Don loves making crepes, so I went back into my cookbook and found this one. We made this often in our Bed and Breakfast, and was always a favourite when guests returned. It is not difficult and it is another die-for recipe.
Crepes
- 4 beaten eggs
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 2/3 cup milk
Mix together the first three ingredients: eggs, sugar and butter. Mix in the same bowl the dry ingredients: flour, salt and nutmeg, alternating with milk. Combine all the ingredients as above and pour into a blender, blending until smooth. If making the day ahead, cover and refrigerate. When ready to proceed, blend again.
Line plate with parchment paper. Heat 9 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. batter to the skillet, tip and rotate to spread the batter evenly. Cook until the center of the crepe is cooked through and edges are slightly browned (about a minute). Run a spatula around the crepe and invert onto the plate. Repeat with remaining batter placing parchment paper between each crepe, making at least eighteen crepes.
Butter Sauce
- 6 tsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3 tbsp. Calvados
Make this first in the morning. Put all the ingredients in a pot and boil for about 10-15 minutes and brush on crepes before folding.
Apples
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut in 1/3″ cubes
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp. Calvados
Melt the butter is a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, sprinkle with sugar, salt and cinnamon. Saute until tender (about 3 minutes). Add the Calvados and cook most of the liquid away (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place crepe stack on rimmed baking sheet (yes, keep the paper between the layers). Cover with a sheet of foil and seal the edges. Warm in the oven until heated through. If the crepes are cold – 20 minutes and only 15 minutes if at room temperature.
Heat the Calvados butter sauce in a small saucepan until melted and heated through. Re-warm the apple mixture, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Place one crepe on a plate, browned side down. Spoon 2 tbsp. of the Calvados sauce over the crepe and fold into quarters. Repeat with remaining crepes and butter sauce. Place three on a plate, spoon the apples over the crepe and, if there is any sauce left over, spoon it over the crepes and serve.
This may look daunting but if done in the stages shown here, it is AMAZING.
Trout Burgers With A Herbed Spread
It is that time again (and in some parts of Canada all year long) to brush off the bbq and get ready. This will really awaken your taste buds and you will wonder why you haven’t eaten this one more often. Well now you can.
- 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 lbs. trout, skin removed, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. panko bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 tbsp. canola oil (if needed for frypan)
- 6 Brioche buns, toasted
- 2 ripe avocados, thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups mixed greens
To make the trout burgers, start by mixing the herbs together with the brown sugar, salt and pepper and set aside.
In a mixer with a steel blade attached, pulse the trout only until finely chopped.
Transfer to a bowl and mix in the panko crumbs and oil. Divide into 6 equal sized portions and shape into burgers. Season both sides with the seasoning mix and set aside.
As these burgers are on the fragile side, be REALLY careful on the grill or maybe place in a cast iron frypan that has the oil in it. Cook about 4 minutes each side, flipping only one time.
To assemble, make the herb spread first.
- 8 oz. room temperature cream cheese
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Mix this all together until smooth. Now continue on by spreading the bottom of each toasted bun with this and add the burgers on top. Now, with the top bun set the avocado slices and some greens. Put them together, serve with either French fries or a fresh, chilled salad and, of course, a glass of chilled white wine.
It doesn’t get any better than this, Enjoy!
Christmas Trays 2021
Anyone who knows me or has followed me over the years, knows at this time of year, I do up trays for give away. Don makes his Tourtiere pies and sausage rolls and I do the baking on Nov 11. We also pause at 11 a.m. in respect for our freedom then keep going.
This is the list this year. When done, pictures will appear.
- Christmas Gumdrop cake
- Whipped Shortbread
- Pecan Shortbread
- Butter Tarts
- Citrus Cocada
- Citrus Lace Cookies
- Raspberry Meringues
- Pralines
- Spiced Nuts
- Nuts and Bolts
- Belem Tarts
- New Christmas Cake
- Lemon Shortbread
- Mincemeat Tarts
WHEW!
Apple Pecan Cake With Your Salted Caramel Sauce
Our dear neighbour brought us a cake like this, only using a different nut, and it was gorgeous. Well, here is our version. Give it a try, you may love it like we do. Just sayin’
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. half and half cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 – 2 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes,
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- Pam spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the first 6 items in a bowl and gently whisk to combine.
