Yummmm……I can’t think of anyone I know who doesn’t like caramel. Use this sauce for desserts, ice cream, drinks…….
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 2 tbsp butter
- dash of fresh lemon juice
Combine sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan, cooking without stirring over medium heat until it boils. Wipe down the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush. When sugar begins to brown, swirl CAREFULLY, until dark amber.
Remove from heat and slowly add the cream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add the pod to the mixture.
Add the butter and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Store in the fridge. When ready to serve, rewarm.
You will love this….I am thinking about a martini that could use this…..
Three Cheese Scones
Another great addition to a breakfast of eggs, bacon and juice. You could also serve these at lunch with a salad. They are truly yummy.
- 1/2 cup Emmental cheese
- 1/2 cup Balderson ‘s 5 year aged cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg, separated
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 2 cups flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup very cold, unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the Emmental and cheddar cheeses and only 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, beat a whole egg, egg yolk and cream until well blended. In a food processor mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Grate the cold butter into the flour. Add this to the cheese mixture and mix together.
Add the egg mixture all at once and stir with a fork. Press the dough into a ball and knead gently on a floured surface up to 10 times.
Roll into a circle 1/2″ thick. Place on a parchment covered pan and score the surface into 12 wedges. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Serve warm with butter, scrambled eggs, sausages or bacon and enjoy.
Roasted Swedish Spuds
Potatoes seem to fall into the “same old, same old” way of doing things. Try this and see if it doesn’t wake up the taste buds just a little.
- 6 baking potatoes small enough to fit into a large serving spoon
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted (not margarine)
- grated clove of garlic
- pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp. panko crumbs
- 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
Peel potatoes and place in cold water. Put potato in a spoon, slice 1/8″ apart, just to edge of spoon -do not cut completely through, return to water. Remove each potato and drain. Pat dry. Put cut side up in baking dish. Baste with the melted butterand garlic.
Cook 30 mins at 425 degrees, baste again. Cook another 15 minutes or until they are golden in colour. Add the cheese and panko crumbs during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
What can I say? YUMMY.
Oven Pancake with Fresh Berries
We are expecting company for the weekend and I find this is a really good way to show you are glad they came.
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 5 eggs
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- Fresh berries
- icing sugar/whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grate butter and place in a 9 x 12 glass baking dish. Heat oven until butter has melted.
Combine eggs, sugar, salt in an electric mixer for 1 minute at high speed.
Now, slowly add milk/cream, then flour, then ricotta cheese and finally the baking powder.
Pour into the hot baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes until it has puffed and is starting to brown.
Remove from oven and let sit for about 6-7 minutes before cutting. The center will fall. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream, butter and warm maple syrup.
Now, aren’t you glad you came for a visit.
Fresh coffee is almost finished brewing…..
Dark Chocolate Lover’s Cake
For those of us who love dark chocolate, this is the one recipe to make…..over and over again!
- 3 eggs, separated
- 2/3 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup berry sugar
- 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and beat in the egg yolks and melted chocolate.
Stir in the flour and milk alternately until well blended. Stir in the pecans and vanilla.
Fold in the egg whites until just combined.
In a greased 9 inch springform pan, spread the batter. Bake for about 38-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before trying to remove from the pan. Cool completelybefore icing.
Icing
- 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tbsp. cream
- 1 cup sifted icing sugar
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans for garnish
Melt chocolate with butter and cream in a microwave, medium power, for 2-3 minutes. Lightly whisk in the icing sugar and vanilla until really smooth. Spread on the cake and garnish with the pecans.
Too yummy but remember YOU MUST SHARE….maybe!
Broccolini With Pecan Butter
This another fabulous vegetable to serve. Even the doubters will love it. Try it out, it may become a favourite of yours.
Serves 4-6
- 1 1/2 pounds broccolini (approximately 3 bunches)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Day before: Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add broccolini, stirring to separate and cook about two minutes. Transfer drained broccolini to paper towels to drain. Cool.
Wrap broccolini in several layers of clean paper towels and store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Day of Dinner: Melt butter in large fry pan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and pecans. Sauté until the shallots are softened. Increase to high heat stirring constantly, until the butter is browned and pecans are aromatic (about three minutes). Add the broccolini and heat through. Serve.
