- Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara
- Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge
- European Chocolate Truffle
- OMG Mussels
- Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pears
- Sauteed Shrimp with Chardonnay-Dijon Cream Sauce
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Cinnamon-Pancetta Carbonara
Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis
- 4 slices bacon, chopped (I used 8 slices)
- 4 slices pancetta, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
- 6 large egg yolks
- 18 ounces fresh fettuccine
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Saute the bacon and pancetta in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the bacon and pancetta and saute until the bacon is crisp and golden, about 2 minutes longer. Cool. Whisk in the cream, cheese, and yolks to blend.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fettuccine and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Drain. Add the fettuccine to the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
Sweetnicks' Notes: Truly an OMG recipe; perfect for company, but quick enough for a weeknight meal. Very simple to make.
Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge
Recipe courtesy of Culinarily Obsessed.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8x8 inch dish lined with tinfoil and buttered. Chill until firm and cut into squares.
European Chocolate Truffle Tart with Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs, well beaten
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line with foil an 8-inch springform pan. Melt butter in a medium-sized glass bowl in the microwave (about 1 to 2 minutes). Add the chocolate and microwave for 30 more seconds. Let sit for about 3 or 4 minutes, then add the sugar and stir until blended. When cool, stir in the beaten eggs. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a crust forms on top. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate overnight in pan. Remove cake from pan, and place cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Make ganache by placing the whipping cream in a large saucepan. Heat to almost boiling. Remove from burner and add chocolate chips. Let sit for about 4 to 5 minutes. Then stir to blend. Pour ganache over the cake and spread the icing over the sides. It will be a glossy icing. Carefully remove iced cake to a serving plate. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.
Sweetnicks Note: It would be safe to halve the ganache ingredients ... there was plenty leftover.
- 6 ounces bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/4 cup minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons Creole or other whole grain mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
- 1/4 cup cognac
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus additional for garnish
- Crusty bread, for serving
Set a very large saute pan over medium heat and render the bacon in the pan until crispy, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside on a paper-lined plate to drain. Add the shallots to the pan and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Reduce the wine until nearly evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mustard, cream, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring the pan to a boil. Add the mussels, cognac and parsley to the pan and stir once, cover with a lid, and cook until the mussels just begin to open, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the mussels, and return the bacon to the pan. Serve in a very large, deep bowl, with a thick slice of crusty bread and more parsley for garnish.
Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear
Courtesy of Bon Appetit, December 2004
- 16 thin slices pancetta
- 16 teaspoons soft fresh goat cheese (from 5-ounce log)
- 2 very ripe small pears, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (used canned)
- Fresh thyme leaves
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place pancetta slices in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Using spatula, slide pancetta crisps onto platter. Top each with 1 teaspoon goat cheese and 1 pear slice. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.
Sweetnicks' Notes: Absolutely excellent, and so easy to make, it should be illegal. Saltiness from the pancetta, creaminess from the goat cheese and a little bit of sweetness from the pear makes this an OMG appetizer for us. Originally made and reviewed here.
SAUTÉED SHRIMP WITH CHARDONNAY-DIJON CREAM SAUCE
(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy” Rutledge Hill Press, 2004)
Yield: Serves 4
- 1 pound medium or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Chardonnay or dry sherry
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or whole grain mustard
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Rice or pasta for serving as a main dish
Pat the shrimp dry, put them on a plate, and sprinkle lightly with salt and white pepper to taste. Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. As soon as the pan feels hot when you hold your hand an inch or two above its surface, add the oil. When the oil is hot enough to swirl easily in the pan, carefully add the shrimp, placing them evenly in the pan. Without disturbing them, cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on one side. With tongs, a fork, or a small spatula, flip the shrimp over and cook them until they are uniformly pink and beginning to curl, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp from the pan to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Raise the heat under the pan to high. Add the wine and, with a wooden spoon, stir and scrape to dissolve the pan deposits. Let the liquid simmer until it has reduced in volume by half, 4 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream. Reduce slightly and stir in the mustard. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Add the shrimp and parsley to the sauce and simmer briefly to heat up the shrimp. Serve with rice or pasta, or on its own as a starter.
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