All kids love sprinkles on their ice cream. Here is a homemade one you will even enjoy. No preservatives and you know what is in it.
- 1/3 almonds, with skins, finely chopped
- 1 cup sweeted flaked coconut
- 3 1/2 oz. fine quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) OR
- 2/3 cup semisweet chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes then transfer to a bowl.
Toast the coconut on a baking sheet, stirring until it becomes golden (8-10 minutes) and remove from the oven.
Sprinkle the almonds, chocolate and a generous pinch of salt over the coconut and let alone for about 5 minutes, until the chocolate has melted. Now toss to coat everything. With a rubber spatula, transfer this out on a parchment lined tray and let cool for about 1 – 2 hours.
Loosen with a spatula and sprinkle this over the cones or bowl of ice cream. YUMMY
Burnt Sugar/Pecan Rum Sauce
Summer is here and that means ice cream. This is a luscious sauce to use. The ice ceam consumers will love this one. It is easy to make and brings the simple dessert up a notch or two.
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. rum
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Cook the sugar over medium heat in a heavy saucepan , do not stir, until it starts to melt. Now, with a fork, continue stirring until the sugar becomes a deep golden caramel colour.
Tilt the pan and CAREFULLY, pour in the water, then add the cream and rum. (this will bubble and steam vigorously).
Cook slowly over a low heat until the caramel has dissolved. Stir in the pecans and serve warm over vanilla ice cream.
Add a pecan shortbread cookie or two and enjoy.
Meanings of May Long Weekend
Everyone has ideas of what to do on a long weekend: camping, long road trips to exciting new places or return to a favourite spot. Our family this year is celebrating a 50th Anniversry and a Wedding for the same family, on the same day.
My cousin and her husband are celebrating 50 years married and, earlier in the day, their son and his girlfriend are being married.
This makes it an exciting time for family and friends to, once again, get together to celebrate happy times. May all their planning come off flawlessly and that the weather cooperates so all can be enjoyed as this will all be held outdoors.
Good luck and congratulations to all involved and we will await your next 50 years. For today, it is wine touring….sounds good to me, for sure.
Take care and drive safe wherever you go. We need you all back home on Monday.
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Well now….pecan pie and pumpkin are my two most favourite pies. If you combine them into one dessert, you may have baked your way into “baker heaven”. Just kidding…try this one out , it may not last from oven to dinner though. Once you test it, you won’t put your fork down.
Pastry – your own favourite recipe here
- Pumpkin filling
- 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin (not the pie filling)
- 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp. sour cream
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, egg, sour cream and spices. Add a pinch of salt and whisk until smooth.
- Pecan Layer
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. freshy grated lime zest
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/3 cups pecans (chopped coarsely)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, zest, juice, and salt in a bowl until combined. Add the pecans and stir to mix.
Prepare the pastry and fit into 9 inch pie pan. Prick the bottom and sides of the pastry and bake for about 20 minutes. (Use dried baking beans or cover the bottom with tin foil.) Spread the pumpkin mixture evenly in the shell and carefully spoon the pecan layer over it.
Bake until the crust is golden and the filling has puffed up (about 35-40 minutes). Center will still be slightly wobbly. Run a sharp knife blade around the pan to a depth of 1/2″ and cool completely. This helps the cheesecake from cracking.
Whip some cream and put a dollop on each slice of pie when served. Yup! I would have to decide which hip to rub it onto…..BUT it is yummy!
Caramel Swirl Bars
These are ooey gooey delicious.
- 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 pkg. (14 oz. bag) caramels, wrappers removed
- 1/4 cup half and half
Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
Mix together the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and pecans until well blended. Fold in the flour mixture and reserve 1 cup of the batter. Spread the remaining batter in a greased, foil-lined cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until firm.
In the microwave, melt the caramels and half and half in a bowl for 2-3 minutes until melted. Cool for about 5 minutes and the mixture becomes thickened. Pour over the baked layer in the pan, spreading to 1/2 of the edges.
Drop the reserved batter by spoonfuls over the caramel layer. Draw knife through to give a marbled effect.
Bake for 20 minutes until the center is set. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.
Parfait With Blackberries, Candied Ginger And Granola
This is a great breakfast fare when you have company for the weekend..be it for a wedding, long weekend get-together, Anniversary celebration….it is sinple, fantastic in taste and showy in presentation. Go for it!
