Category: <span>Josmo’s Cafe</span>

Josmo's Cafe Sweet Treats By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Patti LaBelle’s Lemon Bars

Patti LaBelle’s Lemon Bars

John and I love a good lemon bar cookie. I found this recipe in People magazine July 17, 2017. I was able to use fresh-picked Arizona lemons the first time I made them. Outstanding! However, store bought lemons will make a great cookie as well.

Ingredients

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour, divided plus more for dusting the pan

¼ cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting lemon bars

1/8 tsp table salt

½ cup unsalted butter, thinly sliced, at room temp, plus more for greasing pan

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest, plus ½ cup fresh juice (from 4 lemons)

4 large eggs

 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8-inch square nonstick baking pan and line it with crisscrossed sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper so that 2 inches hang over each side to create “handles”. Lightly grease foil and coat with dusting of flour. Turn pan upside down and tap to remove excess flour.
  2. Prepare the crust: Whisk together 1 cup flour, powdered sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and stir to combine. Knead until a smooth dough forms. Crumble dough into prepared baking pan and press gently into an even layer. Freeze 15 mins.
  3. Bake crust in the center rack of the preheated oven until golden 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  4. Prepare the filling: Whisk together remaining 1/3 cup flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, juice and eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Pour mixture over hot crust. Return to oven and bake until filling is lightly browned 20 to 25 minutes.
  5. Run a small sharp knife around the inside edges of the pan to loosen pastry. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
  6. Lift the foil handles to remove pastry from pan. Place on rack to cool completely about 30 minutes. Cut pastry into 9 equal squares. Peel off and discard foil. Just before serving, sift powdered sugar over bars.

 

Makes 9 bars

 

Josmo's Cafe Side Dishes and Salads By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Smokin’ Broccoli

Smokin’ Broccoli

Cleaning out my recipe folder on a cold winter day, I found this Smokin’Broccoli recipe by Kate Sherwood that I had clipped from from Nutrition Action Newsletter. Seemed like a perfect winter side dish for grilled chicken. I served it to company. It was a big hit!

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp kosher salt (I added a bit more)

4 cups finely chopped broccoli crowns (recipe calls for raw, but I did steam it for about 8 minutes)

¼ cup smoked, salted almonds, chopped

¼ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Toss together broccoli, almonds, and cheese in a large bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Pour over broccoli mixture and mix well. Chill for several hours before serving.

Appetizers and Starters By ssadmin 0 Comments

Hot Crab Spread

There are a lot of variations of this recipe. This was my Aunt Sally’s specialty and the one my Pittsburgh family loved best at our family dinners.

8 oz. block cream cheese – softened

1 Tbsp milk

1 6 oz can flaked crab – drained

2 Tbsp finely chopped onion

½ tsp horseradish

¼ tsp salt

Dash of white pepper

½ C sliced almonds

 

Mix all ingredients except almonds with hand mixer until blended.  Spoon into lightly buttered ovenproof pie plate.  Sprinkle almonds evenly on top.  Bake in 350 oven for 20 or so minutes until bubbly.  Can be baked in microwave, but the almonds don’t brown.  Serve hot with wheat thins. Wheat thins make a convenient scoop and taste great with this spread.

Main Dishes By ssadmin 0 Comments

Chicken Marbella

The Silver Palate Cookbook
by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives, and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It’s good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d’oeuvre. The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product: the chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare. Since Chicken Marbella is such a spectacular party dish, we give quantities to serve 10 to 12, but the recipe can be divided to make smaller amounts if you wish.

Makes: 16 pieces or 10 or more portions

  • 4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
  • 1/4 cup dried oregano
  • coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup pitted prunes
  • 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
  • 1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
  1. In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
  4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
  5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
  6. To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

Julee Rosso has owned The Wickwood Inn in the art resort of Saugatuck, Michigan for twenty years www.wickwoodinn.com.

Shirley Lukins died of cancer in 2009 at the age of 66. She was the co-founder and owner of the popular Silver Palate gourmet shop in NYC and for 23 years and the food editor and columnist for Parade, a position previously held by Julia Child.

Alcoholic Beverage Josmo's Cafe By Emily Huling 0 Comments

The St-Germain Cocktail

The St-Germain Cocktail

Josmo’s Café has added another cocktail to our menu. Never fear! The Josmo’s Cosmo can never be replaced!

Our friends Richard and Debbie introduced us to The St-Germain Cocktail. It’s a perfect dinner party starter beverage. Bubbly, fresh and light. Your guests will love it!

This recipe is from the St. Germain website. 

2 parts Brut Champagne (we use Prosecco)
1½ parts St-Germain®
2 parts Sparkling Water (we use club soda)

Method:

Fill a tall Collins glass with ice. Add Champagne first, then St-Germain, then Club Soda (the order is essential, not arbitrary).

