Sometimes it is just fun to make a dessert up and present it in a different way. This is a lovely Apple Pie but made up in a bowl. Read on….
- Pastry of your choice (in a box, frozen or your own)
- 4 Braeburn apples, cored and peeled)
- 4 Granny Smith apples (cored and peeled)
- 1 cup caramel ice cream topping (or your own homemade)
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts
- 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
- 2 tbsp. butter, cut in 8 small pieces
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 egg white
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine 1/2 of the caramel sauce, pistachios and pie spice. Set aside.
In a large bowl, slice the apples and toss to mix them up. Equally fill the ramekins with the apples, drizzle the caramel sauce over the apple slices, Add a pat of butter on each pie and squeeze a tsp. of lemon juice over each one.
When you have your pastry rolled out, cut into 8 squares, lay a square of pastry over each pie, pinching the corners with your fingers. It won’t cover the pie completely so don’t panic.
Set these out in a parchment lined baking dish and set the ramekins on.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp. water with an egg white and brush the pastry,
Bake these for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the apples are cooked through. Remove to a rack and let cool for 20 minutes. While still warm and just as you are about to serve, drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over each pie and add a light sprinkle of cinnamon. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side wouldn’t hurt either.
Grilled Cheese Gourmet Style And Salad
Grilled cheese must be comfort food at its best. To take it up a notch, try this one. You will be a heroine for sure.
- 1 tsp. liquid honey
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 thinly sliced apple
- 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cheddar cheese,
- artisanal bread, sliced
- 1 tbsp. melted butter,
Brush each slice of the bread on the outside with the melted butter. Layer with the first layer of cheese, then the apple and avocado, another cheese layer, and topping with the 2nd slice of bread.
Heat a fry pan over medium heat and place a sandwich in the pan. Cook until it is golden and then turn over and repeat. This should take about 5 minutes.
Repeat this for each of the 4 sandwiches.
Salad
- 2 cups baby mixed greens,
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
- 1 green apple, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. fig balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. Crisco oil
- 1 tsp. liquid honey
Mix all together in a bowl and divide equally on 4 plates with the sandwiches.
YUM!
Drumsticks to Love
Okay, the gang is coming over and you want to make a snack to chomp on during the game. Well, here is a great one. You can vary the amounts, depending on how many people you will have over.
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 16 chicken drumsticks
- 3/4 cup Panko crumbs
- 3/4 finely chopped pistachios
- salt and pepper to taste
In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the honey and mustard and simmer for 7-8 minutes. Remove from h eat.
With a brush, coat the chicken legs all over with the butter mixture.
In a separate bowl, add the bed crumbs, nuts, salt and pepper and roll the legs in it to completely coat. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake until tender and brown. This should take 45-50 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
The only thing to supply now is a pile of napkins and small plates.
Chocolate Muffins With Coconut Topping
When we ran the B & B for so many years, I always had different muffins on the go, and this combination makes this one another one to try. They won’t last long either.
Topping
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate melting discs, divided
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1/3 cup toasted pistachios, chopped
This is made in two steps.
- Combine the cream cheese, sugar and flour, mixing until smooth. Add the egg and beat to combine. Stir in 2/3 cup of the melting discs and set aside
- In another bowl, add the remaining melting discs, coconut and pistachios. Set aside
Batter
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup baking chocolate powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of cinnamon
- 1 cup strong black coffee, room temperature
- 1/3 cup Crisco oil
- 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, chocolate powder, soda and cinnamon, whisking together until well combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together the coffee, oil and vinegar. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixing until moistened. Do not over beat.
In a prepared muffin tin, fill half full and then add a rounded tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture and top with 1 tbsp. of the coconut mixture.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out on rack to cool. Serve warm.
Peach Pistachio Trout With Roasted Cauliflower
This is an easy dinner that you can certainly serve even when company comes to call.
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- pinch of cardamom and salt
- 4 trout fillets (5-6 oz. each)
- 4 tsp. peach jam (in our house – homemade using peaches grown in our yard)..sorry!
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. After cutting cauliflower into bite-size florets, toss with 2 tbsp. oil, the coriander, cumin, cardamom and salt. Spread out in single layer on one baking sheet and bake in the bottom third of the oven until edges are golden , stirring halfway through the 30 minute time. Set aside but keep warm.
Arrange the trout fillets skin side down, on the second prepared sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Brush the peach jam over the tops of the trout. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top, pressing gently to ensure they stick. Bake in the top third of the oven until a knife inserted into the thickest part of the fish comes out warm. Approximately 15 minutes.
When serving, plate the cauliflower in the center of each plate and set the trout fillet over the top. Add a chilled green salad on the table as well as lemon or lime wedges.
Truly yummy!
Green Beans With A Cranberry/Pistachio Dressing
After another trip to Penticton yesterday, it was too late to post a recipe. I’m back now so today,I think this one may be a wonderful addition to the Easter Dinner, coming up soon, so you should be prepared.
