In our home, we still go all out (if not actually going out to a restaurant) and pamper each other. If you have small children you have a choice: feed them first and put them to bed OR let them help you, and enjoy a later dinner.
Lay out a clean, crisp tablecloth, charger plate, dinner plate…having a homemade soup? Then a soup bowl….no soup but having a salad? then put out a pretty salad bowl or small salad plate….candles….fresh flowers (supermarket has them). Pretty card or funny one (depends on your significant other). No other gift is necessary. You care, you both care…let him barbecue, you make the salad or whatever works for you. But, just take the time to slow down and enjoy the day set aside for love.
You don’t have anyone? Set the table anyway…..for you. You matter, you love yourself- so….what’s stopping you? Go for it.
Here is a dinner that is yummy, costs about $3-4 per serving and only needs a salad or side dish of vegetables. Having wine? Use pretty wine glasses. Don’t drink? Pour a sparkling water or juice…in a pretty wine glass…why not? Who said you couldn’t?
Pecan Glazed Pork With Lime-Maple Glaze
- 1 pork tenderloin (silver skin removed) about 2 lbs.
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 limes, juiced and 1 cut into thin wedges)
- pinch of cumin
- pinch of cayenne pepper
Trim pork and cut in 1/2 inch slices. Flatten with the palm of your hand and season with salt and pepper.
Place 3 tbsp. of syrup in a dish, place pecans in second dish. Heat the oil in a skillet and dip the slices in the syrup and then into the pecans. Pat to make sure it adheres and carefully set into skillet. Pour the balance of the syrup and pecans over the top and cook for 3-4 minutes each side (just pink in the center). remove from the skillet.
Stir in the lime juice, remaining syrup, cumin and cayenne and cook for 1-2 minutes (until thickened). Pour over the pork and add a slice or two of lime on top. Add a salad or side dish and enjoy.
P.S…..you don’t have to wait for Valentine’s to enjoy this scrumptuous dish.
Valentine’s Chocolate Cherry Cookies
February 14 is around the corner and if your children take lunches to school (or work, if older) this would make a wonderful addition to find. All you need, that I don’t have a recipe for is to cut out a red heart or two and put a message on it. You might even make a baggie-sleeve, place a heart-tag on it and ask them to share.
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 3 sticks room temperature butter
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract (good quality)
- 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped semi sweet chocolate
- 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. In your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each one. Beat in the vanilla and then slowly add the flour mixture. Beat in the chocolate and cherries.
Roll the dough to make 1 3/4 inch balls (3 tbsp. each one) and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake for about 12-14 minutes until the edges start to turn golden. Remove from the oven and place the cookie sheets on racks to cool for about 10 minutes and then remove the cookies to cool completely on the racks.
What a ‘sweet’ way to tell those you love just how special they are. Am I right?
Breakfast Toasts With Poached Eggs and Avocado
Always looking for something different for breakfast? Tired of the same old, same old?
If you like toast, like eggs and like avocado then try this one. Together they are a refreshing new “love this” dish to serve.
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 slices sesame bread, lightly toasted (if serving 3 people)
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh pea shoots
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 3 large eggs
In a small bowl, scoop the flesh from the avocado, add the lime juice, salt and pepper.
Mash with a fork until mostly smooth, with some chunks still remaining. Divide the avocado among the 3 slices, spreading evenly. Top with the pea shoots and drizzle with oil.
In a deep skillet with about 2 inches of water, simmer and stir in the vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl and gingerly let slide into the water. Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs. Poach until the whites are set yet the yolk is still a little runny. For a firmer egg, cook another 2 minutes longer.
Remove the eggs, one at a time with a slotted spoon and place on each slice of toast.
Serve immediately. In a word….YUMMMMMMMY!
Lamb Chops With Grape Tomatoes and Cheese
This is a great during-the-week dinner, Use of multicoloured tomatoes gives this dish some extra pizzazz.
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp. chopped, fresh oregano, divided
- 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 4 lamb chops about 3/4 inch thick each
- 1 x 12 oz.container of grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, minced garlic, 2 tbsp. oregano and ground cumin in a small bowl. Season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.
Transfer 1/2 cup to a larger bowl and marinate the lamb chops for about 30 minutes, turning often. Add the tomatoes to the remaining dressing, tossing to coat.
Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and saute the chops until browned on both sides for medium (about 4 minutes each side). Transfer to 4 dinner plates.
With a slotted spoon transfer the tomatoes to the same skillet and cook until they just start to wrinkle ( 2 minutes). Top the chops with the remaining dressing, feta cheese and red onion slices.
