Sunday, January 16, 2011

How to Impress with Five Ingredients or Less


Ok, so, you've got to prepare a nice dinner and you need to leave a good impression. However, you've never cooked a day in your life and mac 'n cheese from the microwave doesn't count. You're getting anxious, nervous, time is ticking. What do you do? What if I told you that you could prepare an appetizer and dessert with a total of five ingredients or less? And that both are super easy to make? Now, we're breathing a little bit easier. As for the entree, I can't help you on that, but that boxed Stouffer's lasagna can pass as homemade.

Here's the line-up for the appetizer: two ingredients. BAM.


Puff-pastry wrapped brie. And here's how you do it. Lay out one sheet of the puff pastry, after it has thawed, onto a lightly floured surface.


Place brie in the center of the sheet.


Bring corners into the center, pressing down.


Trim the excess pastry off and press the seams to seal. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tbsp. of water. Decorate top with excess pastry, if desired.


Then brush with egg mixture.


Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. Serve with toasted baguette pieces and apple slices. And if you want to knock up the fancy factor, add a walnut, brown sugar, cinnamon mixture on the top before bringing the corners up.


And now for dessert. Cut puff pastry sheet into three strips. Cut the strips into three squares. Place a piece of chocolate towards one of the corners of the puff pastry.


Fold opposite end over the chocolate.


Like so...


With fork, pinch sides shut.




You can also use that walnut, brown sugar, cinnamon mixture as a filling.


Brush with egg mixture (whisked egg and water). Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Very impressive! ;)


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