Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Mixed Fruit Galette

September 2, 2021 by Mary Leave a Comment

Before the luscious summer fruit season ends, you must make a Mixed Fruit Galette and wow everyone who sees it!!

Begin with the pie crust

You see, it’s really very simple. Make a buttery pie crust – why everyone is so afraid of pie crust when they’re really very easy, I don’t know. Someone must have given them a bad rap some years ago! Don’t let them daunt you.

It’s flour, a little salt, butter and ice water. Four basic ingredients, of course mixed with LOVE. Sure, you can add some vodka or cider vinegar so maybe it’s 6 ingredients, but don’t forget the LOVE.

Mixed fruits are the best!

Roll that baby out and fill that crust with a variety of mixed fruits, a little lemon, vanilla and cornstarch and you’ve got yourself a beautiful, simple, even healthy dessert as there’s not much sugar.

Dot it with fresh blueberries and some thyme leaves when finished baking and you’ll present a real showstopper. I prefer the pop of the fresh blueberries added afterwards because when cooked, they just collapse and spread the messy dark blue juice everywhere.

And the thyme leaves create a different floral component to the dessert that’s unexpected and delicious, while the sprinkle of sugar on top gives it that extra special glisten.

Serve your Mixed Fruit Galette with crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream, sit back, relax, and enjoy all the compliments!

Make this for one of your Labor Day weekend parties and create a loving memory for all there.

Ok, so I used too much butter in this crust dough and it cracked and leaked, but no matter, it still tasted amazing!

MIXED FRUIT GALETTE – serves 6 – 8

One pie crust – use the recipe here or here
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 Tbs.
1/4 tsp. salt
1.5 lbs. of mixed peaches, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges, tiny apricots cut in half or red plums cut in quarters or fresh figs, stems removed and cut in half, or blackberries
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
4 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
A handful of blueberries
Crème Fraiche or vanilla ice cream for serving

Directions

Unwrap chilled pie crust dough, and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out about 1/8 inch thick. Place dough circle on a parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet, and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together cornstarch, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add peaches, apricots, plums, figs and blackberries, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla, and toss to combine.

Arrange fruit mixture in center of chilled dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold dough edges up and over filling (dough will only partially cover filling), pleating every 3 inches. Lightly brush folded dough edges with beaten egg. Sprinkle dough edges and filling with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (without opening oven door), and bake until crust is golden brown and fruit mixture bubbles in the middle, 40 to 45 minutes.

Transfer baking sheet with the mixed fruit galette to a wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes. Dot the galette with the fresh blueberries and thyme leaves. Serve galette warm, or let cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour. Serve with crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream and LOVE.

Grilled Yogurt & Parsley Marinated Chicken Thighs

August 25, 2021 by Mary 11 Comments

Who doesn’t LOVE grilled chicken? I remember one friend of mine, Anne Maxfield of the Accidental Locavore, announced at a dinner party one night at my house, that she loved ANY grilled chicken ANYTIME! She declared, “Who doesn’t?” I do too, but I’m always searching for new flavors (as I am for fish as well). This Grilled Yogurt & Parsley Marinated Chicken Thighs is definitely worthy enough to share with you. It was easy, different and DELISH! Or De le le – as my friend Barbara says.

It’s important that you use full fat, sheep’s milk yogurt, lots of garlic and ample amounts of parsley. The marinating time works with just 3 hours so do this in the afternoon. Once that’s done, grilling it is easy peasy.

One warning though, be sure to oil your grill well and do not have your heat too high – 375 degrees is perfect.

The marinade

It’s the yogurt marinade that makes the chicken creamy and on thighs, super moist as well. And the ample garlic, well you know I love anything garlicky and garlic keeps you healthy. Now it is super important to stay strong with the new Delta strain of Covid. And the parsley at this time of year is so flavorful. I am growing it in my garden and it tastes amazing.

For me, the problem with many marinades is that they don’t really seem to permeate and flavor the meat deeply. Here, I made 3 slashes on the skin side of each thigh, not too deep but going through the skin and penetrating the meat just a little. And then rubbing the marinade into each thigh while it’s in the bag.

Smashed Juniper Berries and Parsley for Yogurt and Parsley Marinated Chicken Thighs.

I don’t know, penetrating, rubbing, sounds a little sexual, don’t you think? I have been watching Sex/Life on Netflix – super steamy at times…

But I digress.

