Ice Cream Sandwiches

So the thing about ice cream sandwiches is...
They're messy and therefore a bit irksome.

I feel as though I should put my hair in pigtails before I eat one.

They taste so very good! It is difficult to get enough ice cream in there to have a good ice cream to cookie ratio. Everytime I make them at home, there's way too much cookie. Plus, if I pack more ice cream on there, I can't physically fit it in my mouth. Do you see the conundrum?

Because of the ratio being off, I always think how preferable an open-face ice cream sandwich would be. An upside-down, open-face ice cream sandwich. But that's basically a sundae.

You can't just use any cookie. It has to be one that is edible despite being partially frozen.

My conclusions...
Bake thin cookies. When cooled, load on the ice cream and eat immediately. Yum! My chocolate brownie cookies were superb for ice cream sandwiches!

This is also my little addition to Sam's Ice Cream Event over at Sweet Pleasure. Go check out all the fabulous ice cream recipes and sandwich them between two cookies!

"This is just a bit of silliness, really." ~Finding Neverland

More Appetizers!

I was struggling to think of another quick appetizer to serve at our party last weekend and when Paul suggested those tortilla roll-ups thingys, I might have had trouble hiding a smirk and swallowing a snarky comment, even though I’ve never eaten them. “You mean those janky things that have diced peppers and I can just picture being on the label of a package of Philidelphia cream cheese?” But, after a few internet searches and the fact that I freakin’ got over myself, the idea sounded more and more appealing. After all, it was exactly what I was looking for: I had all the ingredients, they were easy, could be served cold and took very little time to put together. And, as I found out, they’re delicious!

So, I made two versions and happily, I don’t think either of them would appear on the side of a box of cream cheese. The first was a simple ham and herb cream cheese spiral and the second was a spin-off of the green chili version and was probably my favorite. It was a bit spicy and especially interesting for our international crowd, I think. It was dubbed American Sushi, which elevated these tortilla roll-ups to a whole new level of glamour yet unseen by flour tortillas and cream cheese. I think it made my husband’s night that his little piece of Americana became des petites morceaux d'art moderne.

Spicy Green Chili Tortilla Roll-Ups

about 6 flour tortillas (the larger the better so you have a fairly wide spiral once sliced)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 Tbsp chopped green onion or red onion
¼ cup grated cheddar
¼ cup grated Emmenthal, monterey jack, or other mild cheese
Many dashes Tabasco or other hot sauce
2 Tbsp minced red pepper, optional

Mix together all ingredients except tortillas in a small bowl until smooth and everything is incorporated. Taste and add hot sauce to desired spiciness. Spread about ¼ cup of the cheese mixture evenly over the entire tortilla, leaving a small edge at the top. Roll up the tortilla, fairly tightly, but not so much that the filling is squeezed out. Seal the tortilla with a little of the cream cheese mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least a few hours. Slice the rolled tortilla crosswise into 1 inch slices. Serve cut side up. These can be made the day before, but wait to slice until just a few hours ahead. Makes about 48 pieces.

Tortilla Roll-Ups with Ham and Garlic Herb Cheese
(recipe adapted from The Passionate Cook)

6 flour tortillas
6 oz Garlic and Herb Boursin Cheese
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
3 Tbsp chopped dill, optional
6 thin slices good quality ham

Spread a few tablespoons of Boursin over each tortilla (covering every surface) and sprinkle with parsley or dill. Place one slice of ham over the torilla (or more depending on the size of your tortillas…cover the suface.) Roll up the tortilla, wrap with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. Slice in 1-2 inch pieces.

If you can’t find Boursin, the recipe from The Passionate Cook sounds great, too. Mix a small amount of mustard into the cream cheese and spread that on the tortilla instead of the Boursin. Yum!

Une Bonne Soirée Chez Nous...

We just threw a party celebrating the end of the school year here in Paris (yes, it's the end of June!) and I have a few delicious appetizer recipes to share with you. We called it our faux-champagne party, since we served an easy-drinking Cremant d'Alsace, which was wonderful and also decidedly cheaper than fine champagne.
I ended up making way too much food, which I guess is always preferable to not having enough! I was really happy with how everything turned out and I'm so glad I have some recipes to share with you! I tried to keep it to hors d'oeuvres so there would be no need for plates or forks. Plus, since it was very hot last weekend, I didn't want to have the oven running constantly, or myself, for that matter.
So, the recipes I made included this previously posted Tzatziki. It's always a hit and was perfectly refreshing on a hot night. We also purchased that big gloriously sticky piece of brie pictured above. I think that's what won over the frenchies. I also made these Chocolate Brownie Cookies again. They were loved. Let's just say I now have a backup husband waiting in the wings should anything, er, happen to Paul. ("Megane, can I be zyour wife in zee heaven?" "You mean my husband? in the next life? Sure.") There were many yummy things and I will eventually get to all of them, but I was very pleased with these Tomato Pesto Mini-Tartes and my Mushroom and Chevre Spirals. Both use store-bought puff pastry, both are delicious at room temperature and couldn't be easier make. Most of the ingredients can be swapped out for others, so if you don't like chevre (you poor soul!) feel free to use parmesan or whatever you like.
Tomato and Pesto Mini-Tartes
(inspiration and recipe from The Passionate Cook!)

