Cooking with Love

with Gianna Conte    (Jan)

They just came out of the oven smelling heavenly.

They just came out of the oven smelling heavenly.

What's in your oven????

The weather is cooler which puts me in the mood to put the oven on. I decided to make roast chicken with roasted potatoes and a secret addition.....apples. I have a few apples in my fruit bowl that need to be used. The combination of the sweet apple with the potatoes is remarkable.

Ingredients:

5 white potatoes peeled and cubed

3 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 onion sliced

1/4 cup good olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

In large bowl combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly until all is coated.

Place on cookie sheet in one layer. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and let cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the potatoes are golden color to your taste.

Serve with any roast, e.g., roast beef, pork loin, grilled steak and of course, roast chicken.

Apples are not just for biting into....

Apples are not just for biting into....



Let's get baking!


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees


 1 whole thin skinned orange, remove the stem and cut in quarters. Keep the skin on the oranges.

In a clean large food processor, add the orange quarters, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, three large eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp of orange extract, 1 tbsp of Triple Sec liqueur, optional, 2/3 cup vegetable oil. 


Pulse all ingredients in the processor and then puree until mixture becomes a batter with specs of orange peel.


Add to the processor:


2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt


Process all dry ingredients until they are entirely incorporated into the batter.


Bake in a greased and floured spring pan, using a parchment paper circle on top of the greased bottom.*


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place in the center rack of the oven.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven.


Remove from your oven and let it cool down completely. Dust with powdered sugar or make a drizzle of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and fresh squeezed orange until thick and smooth.  Pour onto the cooled fresh orange cake.


*if you don't have a large processor, you can use a blender.


Enjoy with some espresso and close your eyes and it will feel like you're in Sicily.