Some people really like duck and this is a sauce that will make the flavours take off and sing.
- 3/4 cup currant jelly
- 1/3 cup sugar
- rind of 3 oranges, grated
- 1/4 cup port wine
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- pinch of salt
- dash of cayenne
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Combine the jelly, sugar and orange rind to a pot, beating well. Heat long enough only to melt the sugar.
Add the remaining ingredints, except the lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, stirring only to blend.
Glaze the duck during the last half hour of cooking time. Serve the remaining sauce in a pitcher at the table for guests to add more.
Blueberry Stuffed Lemon Muffins
In my cookbook, I do have a recipe for muffins like these but the difference, by accident this morning, was to change up the muffin just a little bit. I used buttermilk rather than milk and made 3 layers of the batter. Watch!
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- Rind of a lemon or lime, if you prefer
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- lemon curd, or lime if you want to
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Either grease or use the really large parchment ‘flour-like’ paper cups.
Mix together the dry ingredients. Melt the butter, add 1 cup of the buttermilk to it and whisk in the egg until absorbed. Add the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stir to mix well. You may need to add a little more milk -a tbsp. at a time- to get the right consistency. Carefully add the blueberries.
Fill the cups with a scoop of the batter, add a tsp. or so of lemon curd in the centre, then another scoop of the batter. Here, again, add a tsp. of lemon curd and now equally add the batter to top of the muffins. This recipe will make 6 LARGE muffins.
While these were cooling, I wanted to taste to see if they were okay. While still a bit warm, I cut one if half and ‘tasted it’. Walked around the kitchen for a moment and went back and finished the other half. Without a word of a lie, this is probably the very best muffin I have yet to make.
Try it out. You will love it.
Peach Pancake/Waffle/Ice Cream Syrup
While peaches are still plentiful at the market, buy a batch and make this up. It is soooo yummy and it a real treat.
- 4 peaches
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of allspice
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup water
Peel the peaches and slice each one, putting them and all the other ingredients in a saucepan. Bring this to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
You now have a choice…mash it up so you have pieces of peaches, or strain it. I tried straining it and gave up after a few minutes. Put it all back together and it is perfect that way.
This makes a small amount so you can double it or even triple it.
Sticky Buns – Pauline’s Way
For breakfast, Pauline presented these and it wasn’t only the wonderful smells that were enticing but the flavours were awesome.
The only difference in this – I opted out for pecans. The recipe calls for walnuts and I know both would be super but it just depends on what your family likes.
- 1/2 pkg. of frozen dinner buns (20)
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 small pkg. regular (not instant) butterscotch pudding
- pecans to taste (chop 1/2 cup and see if that will be enough)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar.
Melt the butter and pour into the bottom of a bundt cake pan. Top with the pecans, butterscotch pudding (dry) and brown sugar.
Put the buns around the pan, piling them up the sides and place in a cold oven. Close the door, turn out the lights and go to bed.
In the morning, the buns will be risen and ready for baking. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan and invert immediately onto your prettiest platter.
There will be moans and groans of delight. These are really good. Serve with fresh fruit or berries and your favourite yogurt.
Corn Bread At Its Best
This is my 1,709 recipe. Whew!
Okay, as promised. The tax season is over and here we go again. We are having a special friend coming for dinner tomorrow so Don asked me to make my corn bread. It is so easy and sooooo good.
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- can of creamed corn (minus about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
- 1 large egg, beaten
Turn the oven on to 4oo degrees. Butter an 8 inch baking pan and set aside.
Whisk together in a large bowl the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well blended.
Addf the corn, butter and egg, stirring just until well blended. Spoon into the prepared pan.
Bake now for 15 minutes, peak to see how it is coming and add 5 more minutes. The sides should beginning to pull away from the sides.
Remove and set on a rack to cool to room temperature.
Told you it was easy!
Gotta Love These Muffins
These muffins are like a ‘doughnut’ and can be frozen (before you add the topping). Try them….love this one.
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/3 cup yogurt
- 1/2 Crisco shortening
- 1/4 (generous) cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups grated apple
Topping
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin tin (12 cup) with Pam spray or use liners. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
In a small bowl whisk together the evaporated milk and yogurt.
In electric mixer beat the shortening, butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well after each one. Add the vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and yogurt mixture alternating each one. Fold in the apple and spoon into the muffin tin.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 5 minutes before removing.
Topping
In a small bowl, combine the dry topping ingredients and while the muffins are still hot, brush with the melted butter and roll each muffin in the cinnamon sugar until well coated. If you can make them last long enough to serve warm, you have done a great job.
Homemade Sausage Rolls
My Christmas tradition has always been to have homemade sausage rolls for breakfast as we opened gifts. Don has continued this for me and makes the best sausage meat to ever be put into puff pastry.
- 2 tsp. dried sage
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 2 lbs. ground pork
In a small bowl put all the ingredients, EXCEPT the pork and mix really well.
In a large bowl place the pork and break it up with a fork. Add the spices and, with clean hands, mix it all together. When done, form into a two rolls the size of a looney.
