We moved here in the Okanagan more than a year ago to retire and, as a bonus to me, be in the ‘neighborhood’ of my cousins. Well, next week we are having my cousin and family here for dinner.
This is our menu for the day….as I have always said, treat family, friends and guests who enter into your home the same. Always.
- Victor’s Bruschetta
- Potato Nests with Gingered Crab
- Duck Terrine….OMG this is fantastic
- Salmon baked in a salt blanket
- Roasted Corn Succotash…..another new favourite dish
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- and if we remember to save room for dessert…
- Harvest Trifle
Whew!
These dinners are fun for Don and myself. Fun to plan, fun to prepare for and certainly fun when we are all gathered around the table and enjoying one another’s company.
Broccoli and Swiss Cheese Quiche
This makes a nice breakfast quiche or better yet, add a cold, fresh salad and a glass of white wine: perfect lunch fare. I prefer the lunch idea.
- 9 inch unbaked pie shell
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli
- 1 1/2 cups grated swiss cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- pinch of salt
- dash of tabasco
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prick the bottom and sides of the pie shell with a fork and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly sprinkle 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese. Layer half the broccoli over the cheese. Layer half the swiss cheese on top. Repeat the layers of broccoli and cheese.
In a bowl, beat the eggs, add the broth, cream, salt and tabasco and mix well. Pour this mixture over the layers in the pastry shell. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top and place the pie on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature in the oven to 325 degrees and bake for another 20-25 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to allow the pie to settle.
Did I mention that this is yummy? It is.
Peachy-Keen French Toast
Another way to present french toast. This time, of course, with fresh peaches when they are ready this summer and with this recipe, you will be ready to go ahead.
- 6 peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 loaf French bread (12-14 slices)
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup milk plus 1/2 cup cream
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
Heat sugar and butter on medium-low until dissolved; add the water and continue cooking until this becomes thick and foaming. Pour into a prepared 13 x 9 inch baking dish and cool for 10 minutes or so.
Place the peaches on the cooled caramel sauce and cover with bread, making sure to fit the pan.
In a blender, add eggs, milk and vanilla until mixed, Pour over the bread, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the fridge at least 3/4 hour before baking. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. If this browns too fast, loosely cover with foil for the last 10-15 minutes. Serve this warm with warmed peach syrup. Homemade, of course.
Nothing can be better than sun-kissed peaches just picked off the tree…mmmm
Three Cheese Scones
Another great addition to a breakfast of eggs, bacon and juice. You could also serve these at lunch with a salad. They are truly yummy.
- 1/2 cup Emmental cheese
- 1/2 cup Balderson ‘s 5 year aged cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg, separated
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 2 cups flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup very cold, unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the Emmental and cheddar cheeses and only 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, beat a whole egg, egg yolk and cream until well blended. In a food processor mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Grate the cold butter into the flour. Add this to the cheese mixture and mix together.
Add the egg mixture all at once and stir with a fork. Press the dough into a ball and knead gently on a floured surface up to 10 times.
Roll into a circle 1/2″ thick. Place on a parchment covered pan and score the surface into 12 wedges. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Serve warm with butter, scrambled eggs, sausages or bacon and enjoy.
Papaya Scones
When the girls pop over for coffee in the morning or your Mother-in-law shows up for tea in the afternoon, treat them with these.
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter (cold, so you can grate it)
- 1/2 cup dried papaya, chopped
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1 tsp. grated lime zest
- 1 tbsp. softened butter
- Butter, (you might even want to use a flavoured butter, listed on this site)
- Preserves of your choice
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Pour the buttermilk into a measuring cup and beat in the egg.
In a large bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate the butter into the flour mixture and bring together with your hands.
Add the papaya, raisins, zest and stir to mix. Add the buttermilk all at once and stir until a soft dough forms. At this point, you may have to add up to a 1/4 cup of buttermilk.
Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead 6-7 times until well mixed. Pat out until it is about 1″ thick. Dip the rim of a glass in flour (no bigger than 2″) and cut out the scones. Place them on a parchment lined pan and bake anywhere from 18-20 minutes. Brush the tops with the softened butter and serve warm with fresh butter and preserves.
