What a way to start the Christmas “spirit”. Try it!
- 2 parts Raspberry Vodka
- 1 part Chambord
- 1 splash White Chocolate Liqueur
Make sure the martini glasses are chilled (frosty, actually). Pour the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake it really well. Strain into the icy cold glasses and add a couple of frozen berries (blackberries).
There, now go and open your gifts.
Creme Brulee French Toast
When it is the holiday season and company commands you feed them breakfast, this is another way to show them you are glad they are with you. What a yummy start to the day.
This will feed 6. It is prepared the night before and next morning…Voila!
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. corn syrup
- 6 slices of french bread, sliced thick
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 2 tsp. Grand Marnier
- pinch of salt
- grated nutmeg
In the melted butter,, add the brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish that has been brushed with butter.
Cut off the crusts and arrange in the baking dish in a single layer. Whisk together all the ingredients except the grated nutmeg and pour evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator and set on the counter for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered until light, puffy and golden. Before serving, grate some fresh nutmeg over the top (ever so lightly).
Serve with warm syrup. Yummy, yummy and yummy. This is rich and so tasty.
Pumpkin Gnocchi
When we were in Maui, I mentioned the pumpkin gnocci as being so superb and now….guess what? Here is a recipe. It is soooooo yummy!
- 1 large white potato
- 1 cup pure pumpkin (not pie mix) puree
- 1 egg yolk
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 4 leaves fresh sage
Peel the potato and cook as normal until fork tender. Drain and place in the fridge until cool enough to handle. Put the potato through a potato ricer.
Measure out 1 cup of lightly packed potato; use the balance for another recipe or save for lunch. Your call.
Mix the potato with the pumpkin, egg yolk and spices in a small bowl. Add the flour slowly until mixed. The dough, at this point should be smooth and barely sticky. If you find it is too sticky, just add a tbsp. of flour. Transfer to a floured surface and knead the dough 3-4 times and cut into three portions. Roll out until you have a 6 inch rectangle and about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1 1/2 – 2 inch logs. Repeat for the other two logs.
In a pot of boiling water, put in about half of the gnocci and cook until they float to the top (about 3 minutes). Put in a bowl and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the balance of the gnocci.
In a fry pan put a generous dollop of butter. When melted and bubbly, drop the gnocci in (not too crowded) and when it starts to get lightly golden, turn them over.. Don’t cook until they are crispy or you lose the wonderful texture you are looking for.
Remove the gnocci from the frypan and put in a bowl and cover. Take 4 fresh sage leaves and tear into pieces. Stir these in the butter remaining in the pan until you can begin to smell their fragrance. Remove the leaves and pour the butter over the gnocci, top with some grated nutmeg and serve immediately. Good grief, just typing this recipe up is making my mouth water. So luscious, so perfect. So yummy.
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
This is a lovely cake to offer.
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups white sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 HEAPING cup sour cream
- 2 tsp. almond extract
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3 cups flour
- 2 1/4 cups chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream really well the butter and sugars. This should be light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating after each one, then add the sour cream and extract.
Sift together the flour and baking soda, and slowly beat into the wet mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans. Pour into oiled bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Insert a toothpick to ensure it is cooked through.
Place on rack to cool completely and remove from pan. If not eating immediately, wrap in plastic wrap and then tin foil and freeze. When ready to eat, either ice it or simply dust with icing sugar.
Scotty Bit Me Martini
This is for those who like the tartar to be removed from their teeth and their hair to stand on end…lol
It is a classic martini to enjoy.
Make sure your martini glasses are frosty cold.
- 15 parts Grey Goose Vodka
- 1 part good Scotch
- dash of Drambuie
Pour the scotch into the glasses and swirl around to coat the inside completely, then discard. Add the vodka and if you can stand the competition, add a dash of Drambuie so it floats on top.
- I made the mistake of keeping the scotch in the glass and made the martini. I served it to my stepson and he almost croaked. It was SOOOOOO powerful. Needless to say, he didn’t drink it.
Okay, now if you are still standing, make a wish for the New Year. I’m going to go and find another one….
Cheese and Bacon Muffins
This will make 6 large muffins. These are absolutely marvelous when served with scrambled eggs.
- 8 strips of bacon, reserving drippings
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups grated Balderson’s Cheddar Cheese
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 3 tbsp. bacon drippings
- l large egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Balderson’s Cheddar Cheese for topping.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cook to crisp and drain bacon, reservings the drippings. When cool, crumble the bacon.
