Thursday, November 19, 2015

Thanksgiving Leftovers - Kentucky Hot Brown Pastry Puff

There's a hotel in Louisville called The Brown Hotel. During the 1920's Chef Fred Schmidt created the Hot Brown for the guests that would dance into the wee hours of the morning. This is my version made with puff pastry and a great recipe to make with leftover thanksgiving turkey!



  • 2 puff pastry sheets
  • 1 lb. leftover turkey breast slices or chopped
  • 10 slices cooked bacon crumbled
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
  • 3 tomatoes, sliced thin
  • 4 eggs, beaten

Place one square in bottom of 8" pan that is greased or lined with parchment paper. Press to fit pan.

Layer with half the turkey, bacon, cheese and tomatoes. Pour half the eggs over the top. Repeat the layers.

Top with remaining pastry square. Pinch edges to seal to bottom pastry. Brush remaining eggs over top.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, covered with foil. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until browned. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Serve with Mornay Sauce if desired:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Eggplant Rollatini

Rollatini is an Italian-style dish that is usually made with thin slices of eggplant lightly breaded and covered with ricotta and often other cheeses and seasonings, then rolled up and baked. This recipe is definitely worth the effort and is not all that hard to do! 


  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
  • 1 eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 14 ounces of tomato basil sauce ( homemade or jarred)

Mix together ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning, parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Dip the eggplant slices in egg, then coat with bread crumbs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the eggplant on each side until golden (can be baked in oven using cooking spray for a lighter meal). Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Dollap a generous tablespoon of ricotta cheese mixture onto each slice of eggplant. Roll up tightly, and place seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over the rolls, and top with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Enjoy!