Before we moved to our new home, my dear friend served these at dinner. It was super yummy-yummy and I am sharing it with you. She also served asparagus with procuitto (recipe below).
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tbsp. olive tapenade
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 2 tbsp. good olive oil
- pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, but not completely through, removing the seeds but keeping the stem. Although the stem is not edible, it looks good in this dish and helps the peppers stay in shape. Place the peppers cut side up in the baking dish.
Divide the garlic and olives evenly among the peppers. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges and put 4 wedges into each pepper half. Drizzle each pepper with a little oil and pepper.
Roast the peppers until they are tender and beginning to brown around the edges (about 50 minutes).
Asparagus
Wrap the asparagus spear with procuitto and put it on the barbecue until the procuitto is a little crisp. Serve with reduced Fig Balsamic Vinegar.
Lunch Sandwiches
This makes a lovely sandwich for lunch. It is easy, fresh and extremely satisfying.
- 1-2 lbs. fresh shrimp
- pinch of salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- mayonnaise
- softened cream cheese
- pinch of pepper
- 2 slices of crisp bacon per sandwich
- shredded lettuce
- 1-2 avocado
- 1 tomato, sliced thin
Cook shrimp and place in an ice bath to cool. Peel and coarsely chop. Mix with mayonnaise.
Thinly slice the avocado and sprinkle a tsp of lemon juice over it.
Toast slices of bread and butter with a generous amount of cream cheese.
Add two slices of crisp bacon per sandwich. Slice the avocado thinly and place on top, slice thin a tomato and add on top of that. If needed, add more mayonnaise and place the other slice of toast on top. Cut in two. Take a deep breath and dive in. Absolutely the best sandwich going.
Pink Sky Smoothie
We serve this when it is a new Bride and Groom or Anniversary celebration. It is pretty to look at and has an ilusive flavour.
Serves 2
- 1/2 cup natural yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. rose water
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 1 ripe mango, pitted and diced
- 6 ice cubes
- edible rose petals (if you can find them at a specialty store)
Pour yogurt, milk and whipping cream into food processor or blender and process until combined. Add the rose water and again, blend until combined. Add the mango along with the ice cubes and beat until completely smooth,.
Pour into your prettiest stemware. Add a couple of rose petals and serve immediately.
Listen to the oohs and ahhs…..
* This is in my B & B Cookbook
Cheese and Bacon Muffins
This will make 6 large muffins. These are absolutely marvelous when served with scrambled eggs.
- 8 strips of bacon, reserving drippings
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups grated Balderson’s Cheddar Cheese
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 3 tbsp. bacon drippings
- l large egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Balderson’s Cheddar Cheese for topping.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cook to crisp and drain bacon, reservings the drippings. When cool, crumble the bacon.
Combine the first six ingredients. Melt the butter and add to the drippings. In a medium bowl, beat the egg lightly with the milk and add to the butter/bacon dripping mixture.
Now add this to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly being careful not to over mix.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Bake for twenty minutes. Scramble some eggs, add a juice and/or coffee. This is getting one step closer to heaven……
Marshmallows
True…it is a little off the wall or is it? What a way to showcase one of your homemade candies. This recipe only makes 24 pieces.
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- 3 1/4 oz. packets of unflavoured gelatin
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup white corn syrup
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla or almond flavouring
- 1/2 cup gluten free flour (very important)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with Pam.
Pour 1/2 cup of the cold water in mixer with whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and leave for 15 minutes to absorb the water.
Combine sugar, corn syrup salt and remaining water in a heavy saucepan, continually stirring until sugar dissolves. Wet a pastry brush and brush down the sides of the saucepan.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and bring to a boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. This could take up to 8 minutes. With a mixer on low, slowly pour the hot liquid in a thin stream down the side of the bowl and increase speed to high and beat for approx. 15 minutes until very thick and stiff. Add flavouring and beat another 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into prepared cookie sheet and with a wet off-set spatula, smooth the top. Let this stand for about 5 hours to completely set. I added green colouring to make it Christmas-like.
Now for the fun….mix the starch and gluten free flour together and sift out a generous retangle larger than the cookie sheet. Sift more of the mixture over the entire surface of the marshmallow. Now take a large knife and spray with Pam. Cut into 1 inch squares and totally immerse in the icing sugar mixture. Transfer to a rack to remove excess dusting. If you wish, you can toast some coconut and roll the marshmallow in it.
Damn I knew you could do this!
NOTE: I just made these and found that you need a large serving spoon, and keep putting it under the hot water tap to get wet (not to add liquid to the marshmallow) and spoon out into a well sprayed tin foil lined cookie sheet and keep spooning it into the pan. Then, take a long sheet of plastic wrap and put on top and flatten out the mixture evenly in the pan. Leave for 5-6 hours n ow to set. This makes it easier. The kids will love making this with you. Just be careful…it IS hot.
As you carefully pull the plastic wrap from the marshmallow, sprinkle some of the flour mixture on each bit as you go. Take it easy, it does come off, just slow moving.
Cheese Shortbread
This is an extremely easy shortbread to make and absolutely delicious when served with drinks.
- 1/2 lb. Imperial Cheese (red plastic round container)
- 1/2 lb. butter
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mix ingredients and knead about 4-5 times. Form into a log and place in the refrigerator for about one hour or until it becomes cold.
Slice thin and lay out on a parchment lined cookie sheet, Bake for one hour.Watch carefully to ensure it doesn’t burn. There is only one word to descrive these….yummy!
A glass of wine, snacks abound but THESE will be the star of the party (after you, of course.)
You really should make two recipes for this. I have to make one for my daughter and one for us. She loves them.