Spinach Bars and Clafouti with Lee Delucenay

About Lee: Born in Indianapolis, Lee was first inspired to cook as a young girl, helping her mother prepare family meals and family holiday dinners. "Of course we started with dessert!  That is the most fun part of any meal."   These days, Lee is having great fun making special desserts with her grandchildren and her summer lake crowd. Her husband, Kent, also from Indiana (and who also grew up with a mother passionate about cooking), loves to collect wine and enjoys selecting the wines to pair with the meals that he and Lee often prepare together for a cookout or dinner party. According to Lee, Kent's “mother mother's” pies are the best she's ever tasted.

“We have lots of friends and family that visit us here at Green Lake and I find it great fun to find new recipes and experiment. ”

— Lee Delucenay

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From the kitchen of Celebrity Chef Lee DeLucenay:

Spinach Bars

Delicious as an appetizer or great as a quick, nutritious breakfast.

You will need:

• 10 or 12 Oz Frozen Spinach, drained and squeezed dry in a paper towel

• 1 Medium Onion, chopped fine

• 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped fine

• 4 Eggs

• 1 Cup Chicken Broth

• 1/2 Cup Cooked Bacon Bits OR Finely Chopped Ham OR Cooked Sausage (optional)

• 1/2 Cup Sauteed Mushrooms (optional)

• 1 Cup plus 2 Tbsp Flour (gluten-free flour works well, too)

• 1 Tsp Baking Powder

• 3/4 Tsp Salt

• 1/2 Tsp Pepper

• 1/2 Tsp Cayenne (more if you like it spicier)

• 2 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese (cheddar, Gruyere or pepper jack)

• 1/2 Cup Shredded or Grated Parmesan for topping

Making the Dish:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Generously spray or butter a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl.

4. In a larger bowl, whisk eggs, chicken broth, onions, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, and meat.

5. Stir in flour mixture and cheese.

6. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese.

7. Bake 40 - 45 minutes. When cooled, cut into squares.

Notes: These bars can be frozen and easily thawed in the microwave. If you use pepper jack cheese, cut back on the cayenne a little bit. This dish is easily adapted to vegetarian or gluten-free diets as noted above.

Clafouti

A Delicious Custard and Fruit Dessert

Step 1: Creme Fraiche (make this several hours before you will need it)

You will need:

• 1/2 Cup Whole Sour Cream

• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

• 1/4 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

• 1/8 Tsp. Salt

• 2 Tsp. Sugar

Making the Dish:

1. Whisk sour cream and heavy cream in a bowl.

2. Set on kitchen counter at room temperature until thickened, about the consistency of yogurt. This takes about two hours or so.

3. Just before using it, add the salt, sugar, and vanilla.

Step 2: Clafouti

You will need:

• 2 Large Eggs

• 1 Large Egg Yolk

• 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free works well here, too)

• 3/4 Cup Creme Fraiche

• 3/4 Cup Whole Milk

• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

• 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 Tsp. Salt

• 2 Tbsp. Apricot Brandy (or any other fruit-flavored brandy that you might have on hand)

• 10-12 Oz. Fruit (cherries, peaches, blueberries, sliced bananas, strawberries, raspberries, mangoes or any combination of fruits that you like. 

Making the Dish:

1. Prepare a 9 or 10-inch pie plate by generously buttering and dusting with granulated sugar. Set aside.

2. Cut fruit into bit-sized pieces.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Whisk the two eggs and the one egg yolk with flour,1/2 of the creme fraiche, sugar, milk, vanilla and salt.

5. Arrange fruit in prepared baking dish, and pour egg mixture over top.

6. Bake 30-35 minutes. Let cool

7. Serve with remainder of creme fraiche.