For our New Year’s Eve Dinner, we made the ‘blushing’ pear salad.
- 3/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cinnamon stick
- 2 Bosc pears, peeled but keep stems attached
- 3 cups green leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn into pieces
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. pomegranate juice
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp. honey
- crumbled chevre
- sprinkle of candied pecans, broken up
Place pomegranate juice, sugar, wine and cinnamon into a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and gently stir until the sugar dissolves.
Peel the pears but keep in stem intact.
Place the pear in the simmering liquid and cover. It will take about 20 minutes until tender. Be sure to turn occasionally. Once tender, remove from the heat and let cool down. Turn the pears over often while cooling so the colour is even.
Divide the lettuce on two fancy plates. Halve the pears and core them. Cut each half into slices. Divide the slices over the two plates.
Combine the oil, juices, mustard and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer, stirring often for about 2-3 minutes (it will thicken slightly). Add the chevre pieces and candied pecans over the top of the salad and spoon some of the warm sauce over the salad.
Absolutely scrumptuous.
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.
Overnight Coffee Cake
This is a good one to start when you have invited the girls over for coffee in the morning. It is done when you get up and all you have to do is bake it.
- 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs beating well to combine and add the sour cream and, again, mix well.
Combine all the dry ingredients and gently combine. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch greased and floured baking pan.
Topping
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Cover with tin foil and set in the fridge overnight.
Remove from the fridge in the morning and let sit for 1 hour. Then bake in a 350 degreee oven for about 38-40 minutes.
Yummy!
Raspberry/Blackberry Soup
We had a big dinner for the management team that built our house and we served this soup. We still hear them talking about it – in a good way!
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 cup water, divided
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup white cranberry juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 8 oz. raspebrry/cranberry yogurt (fabulous)
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- powdered cinnamon
Put the berries and 1/4 cup of water in the blender amd puree until smooth. In a large saucepan combine pureed fruit with remaining water, cranberry juice, sugar, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and cool.
Strain soup into a large bowl (this will take a few minutes, so be patient). Add the lemon juice and yogurt, whisking until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until very cold.
When ready to serve, add a dollop of sour cream in the center and a light sprinkle of powdered cinnamon.
This is another fabulous cold soup and a great change of pace for the taste buds.
Taste Rate – 12 out of 10
Individual Pumpkin Tarts With A Twist
This is slightly different. Again, as this is my third baking of pumpkin today, it has been changed up.
You will need pastry dough, perferrably one you made, but if the frozen kind, thaw and then roll out so you can cut out the circles. I used 4″ pans with removable bottoms. Put the pastry in and fit to the top, just you would if making a pie.
Now with a pastry brush, heat some marionberry jam or a tart fruit jelly and brush the bottom of the pastry.
You need:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups solid packed pure pumpkin
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup of jelly or jam (no lumps).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook for about 30 – 40 minutes, and cool on a rack, lightly covered with a bowl or tin foil. This will allow the pie to continue cooking while it cools and there are no cracks on the surface. True!
Angel Bits
This is an extra touch for any dinner party. Everyone knows chocolate and martinis go well together. Try it and you will see.
- 1 1/2 lb good quality white chocolate
- 1/4 cup vanilla vodka
- 3 oz. good quality dark chocolate’
- 2-3 tbsp. whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preparation:
Melt white chocolate and vodka in a metal bowl over a saucepan of hot, simmering water. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn. Pour onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
Melt the dark chocolate and add the cinnamon. Drizzle over the mixture, swirling the chocolate mixture with a knife. Refrigerate until set and break into pieces.
Set out in a pretty bowl at your next gathering. Goes with your drinks.
Tenderloin For All Occasions
Serves 4
- 2 pork tenderloins
- 4 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
This is really simple-place the tenderloins in a roasting pan (silver skin removed) and combine all the ingredients and pour over the tenderloins. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 155 degrees. You can also add blueberries and a touch of cinnamon to the sauce. If you do, be sure to add a little butter as well to make it glisten.
Remove from oven and let rest for five to eight minutes. Slice thin and serve, spooning any drippings over the sliced meat.
This doesn’t get any easier, but it tastes like it took more.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
I just made this loaf and while the beautiful aroma wafts into my office, I am going to share it with you.
This makes 3 loaves (1 to eat now, 2 to freeze for later)
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 (15 oz) can PURE pumpkin (not pie filling)
- 1 cup Crisco Oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup pecans (or Skor chips)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans (9 x 5 inch).
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, and water. Beat until smooth.
Add flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Fold in the chips and pecans.
Bake for one hour and cool a few minutes. Ice and then sprinkle on toasted and crushed pecans.
This is SCRUMPTIOUS to say the least.
Beignets
Don’t laugh but when Don and I were travelling the south of France a few years ago, my ‘bucket list’ was to find and devour Beignets. These are wonderful french delectables. We found them only once and it was a beach kiosk in Cannes. that was it. Ha Ha! Here is the recipe.
Needed:
- 1 pkg dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 egg, well beaten
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 2 tbsp. melted butter (never margarine)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups flour
- deep fryer if you have one or 4 inches of oil for frying in a deep sided fry pan
- Icing sugar
- Berry sugar mixed with a touch of cinnamon
In electric mixer dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Now add the milk, beaten egg,vanilla, butter, sugar and salt. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time on medium speed for about a minute. Dough will be sticky. Work with 1/4 of the dough at a time. Place on a well floured board and roll out to about 1/8″ thick.
Cut dough into 2 inch squares. Preheat oil to 370 degrees. Fry the square (few at a time). When they rise to the top, flip them over and cook until golden. Dust with the sugar (either one) and be sure to serve warm.
Oh, did I say you would be making these EVERY DAY?
Taste Rating: 9.9
Cold Outside, Fireplace Inside and….
For the cosiest of time and the loveliest of drinks, go for this one. I could call it a martini but we would be lying. It takes heat proof glasses….
You will need (if serving 6)
- 4 cups eggnog,
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder,
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup grated semi-sweet chocolate
- 8 oz. cinnamon vodka
Garnish: cinnamon sticks and more grated chocolate.
In a large saucepan, combine eggnog, cocoa and cinnamon and whisk together until combined. heat until it simmers only (NOT BOIL). Add the chocolate and whisk together until melted. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon vodka. Pour into heat-proof glasses or mugs that are rimmed with grated chocolate. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
What gingerbread house? what Christmas turkey…you get the picture. Drink responsibly and really enjoy the moment and the season. Anyone for jammies and popcorn?
Pumpkin Pie
This will make two pies: if you only need one, freeze the second or invite a friend for coffee.
- 4 eggs
- 1-796 ml can of pure pumpkin (E.D.Smith is the best)
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. grated candied ginger (usually one piece is more than enough)
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
- 2 from scratch pie crusts
Beat eggs slightly. Add pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt and mix until well blended and smooth.
Blend in the milk and divide filling into pie shells. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes and lower heat temperature to 350 degrees for about another 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted in the centre of the pies comes out clean.
Cool. Serve with some cinnamon flavoured whipped cream. The heart you see is a tradition that got started one year only because I forgot to put it on. Later on that.
Keep it tasty, I always say!
Taste Rating: 9.9