1 sheet puff pastry (sizes differ in US and France)
about 30 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced

Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil
1/3 cup pine nuts
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Mince garlic in a food processor. Next add the pine nuts and basil and pulse to chop. While the processor is running, gradually pour in the oil until incorporated. You may need to scrape down the bowl and make sure everything is pureed. Stir in the cheese and taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate up to 2-3 days.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F). Using a cookier cutter or mold of some sort, cut out 2 inch circles of puff pastry. I had neither a mold or cookie cutter, so I just cut my pastry into rough squares about 2 inches wide. Place the pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (a baker's best friend.) Prick each piece several times with a fork so that they don't puff up too much. Top with some pesto and about 3 slices of cherry tomato and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with a bit more pesto if you like. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Makes about 30, but it depends on the size of your pastry. As you can see, this is an easy recipe to alter the amounts and/or ingredients.

Mushroom and Chevre Spirals
(no picture because they were devoured before I had the chance)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
1 pound white mushrooms (or any kind you like), finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp minced chives
1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or any herb would work)
3 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream, optional

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Sauté the shallots over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender and liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Add the chives, thyme or other herbs. Add the goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste and stir in the crème fraîche to bind the mixture. Remove from heat and let cool.

Roll out the pastry. Cover the surface with the mushroom mixture, adding more goat cheese or herbs if you like. Roll up the pastry somewhat tightly so it holds together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill. This can be made a few days in advance. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the pastry roll into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until nicely browned. These won't expand much so don't worry about crowding the pan. Best when warm, but they are also fine at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Mmm...Cookies!

You Are a Jam Cookie

On the outside, you project a straight-laced, innocent vibe. But on the inside, you're complex, exotic, and full of flavor.

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

I just had to add this one, too! I love pork - so versatile, so flavorful, so innocent and just waiting to be transformed into bacon. Yum!

You Are Pork

You like to think you're the other white meat, but many people don't want anything to do with you. You probably smoke. And it's likely that no body part of yours is off limits.

What Kind of Meat Are You?

Crab Cakes

Unfortunately, you won't be able to see these beauties since my camera went with my husband to Germany. He's gone for 3 days - just a short trip, and when faced with the prospect of cooking for one, there are many times when a bowl of cereal suffices. But, there are equally times when cooking a simple little elegant meal just hits the spot.

Tonight was one such night. I have to say I feel a little pride when I pull something out that is delicious and seemingly gourmet, (and it's all for me...buwha-ha-ha!) My meal tonight consisted of crab cakes on a bed of arugula, roasted asparagus and a glass of red wine. So cute and so delightful that I made it just for me. Indulgent yet simple. Woo-hoo!

There's me descending a massive slide in the Parc de la Villette!

My mouth had been watering for crab cakes since reading this post and recipe over at The Weekly Dish. Her pairing of crab cakes with guacamole is very close to my very favorite way to enjoy crab cakes: with sliced avocado and some chipotle mayo. Knowing I'd never find a ripe avocado in Paris to be consumed that night, I decided to try a simpler preparation. I missed the avocado, but they were tasty anyway.

Crab cakes are indeed tough to mess up. (You can make meatloaf, right?) But, we all know there are edible crab cakes, good crab cakes and exquisite crab cakes. I'd love to say mine were the latter, but they were good. I mean, I used canned crabmeat. I admit it. So the texture wasn't quite as chunky and nice as fresh crab would've been, and the flavor wasn't crabby enough for me. Let's call it a more delicately flavored crab cake. Substitute fresh crabmeat in this recipe and it will be a winner.

Crab Cakes

1/2 pound (240 g) crabmeat (fresh, lump crabmeat is best)
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red onion, minced
2-3 Tbsp red or yellow bell pepper, minced
1/4 cup coarse bread crumbs (like panko)
(In France: Chapelure Dorée works)
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch paprika
Tabasco sauce
ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil, for frying

A simple sauce:
3 Tbsp mayonnaise, the juice of one lemon wedge, paprika, and a good pinch of cayenne pepper

Like meatloaf, most of the amounts are approximate, especially the bread crumbs. Add small amounts until the desired texture is achieved. Also, I enjoy a spicy crab cake and have been told that Old Bay Seasoning is what to use. If you have some of that, leave out the other spices except maybe the hot sauce. Better to add too much spice than too little.

Beat the egg in a medium bowl. Whisk in the mayo, mustard and spices. Add the onion and pepper. Gently mix in the crabmeat, not breaking it apart too much. Once combined, gradually add breadcrumbs until the mixture just holds together. (Try shaping a cake and if it's too wet, add more crumbs.) Shape into whatever size cakes you prefer. This is a small recipe, so it made only five 3-inch diameter cakes, each about 1/2 inch thick. Place cakes on a plate and refrigerate 30 min - 1 hour. This is necessary so your cakes won't fall apart when frying.

Heat a very thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Spread some extra bread crumbs on a small plate. Coat each crab cake in some breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs so they stick. Test the oil by tossing a tiny (TINY) amount of breadcrumbs in the oil. If they sizzle immediately, it's ready. Cook the crabcakes 4 minutes per side (or less depending on the size) until nicely brown. If after 2 minutes the cakes aren't browning, turn up the heat. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve on some greens with a bit of sauce on each crab cake. Serves 2.