Now who is the hero at your house? Uhuh!
Maple Syrup Cake With Maple Syrup Icing
Spring is just around the corner and the running of the maple syrup down East will give this cake the justice it deserves. Just kidding! It somehow sounded like it all related. You just have to remember that using maple syrup affects the length of cooking time. (all good things take time).
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp. solid shortening
- 2 cups maple syrup ( Grade B, if you can get it)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 8″ round cake pans with at least 2″ high sides. Line the bottoms with buttered parchment paper. Dust with flour and set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup and beat until smooth (about 3 minutes). Add the egg yolks and egg, one at a time, mixng well to combine. Beat the flour and milk alternately in 2 additions. Fold in the pecans.
Divide equally in the cake pans (about 3 1/2 cups each pan) smooth the tops with an off-set spatula.
Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (about 55 minutes). Cool the cakes in the pans for 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen and invert on cake racks. Remove the parchment and cool completely.
- Icing
- 3 cups icing sugar
- 1 – 8 oz. pkg. of Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- toasted pecans for garnish
Sift the icing sugar into a medium bowl. In your electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar and maple syrup slowly and beat until smooth. Do not overbeat as it may become too soft.
Put one cake on a pretty plate and spread about 1 cup of the frosting over the cake. Add the second layer and frost with the remaining icing. Arrange the pecan halves around the edge of the cake.
Slice, serve and you will hear all the accolades for days. This cake sounds super sweet but it isn’t.
Spicy Noodles With Cashews
I thought this would wake up the taste buds a little. If you like spicy Chinese dishes, this one will do it for you. This is better than restaurant quality food.
- 12 oz. linguine
- 2 tbsp. roasted cashew butter (from health food stores)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 2 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 2 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
- 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. dark rum (surprise)
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetend coconut milk
- 1/3 cup roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain. Rinse in cold water, drain again and place in a bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, comine the rest of the ingredients, except the noodles and cashews. Stir in 1/2 cup of water. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the cashew butter has melted. Do not let this boil. It should be the consistency of a thick cream. Add to the bowl of noodles , toss to coat, and sprinkle the top with the cashews.
Trust me, this makes my mouth water. It is a dish you will want to make again and again.
Chicken With Tarragon And Garlic
This dinner is coming to you in a short time (25 minutes total) and therefore, is an easy during-the-week dinner. Add a salad, vegetable and you’re done.
- 3 large, unpeeled garlic cloves
- 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or cutlets
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp. fresh chopped tarragon
- 2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
Heat a small nonstick frypan over medium heat. Add the garlic, cover and cook until browned in spots and tender when pierced. Turning occasionally (8-10 minutes). Transfer to a work surface and cool.
Melt butter in the frypan and add the chicken, cooking until browned and thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken to a plate (do not clean the frypan before the next step).
Peel the garlic and add the garlic and wine back into the frypan, mashing the garlic with a fork (about 1-2 minutes). Add the broth and tarragon, simmer until it has reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer for about a minute. Return the chicken back into the pan and heat through. Transfer to a plate and spoon the sauce over.
What did I tell you? Easy and yummy….
Baked Cheese Blintz
When we operated our Bed and Breakfast we had soooooooo many recipes to use. After all, we spent a year trying, adjusting, tasting and tweeking some more the recipes we wanted to prepare and serve. (sometimes just saying that makes me laugh and sound like a mad scientist).
Filling
- 1 pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
Blintz
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup mango juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the ricotta cheese, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla and thoroughly combined. Set aside.
To make the blitz, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well.
You need two small bowls…one to mix together the flour and baking powder and the other to mix together the yogurt and mango juice. Add these two bowls alternately into the egg mixture and blend thoroughly.
Pour half the batter into a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish. Cover the batter with the filling (carefully) making sure to spread to the edges.
Bake for about 50 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove and serve with fresh fruit. This will make 8 people very happy.
Seared Steak And Mushrooms With Greens And Ginger
This is a great light, tasty meal with an Asian flair using different spices. Nothing needs to be added except, perhaps, a glass of wine.
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 4 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tbsp. minced, peeled fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
- 2 1/8 tsp. sesame oil, divided (yes I did say 1/8)
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
- 2 x 12 oz. rib-eye steaks
- 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
- 8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
- 8 cups mixed greens
Mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil and 1/8 tsp. sesame oil in a small bowl. Add the cilantro and stir to blend. Set aside.
Rub 1/4 tsp. sesame oil over each steak. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Press the steaks into the toasted sesame seeds.