I know, you could try to blush when you get all the compliments, but I doubt it. Just smile…who ordered that second martini?
Squash With Nutmeg And Lime
Time for a new veggie dish. I know, but you have to get back to eating GOOD meals and no more over-snacking. Season is almost over.
- 1 – 3 – 3 1/2 lb. butternut squash
- 3 tbsp. good olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3 tsp. lime juice and 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and place one half each on parchment lined cookie sheets. Rub each half with olive oil .
Roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn over and bake another 25 minutes. Make sure it is soft (tender). Carefully remove from the skin and mash with butter until smooth.
Spoon mixture back into the skin and add a few dollops of butter, a mere sprinkling of salt and pepper and now grate from fresh nutmeg over the tops.
Yummy!
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.
Anise Sugar Cookies
These are a pretty cookie and really nice flavour.
You will need:
- 1 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. Anise flavouring
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, sugar, and flavouring until creamy and fluffy (maybe 2 minutes). Reduce speed to low and add remaining ingredients. Again, beat until well mixed (2 minutes).
Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about two inches apart. Flatten the balls with a buttered glass bottom that has been dipped in sugar.
Bake for 8-9 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Cool one minute before removing to a cooling rack.
Icing
- 1 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp. Anise flavouring
- 4-6 tsp. water
- sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Beat the ingredients together except almonds. Put a little icing in the center of the cookies and add a few sliced almonds for decoration.
This makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
One of the recipes I make each year for my ‘give away’ trays. To start, go put on a Christmas CD and go for it.
It makes 48 cookies
You will need:
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 3/4 cup room temperature butter
- 2 tbsp. white Berry sugar
- 1 tsp, grated lemon peel
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl combine flour, cornstarch, icing sugar, butter, sugar, lemon peel and juice. Beat at low speed until really well mixed, about 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a 14″ x 1″ roll. Spread more Berry sugar on a flat surface and roll the dough in it to cover. You could use red or green powdered food colouring to make it festive. Wrap up and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
With a sharp knife, cut into 1/4″ pieces and place on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake 10-12 minutes. These cookies do not brown. Cool, then store in an airtight container. I now freeze mine until the day of the party.
Superb flavour and it is another melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. Aren’t they all?
Enjoy, if you sample, you just may have to double this one.
Free-stone Peach Muffins
I say free-stone because they are, by far, the sweetest peaches around. My own opinion, of course, but….
My grandaughters came for a short visit this weekend and I made these muffins. After all, it is the season for them and so inexpensive to purchase.
You need:
- 2 cups of finely chopped, peeled fresh peaches
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup of soft butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. almond flavouring
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4 cups flour (true)
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- healthy pinch of ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp. cold butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 6 large muffins tins and 12 regular size muffin pan with Pam.
Place the peaches in a bowl and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over them and set aside (No, it will not be too sweet). Mix together and let sit for one hour or so.
Beat together for about 4 minutes, the butter and remaining cup of sugar until pale in colour and really smooth. Add the eggs one at a time beating until fluffy. Add the almond flavouring.
Using an electric mixer, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together. Add the egg mixture being careful not to over mix. This will be stiff. Carefully fold in the peaches.
Fill the muffins tins equally and in a small bowl combine the balance of the flour, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until it resembles a crumb like texture. Place a tablespoon over the top of each one and if there is any left over, just add it to the muffins.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 – 23 minutes until golden brown. Run a knife around the edges of each muffin and remove to a wire rack. Serve these warm with butter and there won’t be any left over. I mention this because the kids took the rest home to eat on the way and also have for their supper. What can I say? I have clever grandkids.
Sour Cream Cookies
These are a tasty little treat instead of the same old, same old.
You will need:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup packed brown sugar (dark)
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla flavouring
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- grated peel from 1 lime
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and grated lime peel.
Cream butter, add sugars and beat until creamy. Add the egg and flavoring, mixing well.
Add the flour, alternating with the sour cream. Set aside to chill.
Divide into rolls, wrap in wax paper and chill for an hour. Cut into slices 1/8 inch thick and bake for 8-10 minutes on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
I have had this recipe in my recipe box for about 22 years. I have no idea where it came from but it is sure tasty.