Kitchen Remedy An Old Fashioned Ice Tray Recipes

4-FLAVOR ICE CUBE TRAY APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Lightly flour a work surface and roll out both puff pastry sheets into 12-inch squares. Lay half of 1 piece of pastry over a 12-compartment ice cube tray (the remaining half of the pastry will hang off the tray) then gently use the back of your fingers (or the handle of a wooden spoon) to press the dough down into each compartment of the tray. Repeat with the remaining pastry and tray.
• Fill 6 of the ice cube compartments in the same row each with 1 piece of cornichon, 1 piece of ham and 1 tablespoon gruyere cheese. Fill the next 6 ice cube compartments in the same row each with 3 mozzarella pearls, 1/2 teaspoon pesto and 2 slices sun-dried tomatoes. Fill the next 6 ice cube compartments in the same row each with 1 candied pecan, 2 red grape halves, 1 piece of brie and a pinch of black pepper. Stir together the cream cheese, scallion, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir until completely combined. Fill the last 6 ice cube compartments in the same row each with 1 shrimp then a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture.
• Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the beaten egg then fold the puff pastry over the ice cube tray so that it completely covers the filling. Cut the excess puff pastry from around the upper edges of the ice cube trays then use your fingers to press the dough together so that it is sealed. Put the ice cube trays in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Use your fingers to gently loosen the puff pastry from the ice cube trays then flip out onto a cutting board. Use a knife to trim the edges of the dough to 1/4-inch-wide. Cut in between each ice cube compartment to free each filled compartment. Use a fork to crimp the edges of all the ice cube bites, making sure to keep the flavors separate.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Put the ice cube bites on the baking sheet, keeping the flavors separate). Brush the beaten egg on top of the puff pastry then sprinkle the ham bites with the remaining gruyere cheese, lay a slice of sun-dried tomato on top of the pesto bites, sprinkle black pepper on the brie bites.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet about halfway, until the bites are puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a serving platter. Top the shrimp bites with the remaining lemon zest.

KITCHEN REMEDY: AN "OLD FASHIONED" ICE TRAY

Steps:

• A few months ago my ice maker broke. I went to the outside freezer and grabbed the archaic device you may call and "ice tray". To most of us an ice tray seems perfectly normal, but to my kids it seemed like a totally absurd concept. My oldest thought it was great and wanted to fill it, empty it, put it in the freezer. It was hilarious... almost as good as when I showed him a rotary phone. Kids these days! Maybe you still use ice trays on a daily basis and maybe they are a thing of the past at your house, but here are 10 great reasons to get them back in the freezer! 1. Freeze lemon or lime juice so all the fruit off your tree doesn't go to waste. 2. Freeze leftover soup and then bag the cubes in freezer bags. When you are ready to eat it, throw a few cubes in to a bowl or thermos and heat it in the microwave. 3. Freeze homemade stocks. One ice cube is usually equivalent to two tablespoons. Which means 2 cubes = 1/4 cup, 4 cubes = 1/2 cup, 6 cubes = 3/4 cup, 8 cubes = 1 cup 4. Freeze and store homemade baby food (it's so easy - just steam and puree veggies, and add water until you get to the desired consistency). 5. Use as a jello mold for kid-size portions. 6. Freeze pesto. Then you can just drop a cube or two in to your pasta when you are ready to eat. 7. Freeze tomato paste so you always have some on-hand when a recipe calls for one or two tablespoons and you don't have to waste. 8. Use to make popsicles. Pour juice, fruit purees, or pudding into the tray, cover with foil, and poke wooden sticks through the foil into each cube. 9. Freeze freshly chopped herbs. Just place the herbs in the compartments and then fill with water or stock. Once they freeze, remove them and store the cubes in freezer bags, making sure you removed all the air. 10. Freeze leftover juice or wine to avoid wasting and enjoy it later.