My mother always said carrots were good for the eyesight. So, always wanting to help you, my reader for the moment, to retain good eyesight, this one’s for you.
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- pinch of salt
- 6-7 fresh sage leaves, coarsely torn
- pinch of pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- bag of baby carrots, washed and cut in half, steamed
In a medium frypan, melt the butter and add the garlic, cooking until the butter becomes a nut-brown colour.
Stir in the shallots, and remaining ingredients except the carrots and cranberries.
When the sage leaves begin to wilt, add the carrots and cranberries, stirring to coat well.
Serve immediately with the rest of your entree.
All kidding aside, this is a tasty dish and even the kids would like it. The cranberries add a little sweet/tang that is pleasing to the palette. With the spices, it has a Mediterranean kick. Enjoy!
Fingerling Potato Salad
This little delight will serve 4, so adjust when you have more around the table.
- 1 1/2 lbs fingerling potatoes
- 2 tbsp. capers
- 2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup dressing (below)
Boil potatoes until they are fork tender (about 12-15 minutes). Strain and cut in half, lengthwise.
Put in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and make the dressing below.
Dressing
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp. grainy mustard
- 1 lemon, reserve juice and zest
- pinch each of salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Whisk these ingredients together and toss with the salad. Refrigerate any leftover dressing. The dressing will keep for no more than 10 days.
Orange Pound Cake
Pound cake is a wonderful “just in case” cake to have in the freezer. Bake two…one for now and one for “just in case my mother-in-law should appear”.
- 8 ounces butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 large Blood Oranges, zested
- 1 tsp. orange extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- pinch of salt
Allow the ingredients above to be at room temperature for better results.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans and set aside.
In your mixer combine the butter and sugar and beat until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time and beatinmg until well combined. Add the zest and extract with the flour and salt, 1/2 cup at a time until batter is eally smooth.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake until the tops dome and are slightly golden. 40-50 minutes. Cool slightly and unmold on wire racks.
Glaze
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh Blood orange juice
With your mixer combine the sugar and juice together then whisk on high until really smooth. After removing cakes from pans, drizzle over each cake. You can add toasted pecans, chopped fine as a garnish on top.
Enjoy, this is a real winner! Just add fresh coffee/tea……hmmmm
Add the orange zest
Crab Mini Quiche
When having a few friends over and you are wanting something different to offer, try these.
- 24 mini tart shells
- 3/4 cup grated guyere cheese
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped crab meat
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped red pepper
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped asparagus tips
- pinch salt and lemon pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle the cheese, crab, red pepper , asparagus tips and onion salt evenly into the shells.
Beat the eggs with the cream, salt and pepper and spoon the mixture carefully over the crab shells. Bake for about 20 minutes (watch not to burn) and serve warm. You will get lots of oohs and aahs.
Beet and Cabbage Borscht Soup
I love this soup and and this is an awsome recipe to use. The sour cream makes it and, of course, nice warm rolls, glass of wine, good company….what else is there?
Serves 4-6
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 3/4 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 1/2 cups chopped cabbage (1/4 of
a small one) - 1 small onion, chopped
- 8-10 cups vegetable broth
- 6-7 small beets, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup drained and chopped Roma tomatoes (canned)
- 1/2 cup chardonnay wine
- Pinch celery salt
- Fine herbs to taste
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Sour Cream for garnish
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, and add potatoes, cabbage, onion and saute until the cabbage softens (maybe five minutes). Now add eight cups of broth, , wine, the beets and tomat
oes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all the vegetables are tender (thirty to forty-five minutes). Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Put in a blender and blend until smooth. Be sure you do this in small batches or it will explode all over your kitchen. Trust me. If you want a thinner soup, add more stock. Ladle into pretty soup bowls, add a dollop of sour cream. This is a very good course to serve company. Remember, it is all in how it is presented. Voila! You mastered another easy course for your dinner.
French Canadian Pea Soup
This is a wonderful soup to have on a very cold winter’s day whether it was walking along a stormy beach, skating or skiing or just wanting a little comfort food.
Serves 8
- 1 lb. whole dried yellow peas
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 lb. salt pork (better yet, ham bone)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, ribs removed, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup carrot, grated fine
- 1 tsp dried savory
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped fine
- 1 tsp salt
Wash and sort peas, place in large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for one hour.
Add the salt pork (ham bone) onion, red pepper, celery, carrots, savory and 1 tsp salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until peas are very tender (about two hours) adding more water, if required. Remove salt pork (ham bone) and chop the meat and return it to the soup.
