty. As always you can tweak the recipe to your liking, such as adding a different flavor to the cookie. – Chef Haberle
Crostoli
Ingredients
-2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
-3 large eggs
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-Pinch of salt
-1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
-1/2 cup milk
-1 tablespoon baking powder
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-Oil for frying
-Confectioners sugar
-Liquor optional, such as Gran Marnier or Amaretto, 2 tablespoons if using and eliminate the vanilla extract
Procedure
In a large bowl, mix the butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth with an electric mixer on high speed.
Mix in the milk and salt.
Gradually blend in the flour and baking powder with a wire whip.
Transfer the dough to a floured flat surface and kneed it until it reaches the consistency of a firm pasta dough.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Pour oil into a deep frying pan, about 2 inches, and heat to 350 degrees.
Roll the dough on a floured flat surface until very thin.
With a serrated pastry cutter or knife, cut the dough into long strips about 5 inches in length and 2 inches in width.
Tie each length of dough into a loose knot and drop into the hot oil. There should only be a limited number of dough pieces, 4 to 5, frying at once. Fry for approximately 30 to 60 seconds, or until the dough has turned to a golden hue.
Remove from grease and sit on paper towels. Repeat process until all dough is used.
Dust with confectioners sugar.
Makes approximately 60 to 70 pieces
February Recipe from Chef: Stuffed Cabbage!
There isn’t anything better than a pan of stuffed cabbage on a cold winter day! This recipe is one my mother and grandmother made often. The recipe that follows will make approximately 14 to 16 stuffed cabbages, which can be portioned into smaller batches and frozen for future enjoyment. – Chef Haberle
Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
3 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 cups cooked rice
¼ tablespoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
5 (10 oz) cans of Campbell’s Tomato Soup
2/3 cup milk
3 (32 oz) jars of sauerkraut
2 medium to large heads of cabbage
Uncooked bacon strips
Procedure
- In a large bowl add ground beef, chopped garlic, cooked rice, oregano, salt and pepper. Knead ingredients thoroughly until combined well. Set aside.
- Drain liquid from sauerkraut and put in large mixing bowl.
- Add tomato soup and milk and mix well. Set aside.
- In a pot of boiling water, put whole heads of cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from water and cut off cooked outside leaves. Return cabbage to water and repeat process until you have 16 to 20 leaves.
- Cut the rib out of the cabbage leaves.
- Take approximately 4 oz of the meat mixture and place at the end of the cabbage leaf. Roll up the leaf tucking in the ends. Repeat process until all the meat mixture is gone.
- In a baking pan, place some of the sauerkraut mixture on the bottom of the pan.
- Lay the stuffed cabbages in the pan.
- Top cabbages with the rest of the sauerkraut mixture.
- Lay the bacon strips on top.
- Cover with plastic wrap then foil and bake at 325 degrees for 4 hours.
January Recipe from Chef: Red Velvet Pancakes and Cream Cheese and Mascarpone “Syrup”
Red Velvet Pancakes
Surprise your significant other on Valentine’s Day morning with a delicious stack of
Red Velvet Pancakes!
Pancake Batter
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 TBSP melted butter
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 TBSP red food coloring
Procedure
- Sift all dry ingredients, except granulated sugar.
- In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, granulated sugar, and melted butter.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk together until just moist. Don’t over mix!
- Heat a non-stick large pan or use a griddle. Spray with pan release or moisten a paper towel with oil and carefully rub the pan.
- For each pancake ladle 2 oz. of batter onto the pan or griddle
- Cook until the surface of the pancake is bubbling and a few burst, probably 1 to 2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook again for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from pan and plate. Top with Cream Cheese and Mascarpone “Syrup” (see below)
Cream Cheese and Mascarpone “Syrup”
Ingredients
2 oz Cream Cheese
2 oz Mascarpone Cheese
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
Procedure
- In a medium mixing bowl add the vanilla, Cream Cheese, and the Mascarpone Cheese. Mix thoroughly until the cheeses are loosened.
