Independence Shortcakes

I made this dessert for the 4th of July yesterday. They are incredible. I knew I wanted to make something with strawberries since they are all over the grocery stores now. I stumbled upon this recipe on the James Beard website and it seemed simple enough. I was also very intrigued by the secret ingredient in the dough, hard boiled egg yolks. It sounded interesting and I thought I'd give it a try. This shortcake recipe turned out amazing, I could take down a few of those sweet biscuits in one sitting. They are rich, buttery, crumbly, and sweet all in a golden biscuit. They pair perfectly with the homemade whipped cream and strawberries, but I'm sure you could also pair these with other toppings or just eat them alone. The recipe said to cut the biscuits in half and fill with the strawberries and cream, but I thought it worked just fine piling the strawberries and cream then placing the biscuit on top. This recipe is so simple and will definitely be a go to dessert for me. 

James Beard's Shortcake
from James Beard Foundation


Shortcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
• 2 hard-boiled egg yolks, pushed through a small mesh sieve
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Fruit Filling:

• 3 pints fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved or quartered, depending on size
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Sift together the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the baking powder into a bowl. Add 6 tablespoons of the chilled butter pieces and, using your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mix until it has the consistency of course crumbs. Add the sieved hard-boiled egg yolks and the cream; gently mix until it the dough just comes together.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and gently knead to make a smooth dough (about two or three turns). Pat down the dough to make a 1-inch-thick round. Using a lightly floured 2 1/2-inch-round cookie cutter, cut out 6 shortcakes. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of sugar. Place the shortcakes on a plate lined with waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Transfer the chilled shortcakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
4. While the shortcakes cool, prepare the fruit filling and whipped cream: place the strawberries in a glass bowl and add the sugar. Gently stir and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Whip the cream and sugar together in a medium bowl until the cream just begins to thicken.
6. Using a fork or serrated knife, cut the shortcakes in half lengthwise. Place the bottom halves on 6 plates and generously spoon the macerated fruit and juices over them. Top with a heaping dollop of lightly whipped sweetened cream. Top with the top halves of the shortcakes.

Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe

I don't really like Cheesecake Factory. I think their food is overpriced and not that good. There is only one dish I order there because it is the only thing I have found that is pretty tasty. Unfortunately, it's $17 for a small bowl of pasta. I definitely do not think it is worth that much and knew I could make the dish myself. So I searched the internet and found a copycat recipe that is pretty spot on. The ingredients are pretty cheap and a bottle of Madeira wine will run you about 10 bucks a bottle. I usually use a mix of fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms because dried ones are a little cheaper. This recipe is so easy and a great one to have on hand for a week night quick fix. 

Da Vinci Pasta
adapted from The 350 Degree Oven

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 5 chicken tenders
• 1 1/2 c. shitake mushrooms (3.5 oz)-can be dried or fresh
• 1/4 c. chopped red onions
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 c. Madeira wine
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 T. flour
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 T. parsley
• 3 T. grated parmesan cheese

1.  Slice 3.5 oz of shitake mushrooms (approximately 1 1/2 cups), discarding stems.

2.  Slice the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces, discarding any tendons or cartilage.

3.  Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.  Once boiling, add the penne pasta, and set timer to 9 minutes.  When done, drain the pasta and set aside.

4.  Add 1 T. olive oil to a large cast iron skillet, and heat on medium high.  Add the mushrooms and onions to the pan, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Saute the mushrooms until golden brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.

5.  Add the remaining oil to the pan, and add the chicken.  Season chicken with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Saute until golden brown, then set aside with the cooked mushrooms.

6.  Add the butter to the pan, and allow to melt.  Meanwhile, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.  

7.  Add the flour to the butter, cook and stir for 1 minute to create a roux.  (This will help thicken the sauce for the pasta).

8.  Turn off the heat.  Add the half and half and the Madeira.  Once the sizzling has subsided, turn the stove back on and heat to a gentle simmer.  You must cook this for several minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate and to allow the flavor of the sauce to develop.

9.  After 2-3 minutes, taste the sauce, and if it seems too strong, add 1/4 c. water.  Add a little extra salt and pepper if needed.  Add the mushrooms and chicken back into the pan, and simmer 1-2 more minutes.

10.  Add the pasta into the pan, and stir.  Allow the pasta to heat for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and parmesan.