In your electric mixer, add the butter, sugar and vanilla and beat for about 3 minutes so to make it light and fluffy (more if needed). Now lightly beat the eggs together adding to the mixer, along with the cream. Mix this really well.
Add the apples and pecans to the flour mix to coat them well and then add this to the wet mixture and mix only until the batter is thick.
Spray a 9 inch springform pan with oil spray. Spoon the batter into the pan, spreading with a spoon to even it all out. Bake in the middle of your oven for 30-35 minutes until it springs back when GENTLY touched in the very centre of the cake.
Set an on a rack to completely cool and run a knife around the outer edge of the cake ring and remove.
Cover the cake until you are ready to serve this to all the drooling mouths at the table.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup whipping cream, divided
- 2 tbsp. room temperature butter
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp. kosher or coarse salt only. Do not use regular table salt.
Put the sugar and water in a medium pot. It will look almost too thick, but will thin out as it cooks. Do not stir this until it becomes golden in colour. This should take about 12-13 minutes.
Remove from the heat and very, very slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the whipping cream. If you add this too quickly, it will bubble over. Now whisk in the remining cream until all is absorbed then whisk in the butter and vanilla. Now whisk in the salt.
Serve this warm over the cake, adding whipped cream or Chapman’s vanilla ice cream on the side.
Store any remaining sauce (haha) in a jar in the refrigerator and when wanting to use it again, simply warm it up.
Most Awesome Meatloaf
I am sure everyone grew up with meatloaf recipes being made often, especially in the colder months. Don made this recipe and it was so darned great, we had meatloaf sandwiches Day 1 and ….you have to read on for Day 2.
- 1/2 cup beef stock, divided
- 3 slices white bread, ripped small
- 6 oz. Cremini mushrooms, stems removed, chopped
- 1 onion
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stick, threads removed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/4 lbs. ground beef
- 3/4 lb. ground pork
- 2 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- tsp. pepper, divided
GLAZE
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
Place the mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
Put the bread in a large bowl and add the vegetable mixture, eggs, beef, pork, Worchestershire sauce, 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper and mix lightly and thoroughly. Now here it gets a little different.
Use an oval loaf pan (10 x 12). Place the meat mixture on an 18 x 12 piece of HEAVY DUTY tin foil. Carefully place in the oval pan, pressing the meat up the sides and smooth the top of the meat.
Mix the glaze together and spread over the entire loaf. Place the pan on a parchment lined tray (in case it flows over ) ours didn’t but it saves cleaning up a mess.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 3 hours or until the temperature in the middle is 160 degrees.
Now….we bought previously, cheese hamburger buns from Save on Foods. Place them in the oven (sliced) for a few minutes until they are warm in the oven and the top is crispy to the touch. Bring them out, add your mayo, mustard and a generous slice of the meatloaf. OMG! These are wonderful. End of Day 1.
Wrap the pan in tin foil and place in the fridge for overnight.
Day 2, Slice the meatloaf so it can be fried to get a bit of a sear, serve with a green salad, corn on the cob (halved) and a green salad. Now, you should have a glass of wine/beer and this is to die for.
The flavours in this meatloaf will have you actually trying to lick your plate.
Cornbread With Frozen Sweet Corn
Having two members of the family who are here loving Cornbread and I am always looking and trying different recipes, here is one and I swear it is THE best Cornbread I have ever made. Kudos to the Spruce Eats.
- 1 cup sifted flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed, drained and patted dry
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
In a small bowl combine the half and half, beaten eggs, butter and sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix only until moistened – no more than 15 seconds.
Fold in the corn but don’t overmix this or the cornbread will be tough.
Pour into a well greased cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Serve with a bit of butter and light drizzle of honey. ODG!!!
Next time I am going to add some cheese in the batter and see how that comes out.
Seafood Risotto-Best Yet
For me, Risotto is the ultimate comfort food. When you make this one, it will probably hit number 1 on your list as well.
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped small onion
- pinch of salt
- pinch each of white pepper and black pepper
- 6 cups seafood stock
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 2 lbs. shrimp and scallops
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley leaves
In a large frypan, heat the oil on a medium heat and add the onions. Season with salt and peppers, cooking until the onions are soft. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
Add the stock and garlic, bring this to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
Reduce the heat and add the rice, stirring constantly, cook for about 12 minutes.
