The only thing you could use here is a 11 x 8 inch fluted removable bottom tart pan OR simply use a 14 x 5 inch tart pan.
This is a yummy way to start the day…add a couple pieces of bacon/sausages, fresh juice and steaming coffee and you have it made and those at the table will be drooling. Yup! It’s a winner.
- 6 cups flakes (crushed) You pick whatever flakes you want – but not sugar coated
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 1 1/4 cup thick yogurt (Greek style)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup liquid honey
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 4 – 5 ripe Bartlett pears, cored, sliced thin, not peeled
- 1/2 cup lime marmalade (not too hard to find, but it is available)*
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl combine the crushed flakes, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Press into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Bake for 9-10 minutes until it turns a nice golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
While this is baking, pour the water into a glass measuring cup and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften and place in the microwave on high for 15 seconds, stir twice. Make sure it has all dissolved and then add the yogurt, milk, honey, pistachios and the vanilla. Pour this into the tart pan and refrigerate overnight. Be sure to cover with plastic wrap so a scum doesn’t form.
In the morning, remove from the fridge and let warm to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Remove from the tart pan and now lay out the thinly sliced pears in a pretty pattern. Warm the marmalade and generously spoon over the pear slices to avoid discolouration and, for a garnish, sprinkle grated lime zest down the center of the tart.
To serve, place a slice of the tart in the center of the plate, add a couple slices of bacon or sausages and away you go.
* You can find the lime marmalade in Safeway, or any major grocer in your area. Also there are other varieties such as a ginger marmalade (totally scrumptious), a lemon marmalade….it doesn’t have to be orange, and that is the point.
YUMMY!
Lamb Burgers With A Peach/Pistachio Chutney
If you have never had a lamb burger, this would be a good one to start with. The flavours are so perfect together.
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 large egg yolk
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 portobello mushrooms caps
- olive oil
- 4 buns
- gouda cheese slices
- thinly sliced cucumber slices
In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, salt, pepper and egg yolk. Shape into 4 burgers and refrigerate.
Preheat the barbecue on high and brush the grill and oil. In the meantime, make the chutney.
Chutney
- 2 tbsp. shallots, minced
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 4 tbsp. dried peaches, diced
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 4 tbsp. peach nectar
- 3 tbsp. chopped pistachios
- dash of fig balsamic vinegar
In a skillet, sweat the shallots in butter, but do not brown. Add the peaches, nectar and honey. Simmer until the liquid has disappeared. Set aside and cool to room temperature. Add the pistachios and a dash of balsmic vinegar. Refrigerate while now grilling the burgers.
Grill the burgers until cooked. While the heat is high, brush the mushroom caps with oil on both sides and grill both sides until done. Set these aside.
Turn off the burners and grill the buns and keep warm. Also add a slice of cheese on each burger. Close the lid and let the cheese melt.
Place a burger on each bun, add the mushroom cap and a dollop of the chutney, a couple of the cucumber slices for that extra crunch and top with the other half of the bun. This is very yummy.
Pistachio Smoothies For Breakfast
Wracking your brain for something utterly delicious but no one has ever had before? This is a goodie. It is not in my B & B Cookbook, so you are getting it here now.
- 2 1/2 cup plain yogurt (NOT GREEK)
- 1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 – 3/4 cups pistachios (salted, in shell)
- 1 tsp. ginger syrup
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
Spend a couple of minutes and shell the pistachios and coarsely chop.
In a blender put all the ingredients, except the whipping cream and blend until completely smooth. Add the whipping cream and blend a few seconds until a nice, thick consistency (not too thick like a milkshake).
Pour into pretty, chilled glasses and top with some crushed pistachios.
Serve with croissants, butter, slices of melon, coffee….yummmmm What a way to start the day. Our guests would have loved this one. They will probably want more – make them wait until the next time around.
Cookies, Italian and Others
With great anticipation of our grandkids coming for a visit with their Mom in a couple of weeks, other company coming and going to a concert, I thought I would bake a little to get ahead.
Well…..I have been baking almost all day as the recipes I was using will not work in a convection oven. So…..
Don sampled these and proclaimed they are almost as good as my chocolate chip. WOW! That is, indeed, high praise.
Cookies from Italy
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 scant cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup skinned pistachios
- 1/2 cup chopped, dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on your cookie sheets and set aside.
Together in a bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until really light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until well mixed. Beat in the ricotta and vanilla (NO, it hasn’t curdled), gently stir in the flour mixture, pistachios and cranberries.
Drop by heaping teaspoons on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake 14 minutes and remove to a cooling rack.
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- zest from 1 large orange
- 3 tbsp. fresh orange juice (from same orange works great)
Stir until smooth and drizzle 1 teaspoon over each cookie. Store in air tight container at room temperature or freeze up to 2 weeks.
These are so darn good…different from the norm…..go ahead, say it…’damn I can do this’….
Cranberry/Pistachio Cheesecake
Diet? This is a whole new food group…..
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
- 2 tsp. grated orange peel, divided
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3-8 oz. packages room temperature cream cheese
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped coarsely
- 1/4 cup white cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios, skins removed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust, combine crumbs, one tsp orange peel and melted butter. Mix well together and press in an eight inch spring form pan. Set aside.
