Category Archives: Appetizers

Phenomenal Savory Bread Pudding

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Recently four of our young sisters were invited to a neighbor’s house in our community for a special dinner. The next day when I asked, “So how was the dinner?”
the response was, “Phenomenal!” That didn’t surprise me knowing that the menu had featured a choice tenderloin of beef, which they all liked and
we rarely have at the Convent. What did surprise and amuse me was that each of them individually wanted to tell me about one special dish
that had put the meal “over the top” and sent it “out of the park.”

This was a savory bread pudding that included leeks, fresh mushrooms, Gruyere cheese, pancetta, and sherry. Well then, why wouldn’t that
impress anyone as a phenomenal dish? And because our brave leeks are still holding their own out in the garden, why shouldn’t we give
it a try here at home?  Well, we did, and sure enough it scored a home run with the whole sisterhood. Why not try it yourself and see
what kind of a rating it gets at your house?

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Phenomenal Savory Bread Pudding
SERVINGS
8-10people
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
people
COOK TIME
2hours
PREP TIME
READY IN
2.25hours

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spread the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat.
  4. Add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes, until starting to brown. Stir in the leeks and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the leeks are tender.
  5. Stir in the mushrooms, sherry, 1 tablespoon onion salt and 11/2 teaspoons pepper and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, stir in the parsley.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, chicken stock and 1 cup of the Gruyere.
  7. Add the bread cubes and mushroom mixture, stirring well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.
  8. Stir well and pour into a 2 1/2-to-3-quart gratin dish (13 x 9 x 2 inches). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the custard is set. Serve hot.

Hot Chicken Salad Bundles with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Winter has finally hit Cape Cod. With our first snow flurry and single digit temperatures, I felt it was time to create new twists on some old recipes, to warm and delight the cockles of our guests’ hearts: a summer favorite bundled up and served on a puddle of roasted red pepper sauce, giving it just that bit of flair. From the comments I heard, I believe we struck it right with this recipe.

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Hot Chicken Salad Bundles with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
SERVINGS
4
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
15minutes
PREP TIME
30minutes
READY IN
1hour

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken Salad
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Mix all of the chicken salad ingredients together in a bowl and set aside
  3. Roll out two puff pastry sheets to 11 x 11” and cut into 2- 5 x5 “ squares (removing one inch of the border – the pastry needs to be this measurement to be thin enough)
  4. In the center of the square put about a ½ cup of chicken salad and draw the sides up to create a bundle, twisting and pinching the top to secure.
  5. Place the bundles on a parchment lined pan and brush with egg wash
  6. Cook for about 15 min. or until golden and cooked through
Meanwhile prepare the pepper sauce
  1. Heat the oil in a saute pan.
  2. Add the shallot and cook until soft.
  3. De-glaze the pan with white wine and cook 1 minute longer
  4. Add the stock and the drained roasted red peppers. Cook 5 min.
  5. Cool slightly, and puree in the blender
  6. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper and transfer to a small saucepan to reheat a few minutes before serving.

Easy Almond Croissants

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Making croissants from scratch can be a time consuming project, but with this easy recipe, you will be able to make the flaky pastries in a matter of minutes.  Chocolate can be substituted for almond paste in the filling if you prefer.  Just substitute a mini Hershey’s dark chocolate bar in place of the almond filling.  This is a great project to make with your children over the holidays or for any special occasion.

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Easy Almond Croissants
SERVINGS
12
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
20-25minutes
PREP TIME
10minutes
READY IN
35minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature (keeping them covered) for 40 minutes or until they're easy to handle.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F
  3. Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface and roll out slightly to a 15 x 10” rectangle.
  4. Cut each pastry sheet into 6 long triangles – see picture.
  5. Make a 1/2 “ notch in the center of each wide end of the triangle. Spread 1 tablespoon almond mixture in the center of the wide end of each pastry triangle to within 1/4-inch of the edge. Starting at the wide end, roll up the pastry triangles toward the point. Place the pastries, point-side down, on a baking sheet. Curve the ends of the pastries inward to form a crescent shape and pinch the ends slightly to seal. Brush with the egg.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. ** Note: one can of this filling will fill about 22-24 croissants

