Yummy summer dessert time is here, and this is a super simple recipe — it does take a bit of time to chill, but is totally worth it.   I really love the simplicity of a bowl of raspberries or strawberries, with a bit of cream poured over top.  This recipe takes that, and expands on it, with the addition of Amaretto.  The Amaretto soaked berries, with the Amaretto flavored cream, topped with shaved chocolate is always a favorite.

Berries and Cream, with Amaretto

2 cups of half and half or cream (not heavy cream)
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of thickener (cornstarch)
2 tablespoons Amaretto or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/2 cups berries
chocolate, for chocolate garnish

In a heavy bottomed saucepan or double boiler, combine the half and half or cream, sugar, and cornstarch.  Heat to medium until the mixture begins to boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken.  Once this has thickened, stir in the Amaretto (or the extract).  Remove from the heat, and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

In a second bowl, put your cleaned berries.  Top with the remainder of the Amaretto (or extract), and mix well.  Refrigerate.

To serve, using 6 dessert glasses or custard cups, pour 1/2 cup of berries into each, reserving the last 1/2 cup of berries.  Pour the chilled cream over the berries. Sprinkle the remaining berries on top, and then garnish with either finely chopped chocolate, or shaved chocolate.  (Use a chilled Hershey’s bar, and the thick grate on your ‘cheese grater’).

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Okay..

So, this week’s Sunday meal with Sander is Turkey Breast.  Not fillet, but a the whole cavity.  My goal was/is to dry-roast it whole, without butterflying it.

How the heck do you cook this?  You can’t lay it down on it’s side, or it will overcook the meat on that side, and become greasy.

You can’t level it, open cavity down, or it falls over.

My solutions?

Take a can of corn.  Strip off the paper label.  Stick it up the backside of the turkey.  Set it on the roasting pan.  Call it good.

I wasn’t so.. lady-like when I said that, however.  To the utter amusement of Sander.  What I said was “FINE!  I’m sticking a can of corn up this turkey’s ass, and calling it good.”  The laugh I got out of Sander was totally worth it.

Crappy pictures via cell phone needed to be taken.  (I long for a real camera again!!!)

Yeah. Not gonna work on it's side.

There we go. Ass Can Turkey!!!

Turkey Breast, roasted and done

Turkey Looking at me sideways. The affect of the can up it's ass, perhaps??

There are recipes for Beer Can Chicken around.  I recall my brother first told me about it a few years ago.  He’s from Texas, so I excused it.  ;)  But, I’ve tried it on a grill, where it worked out really well.  This is a variation on it, as I didn’t have any beer, and didn’t want to waste a good Dr. Pepper on a roasted turkey!.

To Roast this turkey, I..

Preheated the oven to 375F.  I removed the turkey from it’s packaging, rinsed it off, and patted it dry.  I spread a bit of butter over the breast, and salt and peppered it.

I then grabbed down a can of corn, removed the paper label.  I used a can opener and popped a whole in the top of the can, drained off a bit of the liquid, and then pushed the can into the bottom cavity.  I set it on the roasting pan, which had a layer of foil, and roasted the turkey for about 1.5 hours for a 3.75 pound turkey.

I allowed the turkey to rest for about 15 minutes, and then removed the can, and sliced the turkey.  And ate the corn.

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A tortilla seems to be one of my favorite food..vessels.  It is so incredibly versatile that I cannot resist trying anything and everything in one.    A chimichanga is nothing more than a fried tortilla, filled usually with  beef, beans, cheese, chicken or other savory ingredients.   Basically, a deep fried buritto, when it comes right down to it.  And amazingly yummy.

This recipe, Creamy Breakfast Chimichangas,  came about when I did a “wedding day breakfast” for a friend.  I wanted something simple, yet not the norm.  Since she loved Tex-Mex food as much as I always have, the breakfast had a non-traditional Mexican flair to it, with this being one of the fun things served.

In a previous post, I shared the Fresh Fruit Salsa recipe that would be absolutely perfect here.  However, this week, when I made the recipe, I ended up using a non-sugar added cherry pie filling as the topping, and cherry preserves in the filling.  My son was overly thrilled, as he absolutely loves cherries.

Creamy Breakfast Chimichangas

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest
6 to 8 inch flour tortillas, about 8 or so
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons jam
Fruit Salsa (See recipe)

Mix the cheeses, sugar and orange zest together well.  Drop about 1/4 cup of this mixture onto the center of each tortilla.  Place 1 tablespoon of your favorite jam over the mixture.  Then fold the tortilla.  Fold one end of the tortilla about 1 inch or so over the mix, then fold in the right and left sides over the folded end. Fold the last side to overlap the others.  You’ll get this the first time you do it, I promise!!!

To Deep Fry:

Heat vegetable oil to 370F in a heavy deep pot.  One at a time, lower the chimichanga into the hot oil.  Wait 2-3 minutes, and then turn over, depending on how hot your oil is.  You want these golden  brown on both sides.

If you are having a hard time keeping these closed when they in the oil, use a toothpick to keep the seams closed, deep fry with the toothpick in, and then remove the toothpick once they come out of the hot oil.

To Bake:

Brush the edges of the chimichanga with the egg to seal.  Place seam side down on a baking sheet, and then brush the tops with the melted butter.

In a 475F degree oven, bake the chimichangas until they begin to brown — about 8-10 minutes or so.

Serve with Fresh Fruit Salsa or other fruit topping

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