Of course, this sounds like tea should be served along with them. Your choice.
Cheese Pate
This is a really nice pate. So fresh and no chemicals or preservatives.
- 9 0z. Philadelphia cream cheese
- 8 oz. c heddar cheese (finely grated)
- 5 oz. Brie cheese, without covering
- 1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
- few drops of tabasco
- 1 generous tbsp. brandy or a good port
- 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. softened butter
- chopped pistachios nuts
In your food processor, spoon all the ingredients, except nuts, and beat until nice and smooth. This will be soft, but you roll it out (wet your hands first) into a log shape and place in parchment paper. Chill in the fridge overnight.
Before serving, roll into the crushed nuts. Slice and serve with crackers or toast wedges.
Kosher Style Dill Pickles
My husband thinks these are the best, and after making up two lots, I hope I haven’t lost my touch. (It has been a while)
- 8 lbs. pickling cucumbers
- 12 heads of fresh dill (home grown is the best)
- cloves of garlic, (2-3 per jar, depending on your taste)
- pinch of salt for each jar
- 1 tsp. pickling spice (pickles stay crisper)
- pinch of red pepper flakes
For every 12 jars make this :
- 8 cups pickling vinegar
- 8 cups water
With a “mushroom” brush, brush the cucumbers in cold water to remove all sand and debris. Slice each one in half lengthwise.
Put the pickling solution in a large pot and bring to a gentle boil while you get prepared.
Wash your jars in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven at 325 degrees while you assemble all the required ingredients.
Put the snap lids in saucepan with water and bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Leave them in the pan.
Remove the clean and sterlized jars to a working surface and add:
fresh dill
2-3 garlic cloves,
pinch salt (this is considerably less than most recipes)
1 tsp. pickling spice
red pepper flakes.
Fill the jars with your cucumber spears and add enough boiling water/vinegar to cover the pickles and place snap lid on top of each jar. Add the screw lid on each one and place in a canning pot filled with enough water to be about 3/4 up the sides of the jars. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the saucepan and place remaining jars in and repeat. Cool completely and mark the date of pickling.
Let stand for 3 weeks before opening a jar and then keep in the refrigerator.
Mushroom Dip
Tasty, tasty, tasty! What else can I say?
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
- pinch of salt
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp. parsley (breath saver??)
- 3/4 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
- 3/4 cups sour cream
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Heat the oil in a frypan and add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat until all the moisture has evaporated and they are very soft (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Serve with crackers. Serve this only at room temperature.
You can, if there is any left, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no longer that 2 days. If you use older mushrooms you get a stronger flavour.
Flapper Pie With A Difference
You never want to lose this one, it’s great!
The difference is the meringue
- 2 1/2 cups crumbs graham crumbs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix crumbs, butter and brown sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake in the oven for about 7 minutes and remove from oven.
In a heavy saucepan, mix the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt and very slowly, while still whisking, add the milk. Continue until the mixture comes to a boil and becomes t hick and smooth. Lower oven to 375 degrees.
Swiss Meringue
7 large egg whites
3/4 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
To make the meringue, combine the ingredients in a heat proof bowl and set bowl in a pan of simmering water. Beat the mixture until warm and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whip into stiff peaks.
Mound this high over the pie and with a flat edged spatula make peaks in the whites, making sure it touches the crust all around, set in the oven and, watching carefully, bake for approximately 8 minutes or until lightly golden.
I am pretty sure you will never rely on the old meringue we all made before.
Another Stuffed French Toast
I love French Toast and this is just another way to make it up. It looks good and tastes great.
- 1 loaf brioche bread
- 8 oz. ricotta cheese (beaten until smooth)
- 1 tp. vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon flavouring
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground cinamon
- Icing sugar
Slice the loaf into 10 slices. Mix together the ricotto cheese and vanilla and spread over five slices and cover with the remaining five.
Beat together the remaining ingredients and dip the sandwiches into the mixture. Grill slowly in frypan until golden. Remove from pan and plate each sandwich. Dust with icing sugar and add a couple pieces of fruit on the side.
Serve with warm pure maple syrup. Yummy!