It is simple and we used it in our Bed and Breakfast occasionally. Bring it up with different flavours with anything you like to have. This is a favourite of ours.9 inch pie crust (homemade or frozen)
- 12 bacon slices (I like the maple bacon)
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups half and half cream
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated Havarti cheese
- 1 tsp. onion salt
- 1/2 cup chopped asparagus in 1 inch pieces (woody ends cut off)
Blind bake the pie crust, making sure to dock the bottom with a fork.
Fry the bacon crisp and cut in bite size pieces.
Whisk the eggs and cream together. Line the pie crust with the cheese, then add the bacon and asparagus and finally the egg mixture poured over all. Sprinkle with a bit more cheese and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven to 300 and bake a further 30 minutes.
Test the center with a knife. Let stand for 10 minutes then serve with a nice green salad and warm roll and butter.
This is a lovely breakfast or perfect light lunch.
Fresh Nectarine Squares
- The weather is a-changin’ and it’s time to think of good weather, lots of sunshine and lunch/dinner on the patio. This is a great make-ahead dessert that can be taken from the kitchen to the table on the deck, (or picnic in the park) sliced up and served. Yippee! Let’s do it.
Base
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 tbsp. grated lime rind
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1 1/2 cups flour
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter with the lime rind until creamy. Stir in the sugar, and ground almonds until blended. Gradually add the flour. If getting too hard for the mixer, use your fingers to continue mixing when the dough becomes stiff.
Grease the sides of your 13 x 9 inch baking dish and press the mixture into the pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven of 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch.
Topping
- 1/4 cup room temperature butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp. lime zest
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 4-5 cups evenly sliced nectarines
In a small bowl mix the butter and 1/4 cup each of the sugar and flour. Mix in the almonds and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and remaining sugar for about 5 minutes, until thickened and pale yellow. Stir in the lime zest. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the egg mixture.
Arrange the nectarines evenly over the base, spread the egg mixture over the nectarines. Sprinkle the sliced almond mixture evenly over the top and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is puffed and golden and the nectarines are tender when tested with a fork.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and cool on a rack (in the pan). Cut into squares and watch the smiles appear.
Did I tell you this was yummy? Yup, it is.
Squash Tips
Ha ha, not what you were thinking. Here are a few ideas to make with squash from side dishes to soups and, of course, your own salted pumpkin seeds.
Hubbard Squash
Mash the flesh of the baked squash with butter and top with lots of caramelized onions and…..add a dash of chili powder.
Butternut Squash
Cut in half, lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and peel the outer skin. Cut in chunks and bake in a buttered baking dish in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until tender.
Season with walnut oil, dark brown sugar and freshly grated ginger. Toss with chopped dried cranberries.
This, my friends, is a fabulous way to eat squash.
Winter Squash
Peel, chop into chunks and cook until tender. Mash well and add some apple butter, 1/4 cup chicken broth and top with, what else, but crispy bacon pieces and a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Don’t use the pre-packaged bacon bits, as the flavour is in the freshly cooked bacon.
Who said you didn’t like squash? Read on…..
Spaghetti Squash
We make this often and love how it becomes stringy like real spaghetti.
Once cooked, toss the strings with lots of butter, chopped pecans and sage. When well blended, top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Who needs pasta? Wait – there is one more as promised….
Take the seeds from a fresh pumpkin and pour boiling water over them and steep for half an hour. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
Spread out on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a 300 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with a fine sea salt. Cool down for about 10 minutes (so you don’t burn your mouth) and enjoy!
Gotta love squash…..
Plum Tart With Port In Rustic Phyllo Crust
Another yummy dessert to make and serve to family and friends, no matter the occasion. (who needs an occasion to enjoy this?) You can change the fruit to Peaches and Amaretto, or whatever your favourite fruit is. Just match the liqueur and fruit together and you have a win-win dish.
- 2 cups nice tawny coloured Port
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- 6-8 plums, halved, pitted and cut each half in quarters
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 10 sheets Phyllo pastry sheets
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- sugar to coat
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil the Port, 1/2 cup brown sugar and allspice in a large skillet until reduced to about 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes).
Place the plums in a large bowl, sprinkle the flour over and toss to coat. Drizzle 1/3 cup of the sauce over the plums and toss to coat. Reserve the remaining sauce.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay the sheets of phyllo on the work surface, covering with plastic and topping with a damp towel. This way they won’t dry out while working. Take the first sheet of pastry and lay on the parchment paper, brush with melted butter and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Repeat for all the layers.
Spoon the plums onto the phyllo, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of pastry all around the edges. Fold the edges of the phyllo up over the plums. Drizzle the remaining syrup from the bowl over the plums. Carefully brush some melted butter over the edges of the pastry and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.