Combine the first six ingredients. Melt the butter and add to the drippings. In a medium bowl, beat the egg lightly with the milk and add to the butter/bacon dripping mixture.
Now add this to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly being careful not to over mix.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Bake for twenty minutes. Scramble some eggs, add a juice and/or coffee. This is getting one step closer to heaven……
Cranberry Apple Bread
Now is the season for cranberries, why not make a few of these up and freeze them? Apples…cranberries….winter. Good match.
To make one loaf:
- 2 cups peeled and chopped apples (Granny Smith)
- grated zest of 1 large orange
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp. Crisco Oil
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup fresh (or frozen) cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven tp 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Stir together the apples, sugar and oil. Add the egg and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients, including the orange zest..
Now stir the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing only until moist. Stir in the cranberries and pecans. Spoon batter into pan.
Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
To keep, wrap in plastic wrap and then tin foil. Freeze. Done!
This recipe is in my cookbook ” The B & B Cookbook“. Check it out.
Fruit Flies
I know it is winter but I wanted to make sure you had something to refer to when the weather warms up (if you don’t live in the tropics) and buy lots of fruit. The most annoying part of summer is the annoying fruit fly.
A simple way is to put some apple cider vinegar in a cup and leave it on the counter. It works but is not a “fast cure”.
One way is to plug all the drains in your kitchen. They seem to hatch their eggs inside the drains. Be sure to refrigerate all your fruit. Wash them when you first bring them home and then put them in the fridge (except bananas, they go black).
Another way, is to check your windows. You will find several here, so if you are fast enough, hit them with the good old fashioned fly swatter. If that fails, spray them with hair spray. This will prevent them from flying and you can dispose of them.
You have to be alert and catch them when you first see them as they multiply at a very fast rate. Good luck and I hope this helps.
Eggnog Cheesecake
Many, many recipes for this cheesecake but it really has a nite ‘bite’ with a gingersnap crust.
You will need:
- 48 finely ground gingersnaps
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 4 pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup white rum
- 2 cups cold commercial eggnog
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup additional eggnog
- freshly ground eggnog
Stir the first three ingredients together and press into a 9″ springform pan.
With your mixer, beat the 4 pkgs of room temperature cream cheese until smooth then proceed with the 4 eggs, beating in after each one, mix the icing sugar and flour together and add to the mixture. Pour into the springform pan.
Wrap the pan in tin foil and set in a larger pan with boiling water halfway up the springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from the water bath and let sit in the oven , with the door closed, for an additional hour. Remove to a rack . Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.
Beat the eggnog and whipping cream together and grate fresh nutmeg across the top.
It well could be your favourite cheesecake
Italian Biscotti with Dried Mangoes
I like Biscotti with a cup of freshly brewed coffee but I do not like the commercially prepared cement blocks. Homemade is better in texture, flavour and taste. Try it and see if you feel the same.
- 3 cups flour
- 5 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds (toasted)
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp. almond flavouring
- 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate squares, melted
- 1 cup dried, chopped mangoes
- 2 lemons, grated peel
- 2 lime, grated peel
- 1 orange, grated peel
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and chopped almonds. Whisk the remaining ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and really mix this well. It will be a very stiff dough.
On a parchment lined cookie sheet, divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll into logs. They should be about 3 inches wide and as long as your cookie sheet. Try to square off the ends and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and slice each log on the diagonal. On a second, parchment lined cookie sheet, lay the slices on their side. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees and bake another 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake a further 10 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Now, clean up the kitchen, make a fresh pot of coffee, grab a friend or magazine….put a couple of biscotti on a plate and enjoy!
Cod With Lemon and Shallots
Time to eat healthy before the big Christmas feast and leftovers on Boxing Day. Try this one.
Serves 4
- 1/4 cup butter (okay, margarine if you must)
- 1 tsp. shallots chopped fine
- 1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped fine
- 1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped fine
- 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. minced garlic
- 4 cod fillets (roughly 6 oz. each)
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients, except the fillets, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Broil or bbq the fish for about 4-5 minutes each side. When ready to plate, drizzle the seasonings over the top. Add a vegetabe of your choice and some rice.
Great dinner. Great Light dinner. It is a win-win situation.
Rhubarb Bars
This is very much like date squares or as we knew it, matrimonial squares.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- 3 cups rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch squares
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
Combine the first four ingredients and cook until it becomes thick. Cool completely.
Combine crust ingredients and pat two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 9 x 9 inch pan. Add the filling and top with the remaining crumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Cool before attempting to cut.
Be sure to have some vanilla ice cream or whipping cream on hand. Darn, this sound so good I am going to make some.