Stir completely and garnish with a lemon twist.

Brunch Josmo's Cafe By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Honey Oven-Baked French Toast

Honey Oven-Baked French Toast

John and I stayed at the Country Seasons Bed and Breakfast in Mill Run, PA when we visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in June. It is the most charming and friendly B&B owned by Liberty and James Sprague. Liberty (born in 1976!) and Jim made us the most scrumptious breakfasts. This French toast is so easy since you can make it a few hours ahead then bake it in the oven. Adding the butter to the eggs (a mistake on my part when making it!) made the toast a bit crunchy which was even better. I’ve put the mistake in my version of the recipe. Enjoy!

12 slices of French bread – ¾ inch slices

Combine in a deep bowl:

1 ¼ cup of milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 T honey

1 T melted butter

4 eggs

Dip bread slices into mixture and arrange in 9×13 pans. Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

Transfer bread slices to baking sheets. Line with non-stick foil, if desired.  Be sure the sides of the slices don’t touch. Drizzle a mixture of 1 T honey and 1 T melted butter over the bread slices.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the bread over. Bake another 15 minutes.

Place on warm serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with syrup or fruit compote.

Side Dishes and Salads By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Potatoes with Parmesan, Garlic & Rosemary

Guy Fieri’s Campfire Veggies

Good Housekeeping Magazine June 2104

 

2 lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes, thinly slices (I used baking potaotes)

1/4 cup thinly slices sweet onion

1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

 

Directions:

Season potatoes and onions with Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste. Then toss with rest of the ingredients.

Put down one piece of non-stick foil on a baking sheet. Place 1/2 of the ingredients in the center. Cover with a second sheet of non-stick foil (non-stick sides face each other to cover vegetables). Crimp edges to form a packet. Repeat with remaining vegetable mixture.

Grill packets 17-20  minutes on medium hot grill until vegetables are tender. Be careful of  hot steam when you open!

Josmo's Cafe Side Dishes and Salads By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Fresh Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Fresh Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Nothing screams spring louder that salads with strawberries! This is one of my favorite from North Carolina’s Our State magazine. I have even just served the goat cheese as an appetizer on several occasions. Enjoy!

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons honey
8 ounces plain goat cheese, sliced or crumbled
8 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and spun dry
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
6 ounces slivered almonds, toasted
Vinaigrette (optional)

In a measuring cup, mix lime juice, black pepper, and honey. Pour over goat cheese and refrigerate. Let marinate overnight, if possible.

Remove stems from spinach (optional). For individual salads, portion fresh spinach on salad plates, followed by strawberries, goat cheese, and toasted almonds. Serve with your favorite vinaigrette, or skip the dressing and enjoy the creaminess of the goat cheese.

Josmo's Cafe Main Dishes By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Tuscan Chicken

Tuscan Chicken

Allrecipes.com is my go-to online cookbook. I adapted a featured recipe by adding some of my homemade pesto which adds a lot of flavor to the chicken. Few ingredients, easy to assemble, and one-dish in the oven. My favorite kind of recipe!

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts – butterfly if thick. (I only buy Perdue which is free of antibiotics)

1 (4-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

¼ cup of pesto

1 jar of spaghetti sauce – any flavor

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a 9×13 baking pan, line with non-stick foil or spray with cooking spray.
  3. Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish.
  4. Spread the pesto on top of each breast.
  5. Sprinkle olives on top.
  6. Pour the beans over the chicken.
  7. Pour the sauce over all. (See serving suggestion below. Reserve some sauce to toss with pasta.)
  8. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and generously sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan on top.
  10. Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes or until chicken no longer pink.

To serve, place the chicken over lightly-sauced penne pasta in a serving dish. Makes a beautiful presentation to serve from the table.

Brunch By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Blintz Souffle

Blintz Soufflé

A blintz, similar to a crepe, is a traditional Jewish food that is a thin rolled pancake filled with cheese or fruit and then fried or baked. They take some time to make, so instead I make this one-dish blintz soufflé. It’s delicious and easy to mix, bake, and serve. We serve it with the traditional toppings listed below, a big fruit salad, and coffee cake.

  • 1# cottage cheese – 2% milkfat is fine
  • 3 oz cream cheese – softened
  • ¼ cup melted butter (1/2 stick)
  • 6 T sugar
  • ½ cup flour
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat together cheeses, butter, and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder and lemon juice until mixture combined.

Pour into an 8-inch well-buttered Pyrex dish or 2 qt. casserole. Bake 40-45 minutes until set.

Serve immediately with sour cream, cinnamon sugar, and applesauce on the side.