Bake the tart until crust is golden (do not burn) and the plum syrup is bubbling. (35-45 minutes). If the pastry edges are getting too brown, cover with foil.
Cut while warm in wedges and serve with, can you guess?…..sweetened whipped cream and drizzle the reserved sauce over.
OMG! This is good….better than good…..gotta go and buy me some plums…..ooooohhhhh!
French-style Apple And Almond Sheet Tart
I love this dessert. The best apple to use is a Gala and since they are in abundance this time of year, it should be incentive to go and get some to make this dessert. Right?
Crust
- 8 sheets of phyllo pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar
- 3-4 Gala apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup peach preserves
- 3 tbsp. water
Position rack in center of the preheated 350 degree oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stack the phyllo sheets with plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. Place a phylo sheet, one at a time, on the baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with the sugar and continue with the second one, repeating until all are prepared in the same way.
Almond Cream
This should be made before the phyllo gets started because it has to be chilled for a few hours.
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour (ground almonds)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
Whisk the flour and sugar together in a medium size bowl. Whisk together the egg, vanilla in another bowl. Whisk one half the almond mixture into the egg. Whisk in the whipping cream, then fold in the remaining almond mixture. Cover with foil and chill at least 4 hours.
Spoon dollops of the cream evenly over the phyllo, leaving 1/2 inch border all around. Carefully, closely space the slices around the tart on top of the cream. Bake for about 40 minutes until the apples are tender, custard has set and the crust is golden.
Not done yet, but close.
Combine the preserves and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until melted. Brush this over the apples and tart edges.
Cut in slices and serve. Adding a dollop of whipped cream wouldn’t hurt anyone, except the left hip. Alright, add two, and then the right hip will be happy.
Enjoy! This is truly yummy.
Fettucine With Asparagus And Lime
I love pasta….any kind and almost in any way. This is easy to make, delightful to eat and you won’t be sorry you tried it.
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- finely grated zest from 4 limes
- pinch of sea salt and white pepper
- 1 lb. fresh fettucine
- 1/2 lb. asparagus trimmed and cut in 1 inch pieces diagonally
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
Combine the butter and whipping cream in a heavy skillet. Bring to a boil and add the lime juice and zest. Continue cooking until reduced by one third. Remove from heat and add the salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add salt. By using the fresh pasta, add the asparagus at the same time and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 minutes. Drain both.
Reheat the sauce and add the pasta and asparagus, stirring to coat. Add the grated cheese and stir to incorporate. Serve with a wedge of lime, slice of garlic toast, green salad and, of course, a glass of chilled white wine.
Yummy.
Lime And White Chocolate Mousse Parfaits With Blackberries
These are super-duper parfaits and the only thing you need is a candy thermometer. Serve is your prettiest dessert dishes and you, my friend, are again the Queen of the dinner service.
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 4 tsp. finely grated lime zest
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 2/3 cups whipping cream, well chilled
- 3 1/2 oz. of top quality white chocolate, finely chopped
- 5 cups of blackberries, washed
Whisk the eggs, sugar, lime juice and zest and salt in a medium metal bowl to blend well. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the mixture becomes very thick and a candy thermometer registers 165-170 degrees. Cool mousse down to room temperature.
Combine 1/4 cup cream and white chocolate in another bowl over hot water and stir constantly until the chocolate has almost all melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until it has completely melted and is smooth. Set aside.
Beat remaining cream until firm peaks form. Divide the cream between the two mousses, folding in 1 cup at a time. It should be about 3
cups for each mousse.
Layer about 1/4 cup of lime mousse in 8 parfait dishes or wine glasses. Add 4-5 blackberries and layer about 1/4 cup of white chocolate mousse over the berries. Repeat with 1 more layer each and top with a few more berries.
Serve with a well chilled ice wine (burgundy ice wine is lovely) and enjoy the rest of the evening with friends.
Lemon Chicken With Rosemary
This can be an either/or or maybe even a ‘both’ kind of dinner. It all depends on what you prefer to eat. It is delicious either way.
- 4 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed OR
- 8 chicken thighs, bone and skin removed
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
- pinch of salt
Trim any excess fat from the chicken. In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the chicken. Cook until lightly golden (2 – 3 minutes per side).
Zest the lemon and set aside. Then cut the lemon in half and juice it.(1/4 cup juice).
Add the water and lemon juice and with a wooden spatula, loosen up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, rosemary and salt.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over, half-way through the cooking time.
Place the chicken on warm plates, spoon the sauce over, sprinkle some zest on top and serve with garlic mashed potatoes and a crisp salad.
Add warm rolls and butter and, of course, a glass of your favourite wine. What did I tell you? YUM!