- 1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
- 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim stem end from beans, wash before putting into the pot and blanch until tender crisp (about 8 minutes). Drain and put into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking further. Drain and arrange on a small serving platter.
Mix the pistachios, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, garlic and a pinch of salt together. Heat a fry pan with olive oil, add the nuts and cook, stirring constantly until the pistachios are heated through (2 minutes).
Remove from heat and add the vinegar and parsley. Spoon dressing over the beans and serve immediately.
Great addition to your dinner.
Valentine’s Guacamole
You really didn’t think I would load it up with garlic for Valentine’s, did you? Really?
Try this…it IS tasty.
- 6 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- Fine zest from 1 lime
- 1 cup shelled, toasted and chopped pistachios
In a bowl, mash the avocado, zest and lime juice together with a fork. Fold all but 3 tbsp. pistachios in and season with a little salt.
Sprinkle the remaining pistachios over the top and serve immediately with warm tortilla chips. (about 10-12 seconds in the microwave will do it). This way, they taste just out-of-the-oven fresh.
As this is just the starter, make sure you everything else ready to go and now just sit together and enjoy a glass of bubbly or O’Doull’s. It doesn’t matter what…just do it and see what happens next…..(censored).
Smiles all around…
Baked Brie With Sun-Dried Tomato and Pistachio Topping
When entertaining, Brie is the ‘go to’ food to serve with crackers and, of course, some wine. Just have napkins, small plates and utensils for serving.
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios (shelled of course)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3 tbsp. grated Asiago cheese
- 2 tbsp. oil from the tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lb. round Brie cheese
- crackers/toasted baguette slices
Combine the first six ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the cheese on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and carefully pile the tomato-nut mixture on top. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the Brie feels soft on the edge. Using a large spatula (or two) carefully transfer to a serving platter and surround with crackers/toasted baguettes.
You soon will have the reputation of being the ‘hostess with the mostess’. Go for it.
Christmas Morning Parfait
Make it easy this morning as you will be having a super busy day….this will help you de-stress as well.
This will serve 4 so adjust the amounts to suit the number of people at your table this morning.
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp. lime zest
In a small pot, combine these ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat as soon as the sugar has completely dissolved. Cool now to room temperature.
Pistachio Pesto
- 1 cup pistachios, shelled, chopped
- 10 mint leaves
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- lime infused syrup (1 cup syrup with lime zest from 1 lime)
- 1 x 500g container of vanilla yogurt
- 1 pint of fresh raspberries
Combine the pistachios, mint leaves and vanilla in a food processor and lime infused syrup for about 25-28 seconds, until it has the consistency of a pesto.
Put 2 tbsp of the pesto in the bottom of a pretty glass, and layer 3-4 heaping tbsp. of the yogurt, a layer of the raspberies and repeat the layers, finishing with 2 more heaping tbsp. of the pesto.
In case you haven’t focused yet, these are the colours of the season. Enjoy!
White Chocolate And Mango Yogurt
I love mango yogurt and this is so much less ‘commercial’ and more ‘you’ in the yogurt. Watch what it takes….it’s super easy and so darn delicious.
- 1 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1 mango, chopped ( about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup toasted and chopped pistachios
- 1/3 cup grated good quality white chocolate
- 2-3 tsp. liquid honey
In a shallow dish, combine everything up to the honey, stirring until combined. Add the honey to sweeten. This can be eaten like this or added on top with granola.
This will serve 4 people.
Fresh Peach/Pistachio/Raisin Cake
This is the season of peaches and yes, we have our own peach tree. Right now, the branches are really drooping from the weight of them all, so it is time to get busy…desserts, jam making….on and on.
- 1 1/4 cups Crisco oil
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 4 extra large eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 3 1/2 cups peeled, diced peaches
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
Beat the oil, sugars and eggs in your mixing bowl. Combine the next 6 dry ingredients. mixing well to combine.
Add the peaches, pistachios and raisins, stirring until just combined. Spread out in a 10 inch tube pan (angel food pan) that you have sprayed with Pam.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the centre, comes out clean.
Cool 15 minutes on a rack and then invert onto the rack until it cools completely.
To serve, sprinkle the cake top with icing sugar or add a generous dollop of whipped cream on each slice, once plated.
Enjoy!
Broiled Peaches With Creme Fraiche, Pistachios And Balsamic Vinegar
This is a light dessert; great either following a heavier meal or in the summer on the deck. Try it, it could well become a favourite of all who sit at your table.
- 1-2 tbsp. sugar
- 4 peaches, peeled, halved and pitted
- 8 – 10 tsp. creme fraiche
- 3 tbsp. chopped pistachios
- balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Preheat the broiler. Place sugar in a small flat plate. Dip the cut side of the peaches in the sugar to coat and transfer to a broiler proof dish.
Broil, rotating just one time, until all the peaches are caramelized. (4-5 minutes)
Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly and top with the creme fraiche, chopped pistachios and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.