Navigate / search

Ogunquit & Arancini

Just the other day, a few friends and I visited the lovely Coastal Maine town called Ogunquit. We had a wonderful day at the gorgeous beach and later enjoyed Arancini in town. For those of you unfamiliar with this scrumptious Sicilian appetizer… Arancini are delightfully crispy, cheese-filled “rice balls.” They’re called “Arancini” because they resemble little oranges. “Arancia” means orange (in Italian) and “Arancini” means little. The perfect appetizer. Deliciousness

Several of you have asked me for a recipe to make your very own and here it is. I hope you love these as much as we do.

Bon Appétit! 

~Lisa xo

 

PS. Thank you all so much for all of your wonderful cookie comments! I really enjoyed every single one of them. Now, (with your recommendation) I’m thinking about adding these popular Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies for sale in my Etsy shop this holiday season. What do you think about that?

Stay tuned…. I’ll post the winner of the Baked in Maine T-Shirt Giveaway on Tuesday.

 

“Beautiful Place by the Sea.”

Ogunquit Beach

According to www.visitmaine.com“Ogunquit,  is one of Maine’s most-visited resort towns, both sophisticated and family friendly. A world-class 3 1/2 mile sandy beach and magnificent coastline including the famed Marginal Way attracting visitors from around the globe.”

 * The Native American name Ogunquit defined: “Beautiful Place by the Sea.” 

 

 

Enjoy a trolley ride around this picturesque little beach town….

 

 

A gorgeous restored Victorian B & B

 

 

 My dream house…. Love that tree!

 

 

Five-O

“Once in a while, a restaurant comes along that captures the essence of a place and a particular time better than any other. Five-O has that magic, and defines a night out in Ogunquit. Its sophisticated with high style, always fun, service is well-paced and the food is excellent.”

“Where Great Food and Drinks Are Shared With Friends.”

 

 Arancini above (with a white fish crudo in the center photo)

 

Arancini

(Recipe courtesy Bon Appétit!)

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups leftover cooked risotto
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, oregano, or basil
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 5 oz mozzarella or Fontina cheese
  • All-purpose flour for dredging
  • Egg wash: 1 large egg whisked with 2 Tbsp cold milk or water
  • 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying
  • 2 cups tomato sauce

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the risotto with the Parmesan, cream, herbs, and egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the cheese into 16 cubes. Scoop up about 3 Tbsp of the risotto mixture and pack it around a cube of cheese to make a croquette, a ball the size of a Ping-Pong ball. Repeat to form 16 croquettes.

Put the flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Dredge the croquettes in the flour, dip in the egg wash, and roll in the bread crumbs. Chill thoroughly, 2-24 hours.

Pour oil into a tall pot to a depth of 5 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Deep-fry the croquettes in batches, without crowding, until they are evenly browned, 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. Serve on a pool of warmed tomato sauce.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

A “Baked in Maine” T-Shirt Giveaway!

 

Here’s another fun giveaway. This time for a free Baked in Maine T-shirt! Be the envy of all your friends wearing this around town. Oh, yes. You have a choice of pink or white. To win, just tell me what your favorite Baked in Maine cookie is. Or tell me about any other cookie that you really just can’t resist. That’s it. I’ll pick a random winner next Monday.

Good Luck!

~Lisa xo

What’s your favorite cookie? Let me know in the comments section below….

100% Cotton. Woman’s and men’s sizes available S,M,L,XL

http://www.cafepress.com/bakedinmaine

What’s YOUR favorite cookie??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boston Creme Cupcakes

Boston Creme Cupcakes
Boston Creme Cupcakes

Here’s my new favorite cupcake. A delightful combination of moist cake, with a creamy filling, and glazed with a rich dark chocolate Ganache icing. Yes, the infamous Boston Creme Pie is now a perfect little cupcake. This is a simple version that anyone can do. So, bake these beauties for someone special soon, you’ll make everyone very happy!

Bon Appétit!

 

 

I made these gorgeous cupcakes for my good friend Scott last weekend for his 40th birthday. I hope you love them as much as he did.

 

 

Okay, we’re going to keep it simple here and take a few short-cuts. The truth is, we’re going to totally cheat. The end result will be worth it, I promise. You know I always bake from scratch but I don’t recommend it with these cupcakes unless you have a HUGE kitchen, pastry skills, and a lot of time. So, move over Martha Stewart. A Betty Crocker, Pillsbury or a Gluten-free cake mix will work nicely. Yes it will.

~ Lisa xo

 

Boston Creme Cupcakes

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 1 (3.4-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 12 cupcakes (baked from a vanilla cake mix)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
  • pastry bag with a medium/large tip

Directions:

Cupcakes: Make 12 cupcakes according to package instructions. I always use foil or paper liners for cupcakes. Keeps em’ from drying out and makes clean-up easier. And, they’re so much prettier.

Filling: Combine the milk, instant pudding mix, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until it thickens. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag. Begin filling the cupcakes with pudding by inserting the tip into the top of the cupcake and squeezing a tablespoon or so of the filling into each cupcake.

Ganache: Heat the cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips to the pan, and whisk until smooth. Spoon the Ganache over the cupcakes, lick the spoon, you know you want to. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour, before serving. Be prepared for plenty of ooh’s and ahh’s…

Enjoy!