- 5 1/2 cups granola
- 1 cup dried cherries, chopped coarsely
- 2 tbsp. candied ginger, finely chopped
- 3 – 17.6 oz. containers of a good Greek yogurt
- honey
- large plastic, resealable plastic bag
Mix together the granola, dried cherries and ginger together in a bowl and set aside..
In the bottom of your trifle bowl, pour the yogurt into the plastic bag, snip off the corner and pipe a 1 inch thick layer on the bottom of the bowl.
Scatter 1 1/2 cups of the berries on the yogurt layer and drizzle with honey.
Sprinkle 3 cups of the granola over the berries. Repeat this one time…layer of yogurt, berries and honey and granola mixture. Mound 1 cup of berries in the center and drizzle with warm honey.
When we ran the Bed and Breakfast, I would make individual parfait dishes for our guests. They are pretty, have the wow factor and taste so scrumptious.
Chilled juice and pots of freshly brewed coffee. You can also serve with warm-from-the-oven muffins that you also made.
Grilled Lobster with Tomato/Lime Butter
Nothing spells summer more than lobster….grilled…poached….anyway you can think of. This is easy, elegant and wonderful to present to company.
- 4- 2 lb. lobsters, fresh as can be
Preheat the barbecue and while that is getting warmed up, make the tomato/lime butter and put a large pot of salted water on high to boil.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 large lime, zested and juiced
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Set aside.
Drop the lobsters in the boiling, salted water. Return to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the water and cut down the center of the back, lengthwise. Place shell side down on the grill and brush the lobster flesh with the tomato/lime butter.
Serve immediately with a crisp, chilled salad, glasses of chilled white wine, candles burning and great company around the table. Sounds pretty good to me.
My Thoughts This Mother’s Day 2013
This morning I was thinking about my Mom, as I do daily, and I could hear her voice calling out to me to “straighten those feet”. She did this until I was walking properly. I was not even in school then but, like most kids, was pigeon-toed. She was not going to let me be one of them. Now I say ‘thanks Mom’.
She taught me how to skip, clean house (chores as a kid), treat guests who entered our home, and only she could make a roast beef dinner so good and tasty and with the darkest gravy. On a good day we would even get yorkshire puddings as well. Every meal had a dessert and always conversation. Sometimes good, sometimes no-so-good. For all of it…‘thanks Mom’.
I wanted to wear stiletto heels (I was 15 years old) and she told me I could only wear them if I didn’t ‘wobble’. It took me 3 minutes to conquer that one. Let me tell you I wanted to wear those things so badly. She always made sure when I was leaving the house, either to work or on a date, I looked the very best I could. Not too much make-up, clothes pressed and clean, shoes polished (my Dad’s deal – had to have good looking shoes). Now, for all these reasons, I say ‘thanks Mom’.
I have just now turned a very, very young 70 (well I am) and my Mom passed away 8 years ago this coming summer, and darn it, I miss her still so badly. We didn’t always agree on life-things, but what I wouldn’t give to hear her voice just one more time. To hear her call out to us to make ‘Dad stop’. He always was flirting with her, or pretending to pinch her and she would call out to us and then laugh. Even so, I can say ‘thanks, Mom’.
She made a pastry like no one has ever made anything like it. So to have a freshly made apple pie or pumpkin pie was true heaven. If offered either/or as a choice, everyone always took both. (greedy little beggars we were).Miss that taste of your pastry…umm, yeah! ‘thanks Mom’.
I am a Mom to one, “step-mom” to 4 more and a Grandby to 4 wonderful grandkids. I wonder just what they will remember from our relationship with each other. Did they learn anything from me? or close their ears? Will they say things I used to say (as we constantly do with our parents). Will they laugh and say Grandby and Grandad were sure silly, funny people who gave their all to everyone? I love them ferociously and would give my life to protect a single hair on their heads, if danger was present. For having the capacity to feel this, I can say ‘thank you God’.
So if you are a child, adopted or not, love your Moms with all you have. Tell her often and speak as often as you can. Don’t be so angry you shut her out of your life over something that may have occurred long time past. Nothing could ever be that serious and, unless you are a Mom yourself, you couldn’t possibly comprehend the devastation she would feel. She knows you love her, but it doesn’t take but a second to give a heart-felt hug, kiss, or phone call and TELL her you love her. We, as humans, thrive on being told we matter, we are loved, and that we would have a hard time, if you weren’t here. Trust me, if you knew my Mom or you even know me, you will know why I am saying ‘thanks Mom’,
From my heart of hearts, Happy Mother’s Day Mom. I always have a hard time when I pass all the cards in the store celebrating this special day. I can’t buy them anymore for you, but I do still in my heart. I always look for the ones with purple flowers and words that mean something, knowing how much you would like it. Yes, I still care and miss you always. The tears will always fall down my cheek, as they are now, when I remember things from so many years ago, yet still so fresh in my mind.