My Love of Lime

It is also important to squeeze some fresh lime on these Grilled Yogurt & Parsley Marinated Chicken Thighs, just before serving. I have been using lime a lot as a finishing touch as it imparts just the right amount of acid with a little lovely mysterious side kick. You’re not quite sure what that flavor is…

I learned about lime just recently from a neighborhood Latin and South Asian restaurant. They finished off a grilled spice-rubbed cauliflower slice with lime and it was so delicious! So I have been taking that cue and using it.

Make this chicken soon – It really is delish!

GRILLED YOGURT & PARSLEY MARINATED CHICKEN THIGHS – serves 4

4 bone-in, chicken thighs with skin, fat removed, lightly scored in 3 places on the skin side
¾ cup Plain Sheep Milk full fat yogurt – I used Bellwether Farms
¼ cup minced garlic smashed with
1 tsp. Kosher salt
¼ tsp coarse ground black pepper
1½ TBS. lemon juice
1 cup chopped parsley leaves
12 juniper berries, smashed
1 lime quartered in 4 wedges

Smash the minced garlic with the teaspoon of salt using the side of a large chopping knife to break it up more, making a rough paste. Take a large ziploc bag and add in everything except the chicken thighs and lime. Close the bag and mix up everything thoroughly.

Wash and dry the chicken thighs. Trim off the excess fat. Lightly score the skin side in 3 places on each thigh. Add the thighs to the marinade bag and move around the yogurt mixture to get it into the chicken.

Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 3 hours or even overnight, every once in a while mushing everything together and turning the bag over.

Remove the bag 30 – 45 minutes before grilling. Light the grill to be 375 degrees. Oil the grill grates thoroughly.

I get the grill very hot – to 500 – 550 degrees, scrape off the food residue from the previous grilling, then I coat a folded paper towel with canola oil and using the scraper brush, rub the oiled towel all over the grill racks. This does two things – it cleans the grill of any residual wire pieces from the brush and oils the grate.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for about 15 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Serve with fresh squeezed lime juice and LOVE. Enjoy!!

Best Blueberry Pie – Mary’s Version

June 27, 2021 by Mary Leave a Comment

It’s blueberry season and I had been having a craving for this Best Blueberry Pie– it’s the pie by Rose Levy Beranbaum from Food 52 . Only now I have remade the recipe – Best Blueberry Pie – Mary’s Version!

The weekend before last, I was invited to my new friend Maria’s house in Bayville, NY. Her home is smack dab right on the water, the beautiful Long Island Sound. It is just gorgeous! Maria is also a recent widow like me, and has a terrific group of great friends who get together on a regular basis. They are all foodies and wine snobs, so I fit right in.

For a dinner party at her friends’ house we were tasked with bringing dessert. Maria suggested to go buy something but since it was cloudy, non-beach weather on Saturday, I suggested I make something. And I must say, this new version of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Blueberry Pie was spectacular! Everyone LOVED it – calling it the perfect dessert, not too sweet, the crust was so flakey, so many positive comments, even on the next day. I always think that if people are still remembering and talking about your food the next day, then you’ve made a real hit!

This is a masterpiece pie to look at and eat. In reality, the berries glisten like jewels and I just love the fresh pop of taste with the uncooked berries.

Truth be told, this pie was made under distressed conditions in that Maria is not a baker. She did not have a pastry cutter or cloth or rolling pin cover and her pie plate was particularly deep.

This pie crust is a pretty big deviation from my normal, Mom’s pie crust recipe. But this is the ONE to keep! And I made my recipe so much easier than Rose Levy Beranbaum’s.

YOUR LOVE AS ONE OF YOUR INGREDIENTS

Remember it is always about the quality of the ingredients you use, along with the amount of LOVE you put in.

Here, I used Plugra unsalted butter, the best blueberries you can find, freshest lemons and even homemade vanilla that her friend, Glenn, had made.

For the crust, the two phases of refrigeration in the recipe are very important. These cold portions will help to produce a very flakey crust so please do not skip them.

The gorgeous fried chicken and celeriac salad.

The fried chicken dinner with broccoli rabe and a celeriac salad was all too delicious. Not only was I over-served on great Nebbiolo wines but I over-served myself on the chicken too! So good.

