This is quite similar to clam chowder but has been spiced up with a Thai curry.
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 lbs. mussels
- 1 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 1 cup diced red potatoes
- 1 cup diced fennel
- 1 cup sliced leeks (cut in half horizontally first and rinse well)
- 1/2 tsp. Thai red curry paste
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
Bring the stock to a boil and add the mussels. Shake pan and cover until the mussels open up. Discard any that do NOT open. Remove the mussels from the shell and reserve. Reserve the broth in a separate bowl.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the potatoes, fennel and leeks and saute for 2 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook a further minute. Pour in the mussel cooking broth and bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 14-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Add the mussels and cream to the pot and simmer for about 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and ladle into soup bowls. Top with the chopped parsley.
Oh, be sure to have a chilled bottle of Riesling on hand. Perfect together.
Heather Cream Liqueur Fudge
Sure, I know….holiday times bring on different and sometimes exciting things to serve your guests. This is a dandy.
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter,
- 1/2 cup evaported milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 cup Heather Cream Liqueur**
- `1 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder
- 2 1/4 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 cup vanilla wafers, crushed
- 3 oz. dark chocolate melting disks
Grease an 8 inch square pan with butter and line with cross-cross pieces of parchment paper, making sure to leave a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, combine the butter, evaporated milk, sugars and salt over medium heat. Stir this constantly until it reaches the boil. Now attach a candy thermometer until it reads 234F or 112C. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla, liqueur and espresso powder. Tip this into your mixer with a paddle attachment and while on low, spoon in the icing sugar and vanilla wafers in three portions, mixing really well after each one.
Pour into prepared pan and let cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and placing in a refrigerator over night.
To serve, cut into one inch pieces and serve to your guests. There won’t be anything left….not even any crumbs.
** Heather Cream liqueur is a scotch whiskey and cream liqueur, sweetened with Heather honey.
Wild Pancake Hors d’ Oeurves With Dipping Sauce
“Wild” in the manner of being different, unexpected and enjoyed by all at your little party.
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup rice flour (not from a sweet rice)
- generous pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup water
- 1 serrano chile, seeds removed and minced
- pinch of ground pepper
- 1/8 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 3 scallions, pale green and dark green only, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves (small ones)
Whisk together the flours, salt, whole egg and yolk, water, chile, and pepper. This batter will be thin.
Heat 1/2 tsp.Crisco oil in an 8″ skillet, over moderately high heat, brushing to coat the bottom of pan. Pour in 1/3 cup batter, then scatter 1/4 of the scallions and 1/4 of the cilantro leaves, pressing gently into the pancake.
Fry for about 2 minutes until the bottom is golden in colour. Turn over and fry until the scallions are cooked to a light brown. Remove and transfer to paper towels. Make 3 more pancakes the same, adding more oil each time.
When done, place on a cutting board and cut into 8 wedges each one. Serve warm with the following sauce.
Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 3/8 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Stir together the soy sauce, vinegar and oil in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate. Stir in the sesame seeds, just before serving to some excited guests.
Yum!
Wilted Spinach and Lime Risotto
Another summer dish to make and enjoy. I love spinach and truly love risotto…put them together and WOW!
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/3 cups Arboro rice
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
- 1 tsp. grated lime zest
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- pinch of ground pepper
In a saucepan bring the broth and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.
In a skillet, melt the butter over a medium heat; add the garlic and shallots, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the rice and stir to coat and toast the grains for about 1 minute. Add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir this continually until the liquid is almost absorbed, then keep adding the broth in this manner until all is absorbed. This, by the way, takes exactly 22 minutes. (Don says “not one minute more – not one minute less”).
Remove from the heat. Stir in the spinach, cheese, lime zest and juice and pepper. Serve immediately.
It can be called a vegetable dish or loosely termed “salad”. Whatever works for you and your family/friends. More wine, anyone?
A New Upside Cake – Citrus Fruits
It doesn ‘t have to always be pineapple upside down cake. This one is made with lime, oranges and even grapefruit (pink). Try it…Mikey likes it.