Prepare the puff pastry as per the package instructions. Roll it out and place half of the pork on the first sheet, and roll to cover. Wet your finger with water to seal the seam edge. Repeat for the second sheet of puff pastry.
How you cut these depends on what the occasion is: a wine and cheese gathering with friends – small one bite portions. Family for breakfast or brunch – 4-5 inch pieces.
Place the sausage rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 35-40 minutes. Test the pork to see that it has reached the 160F internal temperature but also making sure not to burn the pastry.
These are absolutely fabulous.
Swiss Shrimp Quiche
Yes, men really do eat quiche and they will absolutely love this one. Don made it twice this week, once for the girls when they came over to set the Christmas tree up for us and again, when we had special company for lunch. There were not even crumbs left over, trust me.
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 12 large shrimp, tails removed
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped celery, ribs removed
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp. grated onion
- 1 tbsp. flour
- pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup cream
- 1 9 inch unbaked pie shell
- grated parmesan cheese
Clean the shrimp and cut each one in quarters equally. Toss together the cheese, shrimp, grated onion, celery, parsley, flour and salt, making sure it is well mixed.
Beat the eggs lightly and gradually stir in the cream. Add this to the cheese mixture, stirring well to combine. Pour into the pie shell.
Bake is a preheated 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Serve this with a beautiful spinach strawberry salad and you have a winner. You could always add a glass of chilled white wine as well.
Dried Mango and Ginger Muffins
As my new invention is cooling on the counter as I type, let me tell you this is rather exciting. I bought some dried mango (for whatever reason at the time) and kept staring at it. I also had a jar of stemmed ginger in syrup in the fridge…so….thinks I, let see what I can do.
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
Whisk these all together to ensure it is well mixed. Set aside.
Now continuing on
- Dice dried mango to make 1/2 cup
- 1 piece of ginger, diced
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 large egg
Melt butter and set aside. Measure out the milk, cream and whisk in the egg. Add to the butter, whisking so it will not curdle.
Add this to the dry ingredients, and you will have to add more milk as you mix. (Depends on the weather) just don’t overdo it. Then fold in the mango and ginger.
Scoop into a large muffin pan for 6, for me it takes 3 scoops each one. Bake at 425 for 18-19 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with icing sugar. Remove to a rack to cool.
I cut one in half and gave one to Don and I had one (I call it quality control) and we loved it.
Scrumptuous Breakfast On The Fly
This is a wonderful weekend breakfast when you have more than 5 minutes to eat and run.( Not a spelling error above, just being silly to see if you even notice.)
- 2 tbsp. Crisco Oil
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 4 yellow gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
- Sprinkle of Joe’s Stuff Seasoning (generous)
- pinch of salt
- 4 eggs
- hot buttered toast OR
- toasted bagels
Mix the first 5 ingredients together and cook, stirring until all are golden brown and cooked through. Place in the oven, set on warm, to go to next step.
This is the easier of the two steps. In the same fry pan, crack 4 eggs and add a few drops of water in the pan and cover. Cook for about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes, until the whites are no longer runny.
On 4 plates, divide the potatoes equally and top with an egg. Add the toast or bagel and pour a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a glass of fresh juice.
Oh yes…..what a way to start the day.
New Carrot Cake Muffins with a Streusel Crunch Topping
When you operate a Bed and Breakfast like we did for so many years, you do get and use, many recipes for muffins. Here is a nice one and I am sure it will become a favourite.
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. melted butter
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking power
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup Crisco oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups grated Heritage carrots
- 2 tbsp. dried and salted pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with Pam or equivalent.
To make the streusel, combine the flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt into a large bowl.
Beat together the eggs,oil, buttermilk, brown and white sugar and vanilla in a medium size bowl until well mixed. Slowly add the flour mixture until just combined and then add the grated carrots.
Divide equally into the 12 cup tin and sprinkle the tops with the streusel. Bake for approximately 20 minutes and then cool in the pan for about 8-10 minutes. Remove and serve warm with butter and a cup of freshly made coffee. You can even call a friend to come over IF you want to share.
If you want, you could add a cream cheese icing. It truly is not necessary for this muffin.
Lunch On The Run
If you have children in school who must take lunches or you work and, for a variety of reasons, such as time, money or running out of places to grab a quick lunch, try these. They can be frozen and just grab and go. If you walk to work, warm one up and munch as you walk. Try these, PLEASE.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 2 tbs. snipped dill
- 2 oz. lox style salmon or trout chopped **
- 2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup potato chips, (I prefer the sweet chili and sour cream chips), crushed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and use parchment liners (make your own, if you wish) and set aside.
In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda and a pinch of salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, eggs and butter. Add this to the flour and stir until just moistened, and yes, it will be lumpy. Gently fold in the salmon (or trout) and eggs.
Spoon the batter into the lined tins, filling about 2/3 full. Sprinkle the crushed chips and snipped dill over the tops. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown in colour. Remove from the muffin tins and let cool on a rack
** you could change it to 3 slices of bacon, cooked crisp.