It was super fun to be in a different area – Long Island – to me is like another state. On Friday night we met up with the mutual friend who had introduced Maria and me, for a long dinner at a local restaurant. On Saturday morning, we met up with that same friend and her group of friends for a hike through this beautiful wooded area that used to hold all of the Gold Coast mansions with everyone’s dogs (Maria has two). One of the friends is Italian so Maria and I got to practice our ISL – Italian as a second language. So fun!

SUCH HAPPY MEMORIES

Saturday night was the fabulous dinner party. Her friends were so warm and welcoming. Most of them came over to Maria’s house on Sunday, bringing a beautiful brunch. It was a glorious beach day on Sunday, all of us full and happy, sipping on beers, tequila or Bloody Mary’s, lying in front of the LI Sound just enjoying each other and the beauty. This reminded me of my younger days, pre-children, when Steve and I would visit friends in the Hamptons, enjoying a hungover Sunday sweating it out in the sun. So now I am creating new memories.

Best blueberry pie with blackberries, two pieces with vanilla ice cream. — Here is a pic from the first time I made this – with ice cream and some added blackberries.

The recipe:

BEST BLUEBERRY PIE – MARY’S VERSION – serves 8

PIE CRUST – for a 9” pie

8 TBS. unsalted very cold Plugra butter
1 1/3 cups bleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
3 TBS. ice water
1½ tsp. cider vinegar
1 TBS. egg white, lightly beaten

Toss the flour and salt together with a fork in a medium sized bowl.

Cut the cold butter into very small chunks by cutting the stick lengthwise into 4 quarters and then slice those quarters into ¼” pieces.

Put all of the butter into the flour mixture and using your fingers on both hands, mix and mash the butter and flour together until no chunks of butter are visible. It all has to be incorporated together otherwise you will get butter holes in your crust.

Then sprinkle on the vinegar and toss together with a fork. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of ice water, (one tablespoon at a time), toss with a fork, and repeat with the remaining two tablespoons. Your dough will now hold together and may seem a bit too wet but trust me, it is ok.

Form the dough into a thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 – 2 hours or overnight. This dough can also be frozen for 3 months for future use if you want to make a double recipe.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and if necessary, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes until soft enough to roll out. On a floured surface – pastry cloth or parchment paper – with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to ⅛” thick and fit into your 9” pie pan, crimping the edges as shown in the photo.

Refrigerate the pie crust shell for at least one hour, with a maximum of 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line the pie crust shell with parchment paper and weigh it down with dried beans or rice, trimming the corners of the extra parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, checking at 10 minutes to rotate the pan so one side does not get too brown (as mine did). At the 20 minute mark, lift up and remove the parchment and beans or rice. Then with a fork, lightly prick the crust all over the sides and bottom to prevent it from bubbling up. Do not prick hard and all the way through as you do not want to create holes.

Place the crust back into the oven to lightly brown completely, baking for 5 – 10 minutes more. Check it at the 3 minute mark. It should be a pale golden brown all over.

Remove the crust and cool on a rack for 3 minutes.

Separate the egg yolk from the egg white and lightly whisk the white with a fork. Brush the inside of the pie crust with the egg white. This will keep it from getting soggy with the blueberries.

FOR THE BLUEBERRY FILLING

4 – 5 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried. Save a handful for garnish.
2 TBS. cornstarch
2 TBS. water
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 TBS. lemon juice
Good pinch of salt
2 cups whipped heavy cream, lightly sweetened with 1 TBS. powdered sugar and 1 TBS. vanilla extract

Combine 1 cup of blueberries with ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a medium sized pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 – 6 minutes until the berries pop and it becomes nice and liquidy and starts to thicken, stirring constantly.

Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch and water.

Have your fresh lemon juice ready.

Whisk in the cornstarch and water mixture, the lemon juice and salt. Simmer for a minute until the mixture becomes translucent. Immediately off heat, fold in the remaining blueberries, being sure to cover all berries with the jammy mixture.

Spoon into the pie crust, gently spreading the mixture all over.

Let the pie set at room temperature for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Just before serving whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla and gently spread in a small circle on top, in the center of the pie. Garnish with the saved handful of berries as shown in the picture.

Enjoy!!

Wheat Germ Saucer Cookies

June 14, 2021 by Mary 6 Comments

Food makes so many memories. The smells, the tastes, flooding back happy moments, complete conversations and pure joy! These Wheat Germ Saucer Cookies are a big one for me. I remember being in 7th grade when Mom first made these.

Take a look at my mom’s handwritten recipe. I could barely read it today!

