My Madison Bistro

I’ve been determined to get Ina’s recipe for Easy Cheese Danish to work for awhile now. Oh, it always tasted good, but the cheese “filling” would always run all over the pan! Was I the only one to have this problem?

So I turned to the comments section, an invaluable resource. People loved the recipe, but I was far from the only person to have problems with the filling. I picked a few tips from the reviews, such as adding an extra egg yolk (yolks help to puff things up while baking – I should have figured to add an extra yolk on my own) and chilling the filling for a longer period of time. I also substituted sour cream for the ricotta, mostly because I always have sour cream on hand, but I never have ricotta hanging out in the fridge.

I also wanted to make these treats a little more interesting.

Continue reading “Cherry Cheesecake Danish”

Tags: Barefoot Contessa, Cheese, cherries, cherry pie filling, puff pastry

This tart is the perfect weeknight dinner during the spring. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s relatively inexpensive, courtesy of one of my favorite seasonal vegetables. (The cleanup is also ridiculously fast and easy, always a winner in my book.)

When the first local asparagus hits the stores, it’s all I can do to not plan every meal around it. Let’s face it – it’s great, but it’s really not around all that long, making it extra special.

This tart combines three of my food loves: puff pastry, asparagus, and cheese. Add a glass of crisp white wine, and life is good. Even better…there’s still another sheet of puff pastry to have fun with!

Continue reading “Asparagus Tart”

Tags: asparagus, Cheese, puff pastry

Happy Mother’s Day!

This red velvet layer cake with cream cheese frosting and berries was a combination birthday/Mother’s Day cake. I tend to be more of a cupcake girl, but when it comes to a celebration, this cake is perfect. It’s attractive, but not fussy. It’s sweet, but not overly sweet.

And because you can bake and assemble a day ahead of time, as I did, it’s downright convenient.

I discovered this recipe thanks to the Bon Appetit Desserts cookbook I received for Christmas. One look at that cake, and well, I was sunk.

Continue reading “Red Velvet Cake with Raspberries and Blueberries”

Tags: blueberries, cake, cream cheese frosting, raspberries

I could probably eat this dish everyday. It reminds me of a fresher version of nachos. The warm chicken-tomato mixture heats the cheese just enough to make it a bit melty, while not making it greasy.

Delish!

It’s also quick to throw together, making it a great weeknight meal. You certainly don’t have to buy a rotisserie chicken to shred – leftover chicken works great. I happened to use a combination of both, since I didn’t have enough leftover chicken. Plus, I just love how rotisserie chicken stays so moist and flavorful.

Continue reading “Chicken Chilaquiles”

Tags: adobo, Cheese, chicken, chipotle chiles, cilantro, tomatoes, tortilla chips