- 1 1/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 5 to 6 limes, grapefuit and oranges. Mix it up, slice thin
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp.baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. cardamon
- 4 eggs, room temperature (they have more volume)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter, cold – cut up
In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, melted butter and water. Combine well. Spread evenly over a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spray pan with Pam first, so the cake will release easily.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cardamon and baking powder. Set aside. In a large electric mixer, beat the eggs on high speed (4 – 5 minutes) to thick.
Reduce speed to medium and slowly add the sugar. Beat this for 5 minutes. Add the flour (low speed) until combined. This will be very thick.
In a saucepan, heat together the milk and butter until the buttter has completely melted. Pour into flour mixture. Mix up the sizes of the fruit and cover the bottom of the brown sugar mixture in pan.
They will be colourful and, when baked, lacy looking. No other decoration will be needed.
Carefully add the flour mixture to the pan, covering all the fruit. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick, when inserted in the cake centre, comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 20 minutes.
Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake, invert on a platter and Drizzle any remaining sauce in baking pan over the cake top.
Whip some cream and serve to all those hungary people at your table. A cup of freshly brewed coffee and all is well with the world. Enjoy!
Asiago And Asparagus Bread Pudding
This is great to place on a Buffet Table.
- 1 tbsp butter
- 10 cups day old bread
- 2 cups grated asiago cheese
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1 inch pieces
- 10 large eggs
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- pinch of salt and pepper
In a skillet melt the butter and add the shallots and asparagus, stirring often, cooking until the asparagus is tender-crisp. This should take about 5-6 minutes.
Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and toss together the asparagus mixture, all the bread and one half of the cheese and parsley.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard and salt and pepper and pour over the bread. Press gently to submerge the bread. Cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Uncover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until it is puffed and golden. The center should not jiggle when gently shaken. This should be 55-60 minutes.
Let cool for 12-15 minutes before cutting in squares. This is truly yummy.
Lighter, Healthier Sandwiches to Take To Work/School
Time to re-think what we take to work or school. Being ‘light’ does not
just mean cottage cheese or yogurt in a container. Today, I will try a few to give you some ideas. To make it work you should emphasize low-fat proteins such as chicken, turkey, tuna, beans or legumes to get top marks. Also try whole grain bread instead of white.
Try these for a week and you will feel better (if only mentally) and might try to make up your own light lunches.
Black Forest Ham And Argula Sandwiches
- 1/2 tbsp. nonfat sour cream
- 1/2 tbsp. nonfat cream cheese
- 1/2 tbsp. honey mustard
- 1/2 tbsp. each of chopped fresh dill and chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
- 4 slices of whole grain or pumpernickel bread
- 4 ounces sliced Black Forest Ham
- 1 cup Arugula leaves
- 4 tomatoes slices, 1/4′ thick
In a small bowl mix everything except the ham, tomato slices and arugula leaves. Spread half of this mixture on each of two slices of bread.
Assemble the ham, arugula and tomato slices. If taking in a baggy to work, add the tomato slices just before eating so they won’t become soggy. (just put in separate small baggy). If you don’t care for tomatoes, use cucumber slices instead. Nothing is written in stone.
White Bean And Roasted Garlic Pitas
Before even thinking about this one, have breath mints or mouth wash handy. Nothing is worse than trying to speak to someone who has eaten garlic for lunch and you haven’t. Trust me.
You can even use bottled peppers in water (not oil).
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in quarters
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters
- Pam spray
- 1 19 oz. can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- sprinkling of salt and pepper
- 2 cups of arugula leaves
- 4 2-oz. pita breads, cut open
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Separate but do not peel the cloves of garlic. Place on a square of tin foil and add 1 tbsp. of water and seal tightly. Roast until very soft (45 minutes).
When cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic out and set aside.
Place the beans, roasted garlic and lime juice in a processor for 10 seconds or until really smooth. Season with the salt and pepper.
Assemble the sandwiches, dividing the peppers, arugula and beans among the 4 pitas. This makes lunch for 2 hungary people or 4 lunches for kids.
Enjoy…..I’ll try a couple more soon…..
Lemon Chicken With Rosemary
This can be an either/or or maybe even a ‘both’ kind of dinner. It all depends on what you prefer to eat. It is delicious either way.
