Saturday, August 6, 2011

Blueberry Muffin Trifle

A use for leftover blueberry baked goods: blueberry muffins, blueberry bread, blueberry cake, blueberry buckle, blueberry doughnuts, blueberry cupcakes.  Blueberry is one of the most common fruits used in baked goods, so it is a useful default fruit, but one could certainly substitute one's favorite fruit...or...a fruit-based baked good which might have not been that popular with the family...so turn it into a dessert instead!
This recipe is using a standard-sized muffin, so if using a big-box-store-sized-muffin, use half.
Vinegar
Having found Blueberry Vinegar was helpful here, but a few fruit vinegars are available...pomegranate comes to mind...but finding, for example, Dragonfruit Vinegar might be challenging, so a neutral white would work, or match standard apple cider, malt, winish (white, champagne, sherry, red?) with the fruit being used.
-or- go the traditional trifle route and substitute alcohol, recommend Blueberry vodka in this case, for the vinegar.
Yogurt
Again, blueberry yogurt is readily available, but so are other fruit flavors. And, if you have made the muffins from scratch, use plain yogurt and the fruit you used.

1 to 2 different kinds of blueberry baked good, streusal-topped is helpful
5 or 6 squirts whipped cream, approximately 3/4 cup
2 Tablespoons Blueberry vinegar (here, substitute compatible vinegar)
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup frosting, suggest vanilla, french vanilla, or lavender
1/2 cup blueberry yogurt
Dried blueberries (used Trader Joe's Crispy Dried Blueberries)

Slice 1/2 standard muffin into 1/4-inch slices
Layer the muffin slices in the bottom of a 6-inchish diameter bowl, moistening muffin slices with dribbles of vinegar, then spritzing with whipped cream.
Press gently the whipping cream/vinegar into the muffin slices to dampen.
Mix the ricotta cheese, couple more spritzes of whipping cream, frosting together.
Spoon over the muffin layer.
Crumble a 1/2 standard muffin over the ricotta mixture.
Spoon the yogurt over.
Decorate with whipping cream, if desired.
Sprinkle more muffin and/or streusal from muffin on top.
Sprinkle with dried fruit pieces

Sunday, May 29, 2011

SSS Doughnut Holes (Sweet, Sour, Salt)

-1 serving-
Ingredients
5 Sour Cream Doughnut holes
1 tablespoon Balsamic Glaze and/or 1 tablespoon White Truffle Balsamic Vinegar and/or 1 teaspoon Agave nectar
5 tablespoons tart vanilla yogurt (Greek or Icelandic, in particular, for extra tartness)
Balsamic salt
Instructions
Split the doughnut holes into halves. Spoon vinegar(s) in portions on a serving plate. Place doughnut holes cut-side down on top of vinegars.  Microwave on Medium for 20 seconds.
Can turn holes cup-side up for a better platform for yogurt. Dab yogurt on top of doughnut holes decoratively or form into cannels and place on top.
Can drizzle Agave nectar on top of the yogurt.
Sprinkle with a pinch of Balsamic salt on each.
Notes:
Can soak pinches of Kosher salt in 1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar if Balsamic salt is not available in your area.

Pomme de Terre Tear Gratin

-1 serving -
Ingredients
3/4 cup and 1/4 cup thin sliced Salt & Vinegar potato chips, divided
(this recipe is optimal for using the smaller chip fragments left over from previous snacking bouts.  If using chips from a freshly open bag, break the chips up into smaller pieces, short of crushing them.)
(Dividing the chips, leads to more texture variation.  If you want a creamier mixture, use all chips at once.  For more variation, divide further.)
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated white cheddar
Instructions
Mix the first portion of potato chips, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a microwave safe 1-portion serving bowl.
Microwave on High for 1 minute.
Stir. 
Add the second portion of potato chips. Mix in.
Microwave on High for 30 seconds.
Stir.
Add the grated white cheddar cheese to the top.  Microwave on HIgh for 30 seconds to melt the cheese.
Notes:
The Salt & Vinegar chips have inherent seasoning. Can substitute plain chips. Would want to add salt to taste, pepper?, a teaspoon vinegar.
Can use your preferred level of fat in the mayonnaise and sour cream.
Can use a reduced-fat cheese: the Dubliner Reduced-fat White Cheddar used seemed to strike the right cheddar note, but mild. Can substitute another and/or higher fat cheese.
Can transfer the potato/sauce mixture to an oven safe serving dish and run under the boiler to melt the cheese.
Alternate Ideas:
-Mainstream: use plain potato chips and American cheese melted on top
-Buffalo Wing: substitute buffalo-flavored potato chips, add a few dashes celery salt to the sour cream, substitute blue cheese dip for the mayonnaise, melt blue cheese on top 
-Novelty Chips: use your favorite wacky potato chip flavor, or the chips you tried out on your friends/family which were a No-Go, and match it with a compatible cheese (Dill Pickle with American, Jalapeno and Monterey Jack, Bloody Mary and Horseradish Cheddar)
-French: use plain potato chips, add a teaspoon tarragon or white wine vinegar to the mixture, salt, melt gruyere cheese on top. 
-60's: substitute ruffled chips, substitute onion dip for the sour cream and mayonnaise, sprinkle with french-fried onions
-'Healthier': a thicker-cut 'natural' potato chip: add 30 seconds to the cooking times. The thicker cut chips also better simulates a traditional potatoes gratin