If you are going to be bad….then be really bad! Just kidding, these are not as ‘bad’ as you might first think.
- Liquid honey for coating the donuts
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 large lemon, zest only
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
- Crisco oil, to fill a large pot
Prepare a separate dish with a thin layer of honey and set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix really well. Put this batter in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for one hour. While waiting for this long hour to pass, make the sauce below.
Now the batter has chilled,. heat the pot of oil to 300 degrees. Using a small metal ice cream scoop, carefully scoop 2 tbsp. of the batter into the boiling oil. You can place 6-7 donuts at a time. Leave them in the oil for about 4 minutes, turning them over to cook evenly. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the oil and place in the honey bowl. Swirl the donuts to cover.
Serve these on plates (3 per person) and an individual sauce boat of the dipping sauce on each plate.
Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped.
Bring the cream to a soft boil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined, melted and completely smooth . Drizzle a small amount over the donuts that are on the plate and pour some into small sauce boats and serve to your guests.
To be a really cool host…serve with a well chilled Riesling wine.
Ha! You did it again.
Sweet Potato Soup With White Cheddar Crisps
Ahh! Lunchtime and what to serve? That is a question asked in millions of kitchens on a daily basis, I think. This is one superb soup and costs less than two dollars a bowl. Ready to see?
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes (the orange kind)
- 2 green onions, coarsely chopped
- 14 oz. chicken broth (if vegetarian, use vegetable broth)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp. curry powder
- 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- paprika (optional for garnish)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potatoes all over with a knife. On paper towels, microwave for about 6-8 minutes or until tender, making sure to turn them over once during the cooking time.
Remove from the microwave and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop all the flesh out and put in a food processor. Add the onion and one half of the broth and puree until smooth.
Transfer to a large saucepan and add the remaining ingredients, except the paprika and cook until heated through.
To make the cheese crisps, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and make mounds (8) and place them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 4-5 minutes until melted and starting to brown. Cool slightly and then remove with a metal spatula. Serve two with each bowl of soup.
If you wish, sprinkle a little paprika over the top of the soup.
YUMMY!
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
Berries Sabayon
With the bounty of fresh berries this time of year – take your pick: Raspberries, blackberries or strawberries- any one would be perfect with the sabayon sauce.
- 2 pints berries, washed and drained
Sabayan Sauce
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup Chambord or Creme de Framboise
- 1/3 cup heavy whipped cream
In the top of a double boiler with an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat the yolks until thick. Gradually beat in the sugar until light and soft peaks form.
Place the top of the double boiler over simmering water (not touching the bottom of the top pot) slowly beat in the liqueur until it becomes fluffy and the mixture forms mounds (about 5 minutes).
Remove from the heat and set the pot in ice water. Beat this mixture until it becomes cool. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
Refrigerate sauce, covered, until ready to serve.
In your prettiest dessert bowls, place berries (equally of course) . Take the sauce from the refrigerator and give it a stir. Pour over the fruit. To make up for the lack of calories – ha! serve with some shortbread cookies.
Oh, my goodness this is soooooo yummy!
Skewered Salmon
This is a great appetizer to make when entertaining oudoors. Botttled sauces make it easy but don’t be fooled – tasty it is for sure.
- 6 small skewers – soak in water for an hour
- 1/2 lime
- 2 tbsp. each plum and oyster sauces
- 1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
- 8 oz. skinless salmon fillet, 1/2 inch thick
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
Start the barbecue. Squeeze 2 tsp. lime juice into a small bowl. Stir in the plum, oyster, ginger and garlic. Set aside.
Slice the salmon lengthwise into 6 strips. Brush the sauce over the salmon on both sides and place on skewer. Place on barbecue for 2 minutes. Carefully turn over and add more glaze, cooking another 2-3 minutes more.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bananas Foster French Toast
Anyone who had ever stayed at our B & B or even had a dinner in our home knows that I have never been shy when it comes to calories…..can’t help it. If you want fabulous food, then you must pay for it….just kidding. That comment probably has the ire of any dietician reading this.
Never mind…this is one fabulous French Toast.
- 2 cups whipping cream (heavier the better)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 4 slices of brioche
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 4 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- 2 tbsp. rum
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 pint whipping cream
In a large bowl combine the cream, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well combined. In a smaller bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Dip the slices of bread into the cream mixture and use half of the sugar mixture, sprinkling on both sides.
Melt the butter in a frypan and when hot, cook as many pieces of bread as the pan will hold, cooking until a golden brown.
Heat remaining butter in another pan. Sprinkle the bananas with the sugar, add pecans. Remove from heat and stir in the rum and cook until caramelized. Place 2 slices of bread on a plate, pour the banana mixture over them and, of course, add the whipped cream.
A cup of freshly brewed coffee will complete this meal. Many groans and moans of pleasure will follow. Yummy!
White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
While at the store yesterday, we bought some magnificent strawberries. Red, ripe, juicy and I thought this would be a great way to showcase them.
- 2 tbsp. berry sugar
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated orange peel
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated lime peel
- 6-8 ounces white chocolate (good quality)
- 16 large ripe strawberries
In a small bowl, combine the berry sugar and citrus peel.
In metal bowl over a small pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
Stir with a rubber spatula and when smooth, dip the strawberries halfway up the middle and sprinkle with the citrus sugar.
Lay on a parchment paper lined tray and place in the fridge to set. Put in a pretty serving bowl or plate, add some picks to use and enjoy.
Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs
I usually promote doing up recipes for company but I am wanting to be selfish and keep this one for my beloved husband and me. Both our favourite things to devour……
- 8 scallops
- 16 large shrimp, deveined, peeled, making sure to leave last shrimp with tail on
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. ginger, grated
- 8 wooden skewers, soaking in water
- 1 tbsp.oil
- 1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
Slice the scallops in half so you get 2 circles from each one; then in a mixing bowl, combine the scallops, shrimp, lime juice, fish sauce and ginger together and marinate for about 10 minutes.
Thread two shrimp and two pieces of scallop on each skewer. Brush with the oil and place on a preheated grill for about 2 minutes on each side. Do not over cook.
When seafood is cooked, transfer skewers to plates sprinkled with the chopped parsley and drizzle with the “Champagne Butter” and serve immediately. Perfect appetizer.
Champagne Butter
2 cups Champagne or sparkling white wine
1/4 cup grated shallot
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
pinch of freshly ground white peppercorns
1 cup of unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
pinch of salt and pepper
In a heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the butter and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until it has reduced down to about 1/4 cup and becomes like syrup. This should take about 18-20 minutes. Reduce the heat to really low and whisk in the butter, two cubes at a time, allowing to dissolve completely before adding more. This should become a creamy consistency. Keep this warm while cooking the scallops and shrimp and then plate as noted above.
Want me to share? Pass the wine and I’ll think about it….
Malted Milk Shakes-Yum!
This isn’t something that should be consumed every day, but in all fairness, you will think you probably should. It is yummy! Maybe you have to be in our age bracket to even remember what malted milk shakes taste like. If that is the case, go for it.
- 3/4 whole milk (really cold) and not skim
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds removed
- 2 1/2 cups Chapman’s or Tillamook vanilla ice cream
- 2 tbsp. malted milk powder (dry milk powder section of grocery stores)
- 1/4 cup malted milk balls like Maltesers, crushed
Place two 12 oz. glasses in the freezer and chill for 1-2 hours (or overnight).
Pour milk in the blender, add the vanilla seeds. Cover and blend for about 20 seconds. Add the ice cream and malted milk powder and blend until thick and creamy. Scrape the sides often to ensure a proper mix and that is is smooth.
Pour into glasses, add a straw and sprinkle the crushed balls over the top.
You can change the vanilla ice cream for chocolate. YUM! When I was a teenager and working after school, the store I worked at had “malted milk shakes”. Oh yeah
Crab Creme Brulee
I was reading a magazine article the other day and it suggested “IF THE RECIPE SOUNDS TOO INVOLVED, DON ‘T DO IT”. Boy is that ever wrong. If I think it could be a challenge, I always say to read it through first
If you don’t try to do something you have never done before, how will you learn? Everything new is a bit challenging the first time, but once under the belt, whooppee! you did it. Hence, the mantra “damn I can do this”.
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp. flour
- 1/2 cup Havarti cheese, diced
- cayenne to taste
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 2/3 cup well drained crabmeat
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
Preheat your broiler. In a saucepan heat the cream and milk until it starts to steam. Beat the egg yolks for a good 2 minutes and then beat in the flour.
Pour a little warm milk into the egg mixture to temper it and pour it all back into the saucepan. Cook until it becomes thick and coats the back of a spoon.
Add the cheese, and stir until it is all melted. Add the cayenne, salt and pepper and, again, stir into the mix.
In 4 buttered ramekins, divide the avocado and crabmeat equally and be sure to sprinkle the top of this with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning. Pour the cheese mixture on top and now sprinkle the sugar on top.
Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and put under the broiler for about 4 – 4 1/2 minutes. Watch so it doesn’t burn.
You have just upped the ante big time. Different but yummy. Makes a superb appetizer. This can be served warm or hot. Add a fresh dinner roll and, of course, the chilled glass of wine.
On with the rest of the dinner…….
Ginger Sour Cream Cake
This is so beautiful when done and sitting, sparkling, on the plate. It is almost a shame to cut into it….someone has to do it…oh where are the cake police?
Read through first and then go for it. It is not hard, just extremely delicious and you will want to cut into it before it is done.
Using soft butter, brush the inside of the bundt pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup raw sugar (turbinado sugar, easy to buy)
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 4 tsp. ground ginger
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of soft butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 generous cup sour cream
- 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
Brush your bundt pan with the softened butter and sprinkle the raw sugar all over the pan to cover completely.
Whisk all the dry ingredients together in your electric mixing bowl and beat in the 2 sticks of butter until completely smooth.
Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes. Add the whole eggs, one at a time beating well after each one to incorporate.
Beat the egg yolk and vanilla into the mixture, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add the flour mixture in three sections, alternating with the sour cream. Mix in the crystallized ginger. CAREFULLY spoon the batter into the bundt pan so not to mess the sugar on the sides.
Bake until a light golden in colour (about 55 minutes) and a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake will have a few small crumbs on it when removed.
Ever so gentle, tap the bottom edge of the pan on a work surface to dislodge the cake, rotating until loosened. Place rack on top of pan and invert the cake.
Ginger Infused Peaches
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into slivers
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
- 8 cups of peeled, sliced peaches
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil until it becomes a scant 1 cup liquid. This should be about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup over the peach slices and fold them over until all covered.
Do about 2 hours ahead of plating and keep chilled. Slice the cake, and place a generaous amount of the peaches and syrup on the side. Oh, did I forget the whipped cream? Sorry…..add as needed.
Your guests will want to move in now!