Best Mini Orange Pochettes By Melissa Darabian Recipes

PETITE ORANGE AND RASPBERRY POCHETTES

Steps:

• Beat the butter and cream cheese in a bowl with a mixer until light and creamy. Slowly add the flour, mixing just until a dough forms (do not overmix). Divide the dough into 2 balls, then flatten each into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out as many rounds as you can using a 3-inch-round fluted cutter. Top each with a heaping half-teaspoonful of orange marmalade. Brush the edge of the dough with water, then fold the dough over to make a half-moon and press to seal. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Reroll the dough scraps and repeat, then repeat with the remaining disk of dough, filling with the raspberry jam.
• Bake the cookies until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Dust generously with confectioners' sugar.

CHICKEN POT PIE TURNOVERS-YUM!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery with salt and pepper, to taste, until the carrots soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently. Add the flour and cook off the raw flavor, about 1 minute more. Turn up the heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with the wine. Whisk in the stock and Dijon mustard. Add the peas and chicken(if making vegetarian you can use more veggies or tofu, seitan, mushrooms are good in it too) and cook on a very low simmer until the sauce thickens up into a gravy, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, unfold the pastry dough and cut into 4 even squares (cut once horizontally and once vertically). Gently roll out each square, increasing the size of the square by about 20 percent with a rolling pin. Place the squares on a baking sheet and spoon the chicken mixture in the center. Fold the squares diagonally to create triangles. Pinch the edges together to create turnovers (use a little water on the edges to bind). Press the edges with a fork to create a decorative border. Whisk the egg with a splash of water and brush the turnovers with the egg wash. Cut a small slit in the top to allow the steam to escape during baking.
• Bake the turnovers until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving as the insides will be very hot. Enjoy!
• Note:.
• To make this vegetarian, use vegetarian "chicken" or just use more veggies.

CRANBERRY ORANGE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Add the yogurt to a coffee filter or doubled paper towels lined in a fine sieve. Let drain over a bowl for at least 1 hour or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Discard the accumulated liquid on the bottom of the bowl. Add the drained yogurt to the bowl and stir in the marmalade. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with a beater until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks just begin to form. Add the cranberry sauce to a medium bowl. Stir half of the cream into the cranberry sauce along with the orange juice and orange zest and mix gently. Add the other half of the cream to the bowl with the yogurt mixture. Layer the yogurt and the cranberry mixtures in 4 parfait glasses or wine glasses, and top with a sprinkle of chopped pecans. Chill before serving.

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a large bowl cream together cream cheese and butter.
• slowly sift in flour and salt.
• Shape into 2 balls, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight (I chill overnight) in the fridge.
• Roll out on a floured board and use as you will.

PETITE NUTELLA POCHETTES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and creamy. Add the flour slowly until the dough forms. Do not over-mix! Shape the dough into a ball and cover. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a lightly-floured surface, using a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Form the scraps into a ball and reroll to make more circles.
• Fill each dough circle with a small spoonful of the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Dip your finger in tap water and spread on the edge of half the circle to help create a seal. Fold the dough over to create a crescent. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool, then sift the confectioners' sugar on top and serve.

ORANGE AND BASIL BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream the mixture until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well before each addition. Add the orange zest and basil and blend on low speed, about 30 seconds.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the standing mixer and beat until combined. Fold in the almonds.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Using floured hands, shape the dough into logs. Brush off the excess flour. Place the logs on the baking sheet, spaced 5 inches apart.
• Flatten each log into a 2-inch-wide strip. Bake the logs, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until browned and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer the logs to a cooling rack and cool, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Transfer the logs to a work surface. Cut each log diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices using a serrated knife. Arrange the slices, cut-side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the slices, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer the slices to the cooling racks and let cool.
• The biscotti can be made 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

CAFE GREEN SALAD BY MELISSA D'ARABIAN

Steps:

• Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use.
• Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify.
• Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving.

5-MINUTE INDIVIDUAL POTATO GRATINS BY MELISSA D'ARABIAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray.
• Layer potato slices, cheese, and onions into each muffin cup.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time. Invert gratins onto plate and serve.

D'ARABIAN'S ROASTED GARLIC CLOVE CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Salt and pepper liberally and allow to temper on a cutting board while preparing the garlic.
• In a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat, cook the whole garlic cloves in olive oil and butter, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside until Step 7.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and brown the chicken skin-side down until the skin is golden and crispy, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over, sprinkle on herbes de Provence.
• Add the garlic back to the pan and place hot pan in oven. Bake chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Once the chicken is done, remove chicken thighs and garlic to a platter.
• Place the pan over medium-high heat and sprinkle the drippings with flour and stir to incorporate.
• Deglaze the pan with the stock and lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the chicken on the platter and serve with bread for sauce-mopping and garlic-spreading.

ZUCCHINI MINI MUFFINS WITH ORANGE-MAPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• For the muffins:
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a mini muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk well to combine, making sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
• In a separate bowl, add the zucchini, eggs, milk, applesauce, canola oil, and vanilla. Whisk well to combine, making sure that the eggs are incorporated properly.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Place the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling them to the brim of the liner, about 1 tablespoon. Place into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
• For the glaze:
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, orange zest, orange juice, and maple syrup.
• Remove the muffins from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. When ready to glaze the muffins, dip the tops of them, 1 by 1, into the glaze, turning the muffin in a circle to coat the top evenly. Serve, or store in an airtight container for up to a week. Alternatively, prior to glazing, freeze for up to 1 month.

PERFECT CRISPY POTATOES (RECIPE COURTESY MELISSA D'ARABIAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.) Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how dark you want them. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.