My Favorite Breakfast Smoothie

Here’s my favorite breakfast treat… A frosty cold smoothie, made with fresh (or frozen) berries, fruit and yogurt. Loaded with super-healthy delicious ingredients. Quick to make, even quicker to drink. My energy beverage of choice.

This fabulous frozen breakfast smoothie will give you a reason to get up in the morning (even if you partied like a rock-star the previous night). Life will never be the same.

Let us all know your favorite smoothie combo below in the comments section. “Variety is the spice of life”

Bon Appétit!

PS. Stay tuned for my Baked in Maine T-Shirt giveaway!

 

Ingredients:

(2 smoothies)

(Optional idea list: Pick what YOU like best)

  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1/2 cup blackberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1/2 cup pineapple
  • 1/2 cup apples
  • 1/2 cup peaches
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1 cup milk, soy or almond
  • 1-2 scoops of protein powder
  • 1/2 cup yogurt, any flavor
  • 1 cup any juice (see below)
  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup grape
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 2 cups ice (if using fresh fruit)
  • Blender

Method:

Here’s the scoop. You can pick 1 1/2 cups of ANY fruit and berry combo that you like. I actually prefer frozen. If you’re using fresh fruit add 2 cups of ice. You may use 1 cup of milk or juice. Any flavor yogurt, I like Greek vanilla. Protein powder adds even more nutrients. Believe it or not, you really can’t taste the spinach. I’m just giving you ideas (above) feel free to add some of your favorites.

Just add everything to your blender in no particular order. I don’t even measure, just toss it in and blend away! PS. If it’s to thick, add a little more liquid. Mornings will never be the same again…

Enjoy!

Simple Grilled, Baked or Broiled Salmon with Asparagus

One of my favorite foods has to be salmon. I love, love, love salmon. Is it the gorgeous color? That fabulous favor? Or all of those wonderful health benefits. Loaded with omega 3′s and vitamin D. Doctors say to eat salmon at least twice a week and I say no problem.

Here’s a 30 minute meal for you with 3 simple ways to prepare salmon: Baked, broiled or grilled. And a “how-to” on roasting asparagus. You’re going to LOVE these easy recipes as much as I do…

Oh, do you have a salmon hater in your midst? My advice is to drown the salmon in luscious Hollandaise. Because everything tastes better with Hollandaise sauce.

Bon Appétit!

Do you have a favorite way to cook fish? Please share it with all of us in the comments section below. Any other cooking questions? Ask away, I’m here to help…

 

Because I get asked this question a lot, there are several different types of salmon including:

Coho: Wild caught Alaskan salmon from the Pacific Northwest is increasing in popularity. Nice dark coral color, cooks up healthy and delicious.

Sockeye: North Pacific Sockeye fetches a higher price than other salmon, as they are considered the most flavorful. Sockeye has a stronger flavor and even deeper color than the Coho. *Very low concentration of methylmercury.

Atlantic Salmon: The very popular Atlantic salmon is struggling with habitat loss, over-fishing and other problems. In the United States, wild Atlantic salmon are on the Endangered Species List.

Farm raised:  Atlantic salmon Farm Raised are usually farmed in large-scale, densely stocked netpens that pollute surrounding waters with waste and chemicals. Avoid or eat infrequently until improvements are made.

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole side salmon (2 1/2 To 3 lbs.)
  • 5-6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 2 pounds Asparagus, tough ends snapped off
  • 2 pounds red potatoes, cut in quarters (optional)
  • 1/4 cup Dill, chopped, parsley sprigs for garnish (optional)
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving.

Serving suggestions:

*If you want to serve salmon with potatoes, start cooking the quartered potatoes at least 10-15 minutes BEFORE the salmon. The same goes with your favorite rice, grilled vegetables or Hollandaise sauce.

Other serving suggestions:


 Instructions:

* Grilled: Light the grill. While the grill is heating, lay the (well oiled) salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Brush or spray the grilling rack with more oil (to keep the salmon from sticking). Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn very carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly un-cooked in the center, but don’t worry; it will continue cooking as it sits. Transfer the fish to a plate, skin side down. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes or so. Remove the skin before serving        

* Baked: Place the salmon on one side of a large baking sheet; cover both sides of the fish with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and lots of salt and pepper. Toss asparagus with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper; and set aside. Place the salmon (skin side down) on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Add the asparagus and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

* Broiled: Adjust oven racks to lowest and upper-middle position. Place potatoes on bottom rack. Place salmon (skin side down) and asparagus on the upper rack, turn on the broiler, leave the oven door ajar and broil until salmon is just opaque and the edges are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish). The potatoes will need about 30 minutes. If you like asparagus less crisp, add it during the last 5-6 minutes.

Transfer salmon to a large platter; add asparagus to salmon roasting pan; continue to roast, along with potatoes, until bright green and just tender, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Meanwhile, mix extra virgin olive oil, parsley, dill, capers and juice, scallions and lemon zest in a small bowl; set aside.

To serve…. Garnish with parsley, dill, and lemon wedges. Arrange potatoes, asparagus and vegetables on the platter with salmon. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

~Lisa xo