In a bowl cream together, sugar, cream cheese and flour for about five minutes to ensure it is smooth. Mix in the eggs and remaining orange peel until combined. Fold in the juice and berries. Pour this into the spring form pan and top with fresh cranberries.
Bake for about forty minutes until a three inch area around edge of pan appears set when gently shaken. Cool on a rack for twenty minutes and run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake and let it cool another thirty minutes or until completely cooled. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours.
Note: To prevent cheesecake from ‘cracking’, set a small pan of water in the oven under the cake pan. The moisture prevents the cake from cracking and it comes out looking so professional.
The combination of the cranberries and pistachios is amazing. Yup! Another favourite.
Broccoli/Pistachio Appetizers
With holiday season about to hit full wing, this is easy, affordable and great tasting to boot!
My friend, Sharon, shared this with me and I am going to share it with you.
- 1 pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1/3 cup three- cheese Ranch dressing
- 1 pkg. Uncle Dan’s Ranch dressing mix
- 3 tbsp. sour cream
- 3 tbsp. mayonnaise, not salad dressing
- 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2/3 cup finely chopped broccoli, no stems
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
- 8 tortillas (large and round)
Mix the first five ingredients together and when well blended, add the remaining ingredients. Spread this over the tortillas and then roll them up. Place them on a flat plate and cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to party…..cut into bite size pieces and serve.
To quote Sharon “really quite delicious”. To be fair, I omitted the onion and replaced it with pistachios. There, I confessed!
Pistachio Cheese Rolls
This is a great little bite to enjoy with a glass of wine when you have guests over. The recipe makes about 20 pieces, so you can adjust for the number of people there will be. The usual numbers are 5 pieces per person, if only one item being offered, or 3 pieces if there are two or more. Just sayin! (no error here).
- 1/2 cup red seedless grapes
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1/2 cup soft cream cheese
- 1/2 cup soft chevre cheese (goat cheese)
- 2 large tortillas
- Lettuce leaves
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roast pistachios on a cookie sheet for about 3 minutes. When thoroughly cool, chop fine.
Finely chop the grapes and place in a bowl with the pistachios and both cheeses. Mix until well blended and the cheese is smooth.
Lay a tortilla flat on surface and spread one half of the mixture on top. Place a crisp, cleaned lettuce leaf on top and roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat for the second tortilla and place both in the refrigerator for at least one hour. When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and with a very sharp knife cut into 1/2 inch pieces and serve with your favourite glass of grape. (wine!)
Note: If you sample even one piece of this, you will be making another recipe. One of the best that can and should be doubled. Honest….
Marshmallow Semifreddo
The time for entertaining will soon be here and this just might be the dessert to fill the bill.
The chocolate cannot be more than 60% cacao. With that in mind, read on.
You will need:
- 2 cups cold whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. finely grated lime peel
- 2 jars of marshmallow creme
- 5 oz. coarsely grated bittersweet chocolate
- 6 oz. chopped chocolate
- 5 oz. finely chopped, toasted pistachios
- 5 oz. dried peaches
- 2 tbsp. Southern Comfort liqueur
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and lime peel until peaks form. Add all the marshamallow creme and beat until fully incorporated. Gently fold in the grated chocolate, pistachios and peaches. Pour this into an 8″ springform pan and smooth the top. Cover with foil and freeze for a day.
Now just before serving, whisk the chopped chocolate, Southern Comfort and 2 tbsp. of water in a small saucepan until melted and smooth.
Cur around the semifreddo to loosen and remove the sides. Slice as you would a cake and spoon some of the warm sauce over the top.
This will serve 8-10 people. there will be no leftovers. This is a silky smooth dessert and watch that no one licks the plate. You could serve this with a citrus lace cookie. (recipe on this site).
In a word or two….yummy-yummy
Black and White Bark
Over the next few weeks, I will be posting some of the items you might wish to make for the holiday seasons upcoming such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or other holidays that you and your families celebrate.
You will need:
- Pam spray
- 1 pound White Chocolate ( Lindt, Dove, Ghiradelli or the best chocolate in your area)
- 1 cup dark chocolate cookie wafers, chopped coarsely
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
Spray a cookie sheet with Pam spray and line with parchment paper, leaving ends to overhang.
Melt chocolate in a bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water, not boiling.
Stir in the cookies and pistachios and pour onto the cookie sheet. With a spatula, smooth out and refrigerate for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. Break into pieces and hide before they are completely gone by all the “Mr. Nobody’s “that live in your house.
You can use any combination of your favourite flavours. Such as Pistachios and lime zest; change the chocolate to dark and add mini marshmallows and coarsely chopped graham crackers. Whatever you wish to use.
Have fun!
Red Grapefruit With A Twist
If you like grapefruit and are not on cholesterol medicine this is a new way to have a small bowl of fruit with breakfast.
You will need:
- 2 red grapefruit
- brown sugar
- pistachios
With a sharp serrated fruit knife, cut away the peel and white pith. Slice into thin rounds and divide into 4 of your prettiest fruit bowls.
Combine 1/4 cup of the juice and 2 tablespoons of a light brown sugar. Divide over the grapefruit and now add 1 1/2 tbls. of the toasted pistachios that have been coarsely chopped. Once again, evenly distributed.
Serve with this freshly baked croissants, scrambled eggs and bacon. This sounds so lovely, we may be on the deck tomorrow with our breakfast and a pot of freshly ground coffee. You too?