Wolfgang’s Carrot and Broccoli Rabe Terrine

Wolfgang's Carrot and Broccoli Rabe Terrine

Wolfgang’s Carrot and Broccoli Rabe
🥕🥦 Terrine 🥦🥕
Served with Savory Herb Sauce

Of his savory baked vegetable terrine, the Chef says,”It’s impressive and somewhat different.” With broad flavor appeal and a jaunty presentation, this Carrot and Broccoli Rabe Terrine is perfect for entertaining. And Wolfgang Puck sure knows a thing or two about entertaining. This year his catering company hosted Hollywood’s biggest after-party, the Academy Awards Governors Ball for the 30th year!

“To me, spending time in the kitchen should be effortless. It shouldn’t be complicated. It should be fun!” says Wolfgang on Facebook.

While the preparation of this terrine isn’t exactly effortless, it isn’t complicated, and the result is quite fun… Carrots, broccoli rabe, and cheddar are the primary flavors in this delightful layered loaf. Here, I add my umami-rich and creamy Savory Herb Sauce to complement the vegetables, adding another layer of flavors, texture, and herbaceousness.

Wolfgang's Carrot and Broccoli Rabe Terrine

Wolfgang’s Carrot and Broccoli Rabe Terrine Recipe

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Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado Toast

Small-Batch Focaccia and Avocado Toast

🫒 🧀 🍞 Loaf-Pan Focaccia 🍞 🧀 🫒
and
🥑 Avocado Focaccia Toasts 🥑

Small-batch focaccia dough is topped with olive salad, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and baked in a loaf pan. It is heavenly, served warm with herbaceous fruity olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar for dipping.

The leftover portion is wrapped up and saved for the next morning’s breakfast – avocado toasts served two ways, plain and loaded. Focaccia is great as a sandwich bread, and loaf-pan focaccia makes for the absolute best avocado toast!

The dough is made with five simple ingredients – bread flour, instant yeast, salt, water, and olive oil. Compared to all-purpose, the amount of protein found in bread flour is higher in order to contain and produce more gluten and achieve the desired rise in bread. Because of this higher protein level, bread flour is able to absorb more liquid, allowing it to hold its shape and rise upward. The high amount of gluten in bread flour also creates a more elastic dough, which helps achieve focaccia’s airy crumb and chewy texture. Olive oil is added to the dough for tenderness and flavor.

Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado ToastSmall-Batch Focaccia and Avocado Toast

Loaf-Pan Focaccia and Avocado Toast Recipes

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Franciscan Apple Earthenware & A Fruit Nut Oatmeal Loaf

Franciscan Apple Earthenware

🍎 🌱🍎 Franciscan Apple Earthenware 🍎🌱🍎
A Fruit Nut Oatmeal Loaf
And Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day around the corner, I’ve been reminiscing about my mom’s delicious home-cooked meals, which she served on these dishes for well over half a century. This Franciscan Apple Earthenware has proven to be very durable, a few pieces are chipped, but overall a fine collection in great condition. And now that I am the keeper of the entire collection, I will cherish it forever. Thank you for all the meals and memories, Love You Ma! ❤️

Franciscan Apple is one of the most popular raised-relief hand-painted patterns from Gladding, McBean & Co., which began production of Franciscan dinnerware in 1934 at their plant in Glendale, California. This pattern first appeared in 1940. My father received this set as a gift almost 80 years ago.

The name Franciscan is an allusion to Franciscan Friars and reflected the simple, informal style of Mexican folk pottery. The Franciscan Apple pattern has become a darling of collectors with its branches, beautiful green leaves and red harvest apples painted on cream-colored porcelain reminiscent of days gone by.

Franciscan Apple Earthenware, Fruit Nut Granola Loaf

American production of Franciscan Ware ceased in 1984, following the announcement to relocate all Franciscan production to England.

Franciscan Apple Earthenware

The endearing retro design includes one of a kind hand-painting; teacup handles shaped like apple tree branches; little apple knobs atop the butter dish, sugar bowl, and casserole dishes; and my favorite, apple-shaped tea bag holders. It continues to be a treasure for collectors of vintage dinnerware, like me.

Franciscan Apple Earthenware, Fruit Nut Granola LoafMy oatmeal cookies are always a big hit, and this oatmeal loaf is also a big winner. It’s a dense bread chock-full of nuts and seeds and fruit – toasted almonds and walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds, dried apricots, cherries and raisins. It’s heavenly sliced and heated in the toaster oven, served nice and toasty, spread with butter or a piece of brie cheese.

This oatmeal loaf is perfect to serve to house guests as a simple light breakfast along with coffee or tea, or as an addition to a (Mother’s Day) brunch buffet. It’s even more delightful when served on vintage china…

Fruit Nut Oatmeal Loaf Recipe

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Spinach Cheese Brunch Loaf

Spinach Cheese Brunch Loaf

Spinach Cheese Brunch Loaf

Spinach Cheese Brunch Loaf

There are millions of recipes with the combination of spinach, cheese, and eggs – recipes from wildly different cultures including the Italian frittata, Greek spanakopita, Syrian jibn, French quiche, and so many more…

So why cook this one? Well, it’s easy and inexpensive! It’s crust-free, heavy on the vegetable and light on the eggs & cheese. It’s low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian. And really quite tasty! A simple salad on the side is all it takes to make a fantastic brunch dish. Or slice it into cubes and serve it as part of a brunch buffet.

Spinach Cheese Brunch Loaf Recipe

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Vegetarian Meatloaf, Mushroom Gravy

Vegetarian Meatloaf, Mushroom GravyA Moist, Tasty, Satisfying Vegetarian Meatloaf
made with
Oatmeal, Quinoa, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, and Gruyere Cheese
served with
Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

The somewhat mysterious walnut loaf on the vegetarian restaurant menu seemed way too heavy for lunch, so I ordered the sprouted salad instead.

While the salad was completely delicious, I was still curious about that hearty, compelling “vegetarian meatloaf” so I decided to make one at home.

While researching vegetarian walnut meatloaf recipes, I came across several that sounded similar to our local restaurant’s version. Upon further investigation, it appears that the original recipe is over 2 decades old, from famous vegetarian chef Deborah Madison.

Madison recently noted that 20 years ago she would add cheese to many of her recipes. These days however, with the variety and quality of vegetarian ingredients, she no longer relies on cheese to substitute for the meat. In this vegetarian meatloaf, cheese does play an important role…but vegan cheese should work fine too.

In my interpretation of the recipe, I substitute oatmeal and quinoa for Madison’s brown rice, and make many other adjustments as well, but credit for the concept definitely goes to her.

Vegetarian Meatloaf, Mushroom Gravy Recipe

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