Lightly season the seafood and continue cooking for 6 minutes. Stir in the butter, cream, cheese and simmer a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, spoon the risotto into a serving dish and garnish with parsley.
In a word: YUM, YUM and YUM. So delicious.
Cheese Pinwheels For a Virtual Party
During this self-isolating time, people are having virtual parties. This is Friday, invite your family and friends for a virtual party and go for it.
- 1 sheet butter puff pastry, thawed
- 1/2 cup jarred red peppers, drained, chopped and patted dry
- 1/2 cup Fontina cheese (or your favourite)
- 1/4 cup grated Asiago Cheese
- 1/4 lightly packed, sliced thin fresh Basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Roll out the pastry and set aside. Quickly mix together all the ingredients and sprinkle over the pastry.
Tightly roll this up and place seam side down on waxed paper. Wrap this up, making sure to twist the ends and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove the wax paper, slice in 1/2 inch rounds and place on a parchment lined baking sheet one inch apart.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes until golden.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Bite Sized Beef Wellington
We could call this a special treat to enjoy when watching so much television during this stressful time but I will just tell you they are sooooo yummy. Here goes and I am sure you will make it again and again.
- 1 carton mushrooms
- 1 shallot, cut in half
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 350 g ground beef
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 sheets frozen butter puff pastry, thawed
- 1/3 cup duck or liver pate’
- 1 egg
In food processor, pulse together the mushrooms, shallot and garlic until finely chopped.
In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter over a medium temperature and cook the mushroom mixture until the shallot has softened (about 4 minutes). Now add the beef, 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, salt and pepper, cooking until the beef is no longer pink.
Pour in the wine, and cook stirring until no liquid remains (about 3 minutes).
Scrape into a bowl and let cool down to lukewarm. About 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, unroll 1 sheet of the pastry and cut into 16 squares. Press 1 square into each of a 16 mini muffin pan wells, leaving a bit on an overhang.
Spoon 1 tbsp. of the beef mixture into each well, top each one with pate and fold the overhang over the top of the filling.
Whisk the egg in some water and lightly brush over the pastry and now sprinkle the remaining thyme over the tops and bake in a 425 degree oven. Run a knife around the edges to remove them easily from the pan. Serve warm.
Champs Fleury Cheese And Ham Melts
This is a wonderful quick lunch or even faster dinner when you don’t want to cook or don’t have the time. Yummy to say the least.
- 4 Brioche Hamburger buns
- 1/2 grated garlic clove (optional)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 cups Champs Fleury cheese, sliced thin or even grated
- 1 cup chopped cooked ham
- 2 cups sauteed mushrooms in 1/4 cup butter
Slice the buns in half and brush melted butter on the cut sides. If using garlic, sprinkle a bit of the grated garlic equally on the buns.
Place the buns on a cookie sheet and set in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Turn the pan around and bake 5 minutes more.
Combine the cheese and ham and spoon on each of 4 buns. Now generously spoon the mushrooms over the top. Add more cheese on top and broil only until melted. Place the top side of the bun at an angle and watch the faces of those getting one.
If you can eat more than one, simply double the recipe. Darn,,,this has made me hungary.
Chicken Breasts With Egg Noodles
Here is a quick and easy dinner to make when the schedules make time a premium in your household or you want to impress company.
- 4 chicken breasts, boned
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. grated onion
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/4 cup Pinot Grigio wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup Pinot Grigio wine
- 1 pint sour cream
- 1/2 of 340g pkg. extra broad egg noodles
- 1 bunch of asparagus, cleaned and steamed
Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the grated onion, garlic and brown the chicken breasts.
Place the chicken in a casserole dish, skin side up, and add the wine, onion and garlic. Cover and cook for 350 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the cover and cook a further 15 minutes.
In a small saucepan, add the remaining wine and sour cream, whisking together until smooth,. Heat through but do not boil.
Clean the asparagus and steam until done to your liking.
Distribute the cooked noodles equally on 4 plates, and top each one with a chicken breast. Cover each with lots of the delicious sauce and place a few spears of asparagus along side.
Watch your guests devour this up.
YUM!
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.