‘Thanks Mom…for all the memories, for teaching me so many things and the fact I am now looking more and more like you every day, I can honestly say ‘thanks Mom’.
I really do Love you…..
To all of you…remember your Mother, and with your children, make memories with them and for them. They will always remember. If this touches a cord with you, why not pass it on?
Rolled Lime Roulade
Same as a pavlova, only this one is rolled. Give it a try and see just how easy it is to make.
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- icing sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites until frothy and slowly add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Continue until thick and glossy. Now beat in the vinegar and cornstarch.
Spread the meringue into the pan, levelling off the top. Bake for 20 minutes until the top is pale and feels firm.
Remove from the oven and let cool down on the parchment paper for 10 minutes.
Dust a large sheet of parchment paper with icing sugar and invert the meringue onto it. CAREFULLY peel off the bottom layer of parchment paper. Sprinkle the bottom layer with icing sugar and top with a clean kitchen towel.
Very gently and carefully, roll the meringue up to enclose the towel from the short end, using the parchment paper as a guide. This will crackle and perhaps crumble a little , but it is normal.
Filling
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups lime curd (homemade or bought)
- cape gooseberries (if available) or big, luscious blackberries
Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold in the lime curd. Unroll the meringue, remove the kitchen towel and spread the lime cream over the meringue evenly, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Reroll now to enclose the cream. Trim the ends if desired and chill until ready to serve.
Cut into slices and place on pretty plates and garnish with the gooseberries or blackberries.
Oh, oh, oh! So yummy.
Catfish With Crisp Apple Coleslaw
This fish is something new for me. It is great when served with homemade baked beans and/or homemade sweet potato fries. If you have a deep fryer, it is easy as can be.
- 1 large lime
- 1/3 cup mayo, not salad dressing
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 3 stalks celery, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 red delicious apple, peel on and cored
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 -1 1/2 lb. catfish fillets
- 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. oil for frying
Cut half of the lime into wedges and set aside. Juice the remaining half into a large bowl. Combine the mayo and honey with the juice, using a whisk. Reserve 2 tbsp. of this. Stir in the apple, celery and cabbage, mixing well to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to plate the catfish.
Sprinkle the fish with a pinch of salt and brush with the reserved lime-mayo mixture. In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal and chili powder. Coat the fish fillets and cook in 2 tbsp. hot oil 3-4 minutes each side until it becomes a nice golden colour.
Serve with the chilled slaw, lime wedges and beans and/or fries. All that is needed now is a nice cold beer.
Yummy good. I tell the truth, catfish is a wonderful fish to eat.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Drink
This is one recipe you can take to the lake and leave it in a cupboard for when the rainy, chilly days happen. Anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter will think this drink is totally divine.
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup milk chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Warm milk and cream in a saucepan, over medium heat. Add the chocolate pieces and whisk until melted.
Continue to warm the mixture until it thickens up at little. Add the peanut butter and whisk until smooth.
This will serve 2
Scallop and Shrimp Kabobs With Special Butter
This is a wonderful way to spoil guests. Try it and you will see.
- 8 large scallops, cut in half
- 16 large shrimp, deveined and peeled all but the last shell on the tail
- 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 8 skewers, soaked in water at least one hour
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
In a mixing bowl combine the scallops, shrimp, and lime juice, fish sauce and ginger and marinate for about 10-12 minutes. Thread 2 shrimp and 2 pieces of scallop on each skewer. Brush the seafood with oil and place on preheated grill and grill only until the shrimp are opaque (2 minutes each side)
When cooked, transfer skewers onto plates and sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with the ‘Champagne’ butter. Serve immediately.
Champagne Butter
- 2 cups dry sparkling wine
- 1/3 cup grated shallots
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- pinch of salt and pepper
In a medium sized pan, combine all the ingredients except the butter and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until it has become syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup in volume (about 18-20 minutes). Reduce heat to low, and add the butter 2 pieces at a time. Be sure to let the butter melt completely before adding more. This should become quite creamy. Keep warm.