The Executive Cook

Weeknight Cook ~ Weekend Entertainer

tonmarmor

Lamb Sliders

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Ingredients
1 lb. Ground Lamb
½ tsp. Salt  
¼ tsp. Pepper 
1 tsp. Thyme Leaves Chopped
1 Large Red Onion    
5 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp. Water
Goat Cheese
Arugula
Slider Buns                                  

❃❃Makes 8❃❃

Preparation
In a bowl combine ground lamb, salt, pepper, 2 Tbsp. olive oil and thyme leaves.  Gently combine and form slider patties.  Set aside until ready to grill.
Crumble or slice goat cheese and set aside.
Slice onion

Onion Jam
Add 3 Tbsp. olive oil to skillet over medium high heat and add onion.  Cook until softened and turn heat to medium.  Continue to cook until onion begins to caramelize or about 10 minutes.  Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar and water.  Continue to cook until onions are caramelized.

Cook Sliders
Cook sliders on grill or flat side of a grill pan on the grill until desired temperature.  Medium will cook about 10 minutes or 5 minutes on each side.
Remove burgers and tent to allow juices to sink back into burgers.

Assemble
Add burger to bun, top with goat cheese, caramelized onions and arugula.

Pineapple Coconut Icebox Bars

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Ingredients
Crust:
12 oz. box Nilla Wafers
8 Tbsp. Butter
Bars:
1  14oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1  8oz. container Cool Whip
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1  14oz. can Coconut Milk
1  20oz. can crushed Pineapple
¼ cup Macadamia Nuts
2 oz. Sweetened Shredded Coconut

❃❃Makes 18❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375, crush Nilla Wafers, melt butter, drain pineapple and chop macadamia nuts.
Crust
Mix the crushed Nilla Wafers and melted butter together.  Evenly press into the bottom of the 9×13 pan.
Topping
Place coconut and chopped macadamia nuts on a sheet pan and place into the oven for about 3 – 5 minutes until the coconut begins to brown slightly.  Keep a close watch as this will burn quickly.  Remove from oven and cool.
Bars
In a bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, cool whip, cream cheese and coconut milk.  Mix well with a hand mixer and then fold in pineapple.  Evenly pour over crust and then top with cooled coconut and nuts.  Cover with plastic wrap and put into the freezer for at least an hour to fully set.  After this initial hour the bars can be left in the refrigerator.

Peach & Rhubarb Crostata

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Ingredients
9-inch Pie Shell (one that rolls out)
1 ½ cups frozen Rhubarb
16 oz. frozen Peaches
½ cup Sugar
¼ cup Cornstarch
1 tsp. ground Ginger
Pinch Salt
Juice of half a Lemon
1 Tbsp. Turbinado Sugar
1 Egg

❃❃Serves 6-8❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Thaw peaches and rhubarb and chop peaches and rhubarb.

Filling
Add chopped peaches and rhubarb to a bowl with sugar, ginger, salt, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Mix together well and allow to sit for 10 – 15 minutes until juices begin to release. 

Place pie crust on the parchment paper and with a slotted spoon pile the fruit in the center of the pie crust and push towards edges leaving 1-2 inches around.  Fold the crust up along the edges over the fruit, overlapping to build the edge.  Be careful not to tear the pie crust. 
Whisk the egg and brush along edges of crostata.  Sprinkle the edges and top with the turbinado sugar.  Save the juices from the fruit and add some to the top of the crostata if it is looking dry.  Wait until the crostata is at least half done before adding.

Bake for 45 minutes, remove from oven to cool and top with whipped cream or ice cream to serve.

Peach Caprese

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Ingredients
8 oz. fresh Mozzarella
2 – 3 ripe Peaches
5 large Basil Leaves
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. Lime Juice
1 tsp. Agave
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Pinch Salt

❃❃Serves 4❃❃

Preparation
Cut peaches and mozzarella into bite size pieces.  Roll basil leaves and slice crosswise into ribbons.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake together until combined.

Assembly
Combine peaches, mozzarella and basil together.  Coat with dressing a toss to coat all peaches and cheese.

Peach Jalapeno Chicken

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Ingredients
2 – 4 Chicken Breasts
½ cup chopped Onion
20 oz. frozen Peaches
1 large Jalapeno
1 tsp. Salt
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Pepper
 

❃❃Serves 2 – 4❃❃

Preparation
Chop onion, slice jalapeno and defrost peaches.

Chicken
Add all ingredients, except 1 Tbsp. sugar, to a slow cooker on high for 4 – 6 hours.

Sauce
Remove chicken from slow cooker after 4 – 6 hours and place under foil.  Mash mixture with a potato masher.  Remove 1 cup of the sauce to a skillet or saucepan and add 1 Tbsp. sugar to the mixture.  Heat and reduce slightly.
Slice chicken diagonally, fan out, top each with sauce and serve.

Note:  For every cup of sauce removed from slow cooker add 1 Tbsp. of sugar if you want more sauce.

Peach Upside Down Cake with Cardamom Cream

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Ingredients
Cake:
¼ cup Coconut Oil
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1 1/3 cups Flour
¾ cup Greek Peach Yogart
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Ground Ginger
2 Peaches
1 15oz. can Peaches
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
Cream:
2cups Heavy Cream
4 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Cardamom

❃❃Serves 9❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 and generously spray an 8×8 square cake pan.  Strain peach juice into a measuring cup and in a bowl whisk or sift together flour, salt, and ground ginger.

Peach Topping
Add peach syrup and 2/3 cups brown sugar to the bottom of the cake pan and combine.  Slice 9, ¼ – ½ inch slices from the peaches, and place them evenly in the syrup.

Cake
In the bowl of a mixer cream together coconut oil and 1 cup sugar.  Add eggs making sure to combine well.
On low speed add the flour mixture and yogurt, alternating, starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Evenly distribute mixture into the cake pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.
Let cool only about 10-15 minutes, turn out onto a serving plate and allow to cool.

Whip Cream
Just before or a couple hours before serving make the whip cream.  In the bowl of a mixer or with a hand mixer whip the heavy cream, sugar and cardamom until stiff peaks form.  Top each piece of cake with whip cream and serve.