Take one half of the soup and slowly puree in a blender and add back to the soup. Be sure to let it cool down a little or it will explode. Oh yes, it will…and your kitchen will look like a war zone. Just ask anyone that this has happened to and it wasn’t me!
This also freezes well so you can have leftovers for lunch a little later on.
Tropical Loaf
The other day when I was doing some baking, I noticed a pineapple cake mix in the cupboard. Not wanting to make a pineapple cake (did not have pineapple rings on hand), I thought I would try to make a ‘loaf’.
I changed the recipe on the box: I added:
- 1 cup sour cream
Instead of water:
- I added 1 cup of mango nectar.
- 1 cup of white chocolate/bitter chocolate chips, dried cherries (snipped),
- 1 cup chopped pecans and a handful of coconut.
- I grated the zest from 2 limes.
Poured into 2 loaf pans and baked. While warm, I put a lemon glaze over the top and let cool completely.
AHA! It turned out absolutely great. I wrapped both the loaves in parchment paper and then tinfoil. Placed in the freezer until needed.
Bring on the company now, I am ready!
Fresh Melon and Proscuitto ‘Salad’
This is a delightful salad to put up
Serves 4- 6
- 1 small, seedless Watermelon, cut into wedges
- 1 cantaloupe, cut into wedges
- 1 package (50 g) of lean prosciutto (I use the metric measure here, as that is how we have to order it)
- 1 small head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped
- Balsamic Vinegar
Cut the outer rind off the watermelon and cut into bite size wedges. Cut the cantaloupe in half, seeds removed and cut into bite size wedges.
In a fry pan, over medium heat, cook the prosciutto until crisp. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. On salad plates, arrange the wedges on top of shredded lettuce. Toast the pecans in a fry pan for a couple of minutes, turning often so they don’t burn, remove from heat and chop. This is not science, has been around for a very long time but it is good, refreshing and it is a little different. Drizzle a little Balsamic Vinegar over the salad.
Sun is shining, relaxing on the deck/patio, glass of chilled white wine and this!
Eggnog Rice Pudding
Spectacular when served any time of year, but especially at Christmas
Serves 4
- 2 cups commercial eggnog
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp light cream
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp rum
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup sweetened whipped cream
- Fresh grated nutmeg
Heat eggnog over low heat. Combine cornstarch and cream, mixing until smooth. Pour into eggnog and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add raisins before removing from heat.
Couldn’t be simpler.
Cranberry/Maple Challah Bread Pudding
This is really delicious and everyone will look for seconds.
- 7-8 thick slices of Challah Bread, crusts removed on the sides
- Grease 5 x 9 inch loaf pan with butter
- 8 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups creme fraiche
- 2 cups homogenized milk
- pinch of coarse salt
- 3/4 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast bread on a baking sheet until golden.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl mix the creme fraiche and milk together to remove any lumps and whisk into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla and a pinch of coarse salt.
Soak each slice in the egg mixture. Stand the slices up in the baking pan. (Add more bread if needed to fill the loaf pan). Strain the custard and pour over the bread. Let stand 10 minutes and place this on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake about 70-75 minutes. If you find the top too brown before baking is complete, cover lightly with tin foil. When done, let stand for about 10-12 minutes. Bring the cranberries and maple syrup to a gentle simmer on the stove. Simmer only until they get soft but not opened. This will take about 6 -7 minutes.
Serve with the sauce. (If you happen to have any cranberry ice cream or pure vanilla, you could just happen to drop a scoop on the side). You didn’t get that here.
Enjoy!
Overnight Coffee Cake
This is a good one to start when you have invited the girls over for coffee in the morning. It is done when you get up and all you have to do is bake it.
- 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs beating well to combine and add the sour cream and, again, mix well.
Combine all the dry ingredients and gently combine. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch greased and floured baking pan.
Topping
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Cover with tin foil and set in the fridge overnight.
Remove from the fridge in the morning and let sit for 1 hour. Then bake in a 350 degreee oven for about 38-40 minutes.
Yummy!
My Favourite Impossible Pie
The first few years operating a B & B, I always added a little dessert (thought we needed the 5th course), and this was by far the most favoured.
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- zest from one orange
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients and beat until well mixed. Pour into a buttered pie plate (10″) and bake for 60 minutes.
When serving, drizzle with warm maple syrup.
The center will still be soft and when cooled the “crust” will be set and the custard filling is bloomin’ awsome.
I love this pie and found it almost addictive. So did everyone else. This was one pie that was never thrown out.