If you are adept at making light and fluffy gnocchi go for it BUT if not, buy them at your nearest Deli and go from there.
- 1/2 lb. uncooked gnocchi
- 1/4 cup butter
- 7-8 fresh sage leaves (your own garden, perhaps?)
- 1 lemon, juiced
Bring water to the boil and cook the gnocchi for about 4-5 minutes until they float. Strain.
In a frypan, melt the butter. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat. Add the sage leaves. Cook on medium heat until the gnocchi is lightly brown and the leaves are crispy.
Add the lemon juice at the very end when the butter is a nice golden brown.
Now to serve this with panache, it should be paired with NK’Mip’s Chardonnay. Perfect match.
Oysters Barbecued with Garlic Butter, Lemon and Parsley
What an twist – garlic and parsley – your very own breath freshener included. HA!
- 1 cup butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large lemon
- 12 medium fresh oysters
- 7 flat leaf parsley sprigs, coarsely chopped
Preheat barbecue grill.
Melt butter in a saucepan and add the garlic. Squeeze lemon into the pot and drop in the lemon rind. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Place oysters on the grill (flat shell up) for around 10 minutes until they begin to open up. Poke off the top shell and spoon on the butter sauce. Garnish with more parsley and serve immediately.
Now, as this is for a celebration with adult friends and/or family, serve with the Mohito Punch (recipe below).
Mohito Punch
- 2 bottles x 750 ml sparkling pink lemonade
- 6 lemons (3 juiced, 3 sliced)
- 1 cup sugar
- 12 fresh mint sprigs
- 1/2 cup white rum
- 8 cups ice
Mix all these ingredients in a large pitcher and served totally chilled.
Who says we don’t know how to partaaay!
Cranberry Butter
This is a great flavoured butter to use in many ways, but one of the best is to make gingerbread scones and use this butter. Try it with turkey sandwiches, perhaps. Besides, this is one recipe you can set aside for Christmas which is only four months away. Oops!
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or just orange juice
- 1/2 cup berry sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup of room temperature butter
In a small saucepan on medium heat, stir the cranberries, Grand Marnier or juice, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the cranberries have split open and the sauce has started to thicken (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
In a food processor blend together the butter and cooled cranberry mixture for about 2 full minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl .
There, that’s all there is to it.
Italian Rice and Garden Peas
This is a great side dish, Italian style.
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
- 1 cup regular white rice
- 1 1/2 cups shelled garden peas
- pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp. Asiago cheese
In 4 tbsp. butter in a heavy saucepan, saute the onion and parsley for 5 minutes. Add the rice, saute, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 14 minutes (until liquid is absorbed and NO STIRRING).
Cook the peas in boiling water for 12-15 minutes (until just tender). Drain well.
Stir the peas, salt and butter into the rice. Turn into a serving dish and everyone’s eyes will pop. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, sprinkle the cheese over the top.
YUM!
Scallops With Lime Butter
These are so delicious, it will probably become your favourite way to serve scallops (aside from the mango salsa on another post).
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only)
- 1/2 cup butter, cold and cut in small cubes
- 12 scallops
In a small saucepan, reduce the lime juice to almost evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla seeds.
Whisk in the butter pieces, making sure each piece has melted before adding another. Return to the heat for a moment if it becomes too thick. The sauce should be smooth as silk and pourable. Set aside in a warm spot.
Preheat the barbecue. Brush the scallops with the seasoned butter and grill for 90 seconds on each side. Should be cooked through but soft inside.
Serve with a salad, glass of Pinot Grigio
Eggs Benedict (Don’s Way)
This recipe is in my cookbook (page 30) but here for you all to try. My niece asked me for it just moments ago and I thought I would add it here.
This will serve 2 hungary people or 4 light eaters.
- 2 english muffins
- 4 thick slices of Canadian bacon, warmed or smoked salmon lox
- 4 eggs
- Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)
Split, toast and lightly butter the english muffins.
Place the slices of the warmed bacon or lox on top of each half.
Poach the eggs in water that you have put a little vinegar in so they don’t float all over the place.
When eggs are cooked (not over cooked), place gently one on each muffin.
Sauce
- 3 egg yolks
- pinch of salt
- pinch of sugar
- 3 drops of tabasco sauce
- pinch of dry mustard
- juice of half a fresh lemon
- 3/4 cup butter
Combine first 6 ingrediednts in a blender and blend on high to mix. Microwave butter until melted.
Turn blender on high and slowly pour the butter into the yolk mixture in a steady stream until all has been added. When reheating only use hot water, not boiling (to avoid curdling the eggs).
Place an egg on each muffin half and ladle the sauce over the top. Garnish with a wedge of melon or star fruit.