- Add the Heavy Cream and mix until smooth.
Makes two servings
Valentine’s Day Dinner Recipe from Chef: Salmon, Scallops, and Crab en Papillote, Top Hat Potatoes, Roasted Cauliflower
Valentines Day Dinner
Salmon, Scallops, and Crab en Papillote, Top Hat Potatoes, Roasted Cauliflower
Serves 2
This is an easy, yet elegant dinner for your Valentines Day celebration! – Chef Haberle
Ingredients
For Salmon
2 pieces of parchment paper
2 TBSP. butter
8 oz. salmon filet
8 U-10 scallops
4 oz. jumbo lump crab meat
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste
For Top Hat Potatoes
6 B redskin potatoes
2 Idaho potatoes
3 TBSP. butter
1 tsp. egg yolk
1/2 TBSP. chopped parsley
½ clove chopped garlic
1/2 TBSP. Parmesan cheese
For Cauliflower
2 cups orange cauliflower
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
1 TBSP. minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Procedure
For Salmon
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter and add two fresh rosemary sprigs.
Fold parchment in ½. Season salmon and scallops with salt and pepper.
Place salmon, scallops, and crab on the bottom half of the parchment paper crease. Remove the fresh rosemary sprigs from the butter, then spoon the butter over the seafood. Add two more fresh sprigs of rosemary.
Starting at the right edge of the paper, create a fold, and then repeat fold over the fold making sure the packet is well sealed. This is very important because you don’t want any of the steam to escape. Put the parchment packet in the oven.
The size and thickness of the salmon will dictate how long you bake it. For a smaller, thinner piece bake approximately 15 minutes. For a thicker piece, you will want to bake closer to 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and plate.
For Top Hat potatoes
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. (Can cook these along with Salmon)
Select 6 uniform B redskin potatoes. On each end of potato, take a small slice off of it so the potato will sit up right. Slice each potato in half.
With a melon baller, scoop out some of the inside, creating a hole.
Fill a sauce pot with cold water, add potatoes, and cook just past al dente. Remove from water and shock in ice water.
Peel 2 large Idaho potatoes, dice and boil, starting in cold water.
Mash potatoes, then add butter, egg yolk, chopped parsley, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
Fill a pastry bag with the potato mixture and pipe into hollowed out redskin potatoes.
Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove and plate.
For Cauliflower
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut cauliflower into florets. Mix garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Toss cauliflower in oil, oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until cauliflower gets color (starts turning golden brown). Remove from oven and plate.
January Recipe From Chef: Mexican Lasagna!
Mexican Lasagna
This is a great recipe for a Super Bowl party!
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 large Spanish onion, small diced
1 large green pepper, small diced
2 poblano peppers
1 package taco seasoning mix
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
4 TBSP. cumin
1 TBSP. chili powder
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 8 oz. package taco blend cheese
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 bunch cilantro
1 jar taco sauce
1 box lasagna noodles
Sour cream
Shredded lettuce
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 9×9, 4 inch deep pan
Procedure
Cook Lasagna noodles al dente.
Cook ground beef, chopping as you cook. Once done, drain and press out all grease. Following taco seasoning directions, add to cooked ground beef.
Sweat onion and reserve. Sweat green pepper and reserve.
Chop cilantro.
Add half of the onions, egg, and garlic to the ricotta cheese, along with the cumin and chili powder. Mix well.
Coat bottom of the casserole dish with taco sauce. Put down a layer of lasagna noodles.
Spread noodles with ricotta cheese mixture, then top cheese with sautéed onions, 1/3 can black beans, peppers, diced tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef and taco cheese blend.
Repeat process.
Top with lasagna noodles. Coat noodles with taco sauce. Sprinkle with poblano peppers.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with taco blend cheese, then return to oven and bake until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and top with fresh diced tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, and shredded lettuce.
Words of Willow 