My mother baked a lot. She also made sure I knew how to bake. Pies were my Dad’s favorites and of course as a kid, I LOVED cookies.

Mom made chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin (another of Dad’s favorites), and peanut butter regularly. Her Christmas Cookies were famous throughout the neighborhood and to die for, especially the Pecan Crisps, along with the Hello Dolly Squares (crazy name!), Cut-outs and Date Bars. But when she made these Wheat Germ Saucer Cookies for the very first time, I was over the moon! Because they were BIG, super crunchy and so different with coconut, oatmeal, wheat germ and chocolate chips! Then she told me that wheat germ was very healthy – especially good for pretty skin.

Well, this was MY COOKIE!!

But then of course, she told me I couldn’t eat two, because I would get fat and the cookies were big. (Granted, two is a lot — but they’re so good!!)

Well, Mom is not around anymore…

And lately, I’ve made two batches of these (why I waited so long I’ll never know) to the pure delight of everyone who tastes them! Even people who like soft chewy cookies can get into these, because of the coconut. So you get that chewy aspect combined with the crunchy-ness with the wheat germ and oatmeal – without any nuts – for those folks that are allergic.

Because they are large – they also do not take up too much time to make.

My chocolate chip cookie memories

Large cookies have another special memory for me. My dad’s older, forever single brother Eugene would come for dinner nearly every Sunday night. He didn’t talk much but this was a chance for him to be around family and to get one of my mother’s good healthy meals inside of him. One of his favorite, most memorable sayings was, when Mom would ask him if he wanted seconds on anything, Uncle Euge would say, “No thank you, I’ll do well to clean my plate.” and then chuckle. We always laughed at that and he had a very jolly laugh.

Uncle Eugene’s gifts

When he came, he always brought all of us kids (remember there were 6 of us), a box of one dozen Hersey’s chocolate bars and a big white bakery box of one dozen huge chocolate chip cookies from some bakery in downtown St. Louis near where he lived. I have been searching for that cookie for years. I still have not found it.

When I moved to NYC in the late 70’s, I got all excited as all the delis carried plastic wrapped huge chocolate chip cookies. I tried most of them, but not one matched up.

The Uncle Eugene cookies were large, just like these Wheat Germ Saucer Cookies, crunchy and pure chocolate chips. No nuts, just a great dough and chocolate. It occurs to me right now, that perhaps they used some Crisco or lard in them for that unmistakable tender crunch. That’s not really healthy so I’m not sure I’m gonna go there now, but maybe I should experiment, just a little.

The utmost importance of creaming your butter and sugar extremely well…

At any rate, do try these. My trick with any cookie is to cream the butter and sugar for a super long, long time – so that the mixture is not at all grainy with the sugar, but light colored and fluffy. Go do something else for a little bit of time while your mixer does the work. Then add your room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each one. Finally, add the dry ingredients, and most importantly, your LOVE!

I’m sure these will be an awesome hit. My friends who have eaten them just recently have begged for this recipe so here it is.

Finished dough in the mixer bowl – I didn’t have quite enough dark chocolate chunks so I added some white chocolate chips to get the full chocolate experience.

WHEAT GERM SAUCER COOKIES – makes 20 large cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups wheat germ
1½ cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 rounded tsp. Kosher salt
½ cup coconut
½ cup quick-cooking oatmeal (uncooked)
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat butter with sugars until very light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Mix wheat germ together with all remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and stir (lowest speed on your mixer) into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Place dough by ¼ cupfuls onto a silt pad lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 – 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 – 3 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in a loosely covered container.

Wheat Germ Saucer Cookies cooling on a rack. — You will LOVE these. Enjoy!!!

Ginger-crusted Halibut

May 24, 2021 by Mary 4 Comments

I adore halibut. And I love ginger. So I made up this dish of Ginger-crusted Halibut, not sure how it would really work and it was amazing!

You must have super fresh ginger. Slice a big three-inch knob lengthwise on a mandoline. Then wrap that ginger around, covering both sides of your filet, pan sauté in grapeseed oil and butter and voila! Total deliciousness.

You see, I was afraid that you wouldn’t be able to cut through the ginger and just desecrate the beautiful fish while eating it but no, as long as your ginger is super fresh, creamy yellow in color, sliced very thin, this worked. And it was not overly spicy, which was another concern. It was just right with the butter mingling in.