- 4 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed OR
- 8 chicken thighs, bone and skin removed
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
- pinch of salt
Trim any excess fat from the chicken. In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the chicken. Cook until lightly golden (2 – 3 minutes per side).
Zest the lemon and set aside. Then cut the lemon in half and juice it.(1/4 cup juice).
Add the water and lemon juice and with a wooden spatula, loosen up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, rosemary and salt.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over, half-way through the cooking time.
Place the chicken on warm plates, spoon the sauce over, sprinkle some zest on top and serve with garlic mashed potatoes and a crisp salad.
Add warm rolls and butter and, of course, a glass of your favourite wine. What did I tell you? YUM!
Carrot/Ginger Soup With Chile Butter And Cashews
You may not like carrots, but I promise you, you will LOVE this soup. The chile butter and toasted cashews raise this to another level.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 lbs. peeled carrots, cut in 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1 medium new potato, peeled and chopped
- 2 1/2 tbsp. minced peeled ginger
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 6-8 tbsp. toasted cashews
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, potato and ginger . Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Saute until slightly softened (do not brown) but stir often for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth and bring up to the boil. Simmer now for 20 minutes and then cool slightly.
Puree in small batches until completely smooth. To make sure, press through a sieve. Return to the soup pot, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a dollop of chile butter and sprinkle with the cashews.
Chile Butter
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
Mix together in a small bowl. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Toast the cashews in the oven for a few minutes. Chop coarsely.
Now, I ask you…..isn’t this a great way to eat carrots?
Yummy.
Panini Time
Well, finally the Olympics are over and I am almost glad because it means I can get back to work without having one eye and one ear on the television. Mind you, because of the energy expelled I was able to lose 2 1/2 lbs. Yeah!
To make it easy, these chicken panini sandwiches have an Asian flavoured slaw to give the added crunch. Yum! This makes 2 sandwiches, so adjust ingredients accordingly if more people are with you.
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. creamy peanut butter (yes, indeed)
- 1/2 tsp. grated ginger, peeled
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 2 Ciabatta rolls
- 1 1/2 cups grilled teriyaki chicken, chopped
Heat panini press according to instructions for the brand you have.
Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, peanut butter, ginger, parsley and sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the cabbage and grated carrot and stir to coat it all well.
Arrange the slaw on the bottom half of the ciabatta roll. Add the chopped chicken on top and put the top half of the bun on. Grill in the panini press for about 5-6 minutes until the roll is crisp and browned.
Serve immediately. There, I told you it was yummy!
Seared Steak And Mushrooms With Greens And Ginger
This is a great light, tasty meal with an Asian flair using different spices. Nothing needs to be added except, perhaps, a glass of wine.
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 4 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tbsp. minced, peeled fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
- 2 1/8 tsp. sesame oil, divided (yes I did say 1/8)
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
- 2 x 12 oz. rib-eye steaks
- 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
- 8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
- 8 cups mixed greens
Mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil and 1/8 tsp. sesame oil in a small bowl. Add the cilantro and stir to blend. Set aside.
Rub 1/4 tsp. sesame oil over each steak. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Press the steaks into the toasted sesame seeds.
Heat 2 tsp. vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet, add the mushrooms and saute until browned, and transfer to a plate. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil and 1 tsp. sesame oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and cook about 8 minutes. Remove to a small bowl. Add the steaks, cooking to the way you like to eat them (3 -4 minutes each side for medium rare). Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for a couple of minutes. Slice steaks.
Toss the salad greens with the dressing in a small bowl, divide equally on 4 plates, top with the steak slices and mushrooms.
Pour 4 glasses of wine and enjoy the evening.
Salsa- The Very Best
A lady I once knew gave me this recipe. Don really likes it. Better than store bought and, obviously, much fresher.
- 6 large tomatoes, diced fine
- 1 medium onion, diced fine
- 1 green pepper, diced fine
- 2-3 fresh jalepeno peppers (seeded or not, depends on you), diced fine
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. salt
- 14 oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
In a large pot, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it becomes thick. When cool, put in sealable glass jars or….why didn’t I think of this…cool in the fridge and then bring out the crackers, chips and EAT it.
OM yummy!