Heat 2 tsp. vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet, add the mushrooms and saute until browned, and transfer to a plate. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil and 1 tsp. sesame oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and cook about 8 minutes. Remove to a small bowl. Add the steaks, cooking to the way you like to eat them (3 -4 minutes each side for medium rare). Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for a couple of minutes. Slice steaks.
Toss the salad greens with the dressing in a small bowl, divide equally on 4 plates, top with the steak slices and mushrooms.
Pour 4 glasses of wine and enjoy the evening.
Breakfast Muffins – Tasters
Our poor neighbor got a call this morning and told to come over for a tasting. Don and I are getting ready for our cooking class in April, so we are trying things similar to my cookbook, but not the same things exactly. If I did that, who would buy my cookbook? That is my thinking anyway.
This is what we ‘tasted’ two different ways.
- 4 slices of bacon, cut in thirds
- 5 eggs, divided
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal (yellow)
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup melted butter, not margarine
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- maple syrup
- Bacon Jam (recipe for this is on my site)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In frypan, cook bacon until ALMOST crisp. Drain and reserve bacon drippings.
Return 2 tsp. bacon drippings back into the skillet.
To make the scrambled eggs, whisk three eggs, 2 tbsp. water and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook the eggs until they start to set. Tip your pan up and lift up one end to allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath and cook. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Don’t cook until completely dry.
First spray 2 1/2 inch muffin tins with pam and then brush in some of the bacon drippings.
In a bowl mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and pinch of salt. Combine the milk, melted butter and remaining two eggs and whisk to blend well.
Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk mixture. Gently stir together to combine. Fold in the scrambled eggs and cheese and place a generous spoonful in the muffin cups. (should be full)
Add a piece of the bacon on top of some of them or all (depends on what you want to have.) Bake in the oven for about 15-17 minutes. Just check with a toothpick to ensure cooked through.
If you used bacon on top, drizzle a tiny bit of maple syrup over the top. OMG! Are these tasty or what….
If using bacon jam, put a dollop on top of each muffin and wait for the ooohs and ahhhs. These are delicious and easy to prepare.
This is a win-win breakfast muffin for family or on a platter for a buffet at Easter, Mother’s Day, deck in the summer….you get the idea.
Almond Asiago Chicken
We always are looking for fast, easy and tasty dinners during the week. With a little tweeking with side dishes and dessert, you have company fare as well.
- 2 large boneless, no skin chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
- 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 3 tbsp. light oil
- 1 cup tomato sauce(homemade is best, but commercial is also good)
- 4 slices of mozzarella cheese
- 4 sprigs oregano
Halve each chicken breast, through the thick end to make 4 slices. Season with a little salt and pepper and the granulated garlic.
In a shallow bowl, mix together the Asiago cheese and ground almonds. Press each breast in to coat all sides.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a non-stick pan, heat the oil and cook the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, for 3 minutes each side. Remove from the pan and cook the remaining 2 pieces the same way.
Meanwhile, warm the tomato sauce over medium-low heat.
Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish and top each one with a slice of the mozarella cheese, baking until the cheese has melted and you are sure the chicken is cooked through. Do not over cook or it will become dry.
Warm the plates, divide the sauce into 4 and put on the plates. Place a chicken breast on top and place a sprig of oregano on the side.
Add a crisp salad and, of course, a glass of chilled wine. There you are: fast, easy and yummy.
Whiskey Pumpkin Cheesecake
I love cheesecake…..any kind….and this is a really nice one to present to company. Sit down, pour a coffee and read through. Gather all the ingredients needed and go for it.
Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
pinch of cinnamon (secret ingredient)
Filling
1 1/2 cups pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. whipping cream
1 tsp. really good vanilla
1 tbsp. whiskey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
pinch of salt
3 x 8 0z. pkgs. Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
Topping
2 cups sour cream
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. whiskey
Garnish
Toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Invert the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan (create a flat bottom, making it easier to remove cake later). Then lock on the side and butter the pan.
Put the rack in the middle position of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla and whiskey, until well combined.
Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth (about 3-4 minutes). Reduce speed to medium and add pumpkin mixture and beat until completely smooth.
Pour filling into the crust, smoothing the top with an off-center spatula. I always wrap the pan in tin foil (to catch any leaks, if there are any). Put a bowl of water in the bottom rack, and place the pan on the middle rack and bake for about 55-60 minutes.Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.
Leave the oven on….Whisk together the sour cream, brown sugar and whiskey until smooth and spread over the cake, sprinkle the top with the toasted pecans and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and cool for 3 hours. Chill, covered until cold.
When ready to serve, simply remove from the pan and take to the table to show the cake to your company then return to the kitchen to cut and serve.
Beyond yummy and damn you did it!