Enjoy!
Best Of The Very Best Seafood In WhiteWine
These are three of ‘best of the best’ seafood (for me, that is) and are exquisite done up this way. Also, this will serve 12.
- 4 x 8 oz. frozen lobster tails
- 2 lbs. raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned
- 2 pkg. frozen king crab, thawed and drained
- 10 tbsp. butter
- 2/3 cup flour
- generous pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. paprika (for colour)
- pinch of white pepper
- 3 – 3 1/2 cups of half and half cream
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups white wine
In a large pot, bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to the boil. Add the lobster tails and return to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon lift out the tails and set aside until able to handle.
Return water to the boil and add the shrimp, return to the boil and reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (until tender) remove and drain.
Drain the crabmeat, remove any cartilage and leave the pieces as big as possible. Remove the meat from the lobster tails, and cut into bite size pieces.
In a Dutch oven, melt the butter and remove from the heat. Stir in the flour, salt, paprika and pepper, stirring until smooth. Gradually stir in about 3 cups of the half and half, mixing until completely smooth.
Bring to a boil stirring constantly then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the wine, again stirring until well combined. Add the seafood, stirring gently to mix and cook over low heat until heated through. DO NOT BOIL.
If the sauce is too thick, add more half and half or wine OR both until the perfect consistency for you and your company.
Cook some fettucine, drain and place on 12 serving plates, add equal amounts of the seafood on each one. Add some garlic toast, chilled white wine, candles and oh my goodness….a perfect evening.
YUMMY…
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.
Light As Air Oatmeal Crunchies
This was a wonderful trial and error cookie. It is sooooo darn good, you will have to make more. I know, I have to now. The ingredient that makes this cookie is….read on and you’ll see.
- 1 cup softened butter, not melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup sifted flour
- 1 1/2 cup Quaker oats (not instant)
- 2 squares of Dalton’s preserved ginger in syrup (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp. ginger syrup
- Icing sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until really light, smooth and creamy.
Add the flour and combine well. Add the oatmeal , chopped ginger and syrup and mix together.
On parchment lined cookie sheets, shape dough into balls about 1 inch in size. With a fork dipped in water, press lightly on top and turn the sheet and press in the opposite direction (cross hatch).
Bake for about 12-16 minutes just until the edges start to turn a golden colour. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few seconds. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely and then sprinkle the tops with icing sugar.
If you give the family a “taster” you might as well give them all the cookies because they will keep coming back for more. Yes they will.
Vanishing Pecan/Oatmeal Cookies
They are called this for a good reason. Make them and you’ll see. Whew! Gone…all of them.
- 1/2 cup plus 6 tbsp. softened butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3 cups Quaker Oats (not instant)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars until creamy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and add the vanilla. Beat well until well combined and smooth.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon and mix. Add to the sugar mixture and mix well. Stir in the nuts and oatmeal, combining well.
Drop by generous teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool one minute on the cookie sheets and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
You can, if you wish, to sprinkle some icing sugar evenly over the cookies while they are hot. The little treats are crispy, tasty and a comfort food. Truly yummy.
Yam and Russet Mashed Potatoes
Last night we had company for dinner and always wanting something a little different, I used yams (orange kind) and large russet potatoes. Try this….
- 2 medium-large yams
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1 large egg
- several tbsp. butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- generous splash of whipping cream (okay,I didn’t say this was diet food, did I?)
Peel and chop into 2 inch pieces both the yam and potatoes and put in a large pot with water. Cook until they are soft right through. Drain. Mash with a potato masher first. This way you don’t get lumps.
Transfer to bowl of mixer, beat until smooth and add the butter, cream cheese, whipping cream and sour cream and mix thoroughly.
Spoon into casserole bowl with lid. If not using right away, cover and put in fridge until dinner time. Add a dollop of butter on top of potatoes and before serving, put in oven of 325 degrees for about 30-40 minutes to heat through.
The colour, of course, is still orange, but the flavour is really scrumptuous.
We served this with freshly steamed asparagus and corn. We had roasted chickens as well.
When we put on dinners, we always plan ahead and prepare ahead as much as possible. This allows you, the host, to spend time with your guests and still be on top of things in the kitchen. Try it!
Yummy!
Lime Cookies
These are a really nice citrusy bite of deliciousness. Easy to make and easier to eat.
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup of butter, room temperataure
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. grated fresh lime zest
- 1 tbsp. lime juice (fresh)
- 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients in a mixer bowl and beat at low speed, scraping the bowl often until really well mixed.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes just until the edges are lightly browned.
Glaze
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- grated lime zest
Mix together until completely smooth. Frost the cookies while still warm and sprinkle with grated lime zest.