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup Shot

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In the Benedictine charism, true hospitality is a “holy event”, not just a social happening where only people’s bodies are nourished. No, Benedictine hospitality requires much more than feeding people and sending them on their way. Chapter 53 of The Rule of Saint Benedict makes it very clear just what is asked: in true Benedictine hospitality, “All guests who arrive should be received as Christ.”  – Cynthia Bertelson

Entertaining has long been an important part of the outreach of our community.  At this time of year, we have about four events happening simultaneously, so we are always searching for creative ways to do things without adding a lot of extra stress and work, but still maintaining the level of excellence we need to do all things to the glory of God.  This recipe can be used as an appetizer or first course, for your next holiday gathering.  A simple two toned soup shot, hearkening back to the flavors of summer.  The soup can be easily made ahead and then assembled at the last minute so you can enjoy more time with your guests.

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Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup Shot
SERVINGS
6
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
90minutes
PREP TIME
10minutes
READY IN
2hours

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degree farenheit
  2. Toss the tomatoes, onion, garlic and one sprig of rosemary in a non-stick roasting pan with the olive oil and season with salt
  3. Roast for 90 minutes, or until tender (covering the pan with foil if it starts to get too dark); discard the rosemary
  4. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender and process until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a saucepan, discarding the solids.
  5. Pour in the stock and hot pepper sauce (optional*).
  6. Check the seasoning and chill until ready to serve or leave at room temperature.
  7. To make the basil cream, whisk together the basil and cream until slightly thickened.
  8. To serve, moisten 6 shot glass rims with a lemon wedge. Turn the moistened rim into a plate lined with sea salt to coat the rim. Fill each glass ½ to ¾ with soup and top with a dollop of the basil cream. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig and serve immediately.
Cooks Note *
  1. For a milder version, simply omit the smoky pepper sauce and add an extra ½ cup of heavy cream instead.
  2. Chiffonade is a chopping technique in which herbs are cut into long, thin strips. This is accomplished by stacking the basil on top of each other, rolling them tightly lengthwise, then slicing the leaves thinly and perpendicular to the roll.
  3. You can make this soup the day before and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Chicken Liver Pate

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Last night the Sisters had one of their most favorite comfort food meals. Old fashioned plain roast chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. That left us with ten chicken livers that I intended to sauté and add to today’s lunch for those who particularly enjoy them.  But I wasn’t able to get to them in time.  As I stood in the kitchen wondering what to do, our lace-making Sister came in to pack up a snack for seven or eight fellow lace-makers having their monthly Lace Makers Day tomorrow.  As she prepared her fruit, cheese and crackers I had a sudden thought:  “How would the ladies like a little liver pate for something different?”  “Great idea” was her response and within twelve minutes she had whipped up her favorite pate recipe. One of the easiest (as well as tastiest) I have ever come across.  Here it is in case you’d like to give it a try.

Chicken Liver Pate

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Chicken Liver Pate
SERVINGS
6servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
PREP TIME
READY IN

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Cook liver and onion with 1/4 cup butter until soft.
  2. Blend in food processor.
  3. Add remaining ingredients and turn into dish.
  4. Cover and chill.

Deviled Eggs

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Last weekend Elements Theatre Company performed Henrik Ibsen’s “Pillars of the Community.” Each production we fed the cast and crew meals and snacks. This year I was feeling homey, so made some really good comfort food for them — what I like to eat, and what I know a number of them really enjoy. So it was meatloaf (a great recipe by Emeril Lagasse), macaroni and cheese, a really meaty lasagna, fried chicken (Ina Garten’s oven fried – my favorite)…you get the picture.The last night we decided to “pull out the stops,” making up big platters of antipasti, salad, home made bread with some of the lasagna, and as an afterthought, deviled eggs. Now I think I make a pretty mean deviled egg, and guess it’s true, because they were all gobbled up to rave reviews in the first wave of diners. I did this pretty much by “add a bit and taste.” I’ve tried to give you some measurements, but it’s really best if you make this to your level of devilishness.

Deviled Eggs
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Deviled Eggs
SERVINGS
12deviled egg halves
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
deviled egg halves
COOK TIME
PREP TIME
READY IN

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise, remove yolk to a small bowl, set aside whites.
  2. Mash with a fork, adding mayonnaise, Worcestershire, and mustard, mixing until creamy.
  3. Add onion salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Spoon or pipe (with a star tip) mixture into egg white halves.
  5. I found that I had just enough to fill all 12 halves.
  6. Garnish with paprika if desired.