Ginger-crusted halibut cut with arugula and tomato salad. — So very moist and flakey.

Halibut, although expensive, is such a delectable fish. Creamy white, solid but flakey tender – big flakes.

Make sure not to overcook it – 118 degrees F on the internal temperature is perfect.

Quick and easy is this recipe of Ginger-crusted Halibut. I really wouldn’t call it a recipe so much as it is an idea – that I think you will LOVE.

Ginger-crusted halibut with rice and salad. — A super easy lovely dinner!

I served this with steamed Jasmine rice and a little tomato and arugula salad. Total yumminess.

Make and serve with LOVE.

I’m sure you’ll make this again and again.

GINGER-CRUSTED HALIBUT – serves 2

One 3” long knob of super fresh ginger
1 lb.piece of Halibut fillet
1 Tbs. grapeseed oil
1 Tbs. butter
Extra virgin olive oil – a few drops
Salt
Pepper

Peel the ginger and thinly slice it lengthwise on a hand mandoline.

Wash and pat dry your fish fillet. Put a few drops of olive oil on and rub it all over. Follow this with salt and pepper and then wrap the ginger crosswise around the fillet. Do this on both sides of the fillet, carefully wrapping the ginger and patting it down so it sticks.

Heat grapeseed oil and butter in a cast iron or non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Carefully place the ginger-wrapped fish fillet in. Saute for about 4 minutes. Carefully loosen it on the bottom, gathering all the ginger and flip it over, being careful not to splatter yourself.

Saute on the other side for about another 4 minutes. Test with a thermometer – it should register about 118 F degrees.

Carefully remove, cut in half, serve and enjoy!!

I know you’ll LOVE this!

Ginger-crusted halibut sautéing in a black cast iron skillet. — Be sure to flip over ever so carefully.

Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts

April 27, 2021 by Mary 8 Comments

These Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts are super simple to make and super delicious, particularly with a cocktail or glass of wine at the end of the day. Not too sweet, not too spicy, they hit the right spot!

And now that FINALLY my kitchen is finished (yay, yay, yay!) and slowly we are all getting vaccinated, we can start getting together again and enjoying that cocktail with friends and family.

I do enjoy nuts at any time of the day. I carry some with me at all times in my purse, so that if I get that low blood sugar feeling, that hangry feeling (that’s hungry and angry) and need something to eat while on the go, I am set.

Recently, I had listened to a synopsis of a book and learned that if you ate only six cashews a day, that would provide your cells with extra cilia (hairs) to be able to ward off infection better. So I have been doing just that. Eating six (well maybe seven or eight, but no more) cashews a day. Count them out ahead of time and then close the container and put it away.

My Nutty Story…

Some years ago, way before Mary’s Secret Ingredients, way back when we lived in Summit, NJ, after much trial and error, I had created three roasted nut recipes and had even designed the packaging for them using a terrific illustration of me on the front, calling them “MARY’s NUTS – as in Mary is nuts and these were her nuts! I had Sweet Walnuts (great for salads), Spicy Almonds, and Sweet and Spicy Pecans.

However, after perfecting the recipes, I never had the time to take them to market. But I still have those recipes and I should dig them up for you!

This Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts recipe makes a lot – 6 cups of nuts – but believe me, you will find them gone within the 3 week time period that they stay fresh. And also, they are lovely to share, a well appreciated gift. Put them in a clear glass Mason jar, adorned with a pretty bow on top and you will be invited back for sure.

So make this perfect and different accompaniment now. Make with LOVE and enjoy!

SPICY MAPLE GLAZED NUTS – makes 6 cups

1/4 c maple syrup
2 Tbs. EVOO
2 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
3/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. Dulce pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish Paprika)
1 tsp. French Grey salt, finely ground
6 cups unsalted mixed raw nuts (11/2 cups each of pecans, walnuts,
whole blanched almonds, whole cashews)

The Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir together everything but the nuts in a large bowl. Add all the nuts and stir well to completely coat each nut with the glaze. Turn out onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading out all the nuts and scraping the bowl, using all the glaze.

Roast in the oven, stirring and flipping the nuts over after 10 minutes. Roast for 9 – 10 minutes more, being careful not to let the pecans burn.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet so they will crisp up.

When completely cooled, store in an airtight container. A tin lined with wax paper works well or a mason jar with a tight fitting lid. Properly stored nuts will keep for 3 weeks.