Hamburger Buns

1 1/4 cups milk, warmed
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
2 cups bread flour, plus 1/4-1/2 cup more for adjusting as needed
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup honey plus 1-2 tbsp., divided
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Sesame seeds (optional)

Measure out the milk in a liquid measuring cup. Add in the instant yeast and stir to dissolve. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour (2 cups), wheat flour and salt. Mix briefly on low speed to combine. Add the yeast-milk mixture, egg, and 1/4 cup of honey to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed just until a dough has formed. Switch to the dough hook. Continue kneading on low speed with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky, adding extra flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time as needed until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and has the desired consistency. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2-2 hours.

Once the dough has risen, transfer the ball to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate the dough. Divide the dough into 9-10 equal sized pieces (if using a kitchen scale to achieve uniform size, make 3.25-3.5 oz. pieces). Form each piece of dough into a flattened round, 3.5-4 inches in diameter. Transfer the shaped rounds to a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Combine the melted butter with 1-2 tablespoons of honey and lightly brush the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 14-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until golden brown and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Blackberry Tart with Honey Mascarpone Filling

A long overdue credit needs to be added to this posting. I got this recipe from Annie's Eats at
http://annies-eats.com/2009/05/02/blackberry-tart-with-honey-mascarpone-filling/
Annie lives in my hometown of Indianapolis and is self taught in cooking and food photography. Tha's my next goal to work on photography. She posted this recipe May 2, 2009 and I made it last summer. It was fantastic. Thanks Annie! (Update June 14, 2010)

For the crust:
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. very cold water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

For the filling:
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch ground nutmeg

For the topping:
Fresh blackberries (I used about 12 oz.)

Directions:
To make the crust, in a small bowl stir together the egg yolk, water and vanilla; set aside. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. When you are ready to roll out the dough, unwrap it and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out with a floured rolling pin, lifting and turning the dough occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the work surface. Roll it out evenly until it is large enough to line a 12-inch tart pan and is about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan, pressing it into the sides, and trim to remove the excess.

Cover the dough with foil or parchment paper and fill with baking beads. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil and baking beads and using a fork, gently poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust. Bake until the crust is golden, 15-20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the filling, combine the mascarpone, sour cream, and honey in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract and nutmeg.

Spread the filling into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top with a spatula. Top with fresh blackberries. Transfer to a serving platter. Store in the refrigerator.

Avocado-Lime Salsa

1 cup diced peeled avocado
3/4 cup finely chopped tomato
1/3 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

To prepare salsa, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Grilled Flank Steak TAcos with Roasted Poblano Chiles and Grilled Onions

• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 pounds flank steak, trimmed of surface fat and silverskin
• 4 to 6 poblano chiles
• 2 large onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
• Toothpicks for securing onion slices on grill
• 12 to 16 corn tortillas
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, optional

In a blender or in the bowl of a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of the onion, the garlic, 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, half of the lime juice, cumin, oregano and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Process until smooth. Place the flank steak in a shallow non-reactive dish and spoon the marinade over the meat. Turn the steak so that both sides of the meat are in contact with the marinade and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, turning occasionally.

While the meat is marinating, prepare the poblanos: Place the poblanos over a direct flame and roast, turning occasionally with tongs, until the skin is charred and blistered all over. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Remove the poblanos and, when cool enough to handle, carefully remove the charred skin by rubbing with your fingers. Remove the stems and any seeds and, if necessary, rinse briefly under cool running water to remove any remaining skin. Slice the poblanos into thin strips and place in a small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours, until ready to serve the tacos. (Poblanos may be roasted 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Preheat a grill to high.

Place the onion slices on a flat surface and insert 1 or 2 toothpicks into the concentric rings in order to hold the rings together on the grill. Brush the slices on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and place the onion slices on the grill. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on the edges and soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the toothpicks from the onion slices and add the onions to the poblanos, separating the onion rings with your fingers. Toss to combine. The heat from the hot onion slices will warm the poblanos. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside until ready to serve the tacos.

Remove the meat from the marinade and shake or use a spoon to remove any excess. Rub the meat all over with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and season on both sides with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Grill the steak, turning once, to the desired degree of doneness; for medium rare, this should be 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
While the meat is resting, heat the corn tortillas as instructed on the package. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm.

When the meat has rested, slice against the grain into very thin strips and serve, with the warm tortillas. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
For the baked goat cheese:
4 oz. log goat cheese
3 oz. Melba toast
1 egg
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. freshly chopped basil
1 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
olive oil, for brushing

For the vinaigrette:
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. minced shallot
salt and pepper, to taste

mixed greens

Directions:
Slice the log of goat cheese into 6 equal slices. Roll each section into a ball and flatten into a disc. Place the Melba toast in the bowl of a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, gently whisk the Dijon mustard into the egg. Finely chop the fresh herbs. Roll each disc of goat cheese in the fresh herbs, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the Melba toast crumbs. Place the breaded discs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 475°. Brush each disc of cheese lightly with olive oil. Bake the discs for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. While the cheese bakes, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Toss with mixed greens. Allow the cheese to cool a couple of minutes before serving atop a bed of the mixed greens tossed with vinaigrette.

Margarita Shrimp

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups cooked rice

Place shrimp in a shallow glass dish. Combine lime juice, tequila, water, onion, olive oil and salt in a small bowl. Pour over shrimp and toss until evenly coated. Marinate, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Preheat grill.

Remove shrimp from marinade (reserving marinade), and thread onto 4 (15-inch) skewers, running skewer through each shrimp twice. Transfer marinade to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes; set aside.

Coat grill rack with vegetable cooking spray. Place kabobs on rack 4 to 6 inches over medium-hot coals. Grill, turning once, until shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove shrimp from skewers and arrange over rice. Spoon boiled marinade over shrimp. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini

1 baguette, cut into ¼”-thick slices
extra-virgin olive oil for brushing, plus 1 tsp.
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1 ½ tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp. finely chopped basil
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
goat cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil. Bake until lightly browned and crispy. Cut one clove of garlic in half and rub the cut side on the baguette slices while still warm. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spread each baguette slice with a thin layer of goat cheese.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine one clove of garlic, the red pepper, pine nuts, Parmesan, parsley, basil, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread a spoonful of the red pepper pesto onto each baguette slice.

Menu - Grilled Flank Steak Tacos

Appetizer – Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini, Margarita Shrimp
Salad – Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinagrette
Main Course – Grilled Flank Steak Tacos with Roasted Poblano Chilies and Greille Onions Served with Avocado-Lime Salsa
Dessert – Blackberry Tart with Honey Mascarpone Filling