It is mighty awesome and makes a ton. Great one to have on hand at any celebration and Christmas sounds like a great time or, to our American family and readers, American Thanksgiving coming up quite soon.
This really works well with any salad using kale or even a Waldorf salad.
- Zest of 1 lime
- juice from 3 freshly squeezed limes
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 tsp. honey
- 1 oz. apple cider vinegar
- 1 oz. icewine vinegar
- 1 tsp. flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- pinch of pepper
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups canola oil
Combine all except the oil, in a food processor for 15 seconds. Now in a slow stream, add the oil until emulsified.
Store in a sealable jar.
Yummy!
Tropical Hawaii Martini
Okay,with115 more sleeps to go, my mind sorta wandered to Hawaii…again! Such fun..try this one and see if you don’t smile a lot. It takes only 4 items and you could swear you are already there once you consume it.
- 3 parts Grey Goose Vodka
- 3 parts white rum
- 1 part Bols Coconut Liqueur
- 1 part Bols Banana Liqueur
In a shaker filled with cracked ice, shake all the ingredients well and strain into chilled martini glasses. Put on your bikini, flip-flops and dream…..
If you need a garnish (forget the umbrellas) add a slice of banana that you have dipped in lemon juice so it won’t turn brown . I, on the other hand, would prefer to dip it in the vodka.
Enjoy!
Chicken Parmesan
Yesterday I gave you the recipe for chicken cutlets so you could freeze them and then bring out when you needed a quick, easy and yet, delicious, dinner. Here is one way.
- 6 chicken cutlets (go ahead…take them out of the freezer)
- 12 fresh basil leaves, stems removed and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (homemade? hmm?)
- 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
- Finely grated Asiago cheese
Preheat the broiler with the rack being set 4 inches from the heat.
Top each cutlet with some of the basil, sauce and mozzarella. Be sure to make it equal or there may be some disputes between the hungary diners.
Broil until the cheese has melted (2-3 minutes). Top with the Asiago cheese and a sprinkle of the basil.
Serve with a side salad, garlic toast and, of course, a glass of chilled wine.
Now aren’t you glad you made the cutlets yesterday? Enjoy!
Entertaining On A Long Weekend
As mentioned before, we have a kind of unusual weekend, but for us, a fun one. We have three different meals to put together and this is what we are doing.
For the luncheon, we are making a corn/panchetta chowder and a Croque Monsieur Sandwich (these are to die for) like we had in France.
For dessert a wonderful summer fruit tart on puff pastry using our own peaches, fresh blueberries and nectarines. A touch of whipping cream and YUM!
A glass of wine and lots of laughs. That is easy!
For the first supper
A special Bouillabaisse with clams, mussels and shrimp
A salad with the most wonderful Burrata cheese on a crostini with cherry tomato, fig balsamic vinegar on arugula with a side of pickled peaches.
The main entree is grilled lamb chops (me – salmon), my most favourite risotto and garden peas.
For dessert – a wonderful fresh peach cobbler.
For second supper
My cousin makes the best fried chicken so we are taking the vegetables, buns, salad and yes, again…..fresh peach cobbler. When you get so many peaches on your tree, you have to start making up things….pickles, jams and more jams, and then desserts. What can I say?
Then we pack it all up and head off to their campsite to enjoy a fun evening. When the four of us get together the laughs and stories are never ending. Love it.
Be safe everyone, it is a long weekend…drive safe, eat well and laugh lots.
Dried Fruit-Pistachio Granola
I always hear my neighbor say she makes her own granola every week. This is one that is tasty, healthy and great one to carry while exercising, walking to work or just plain, old fashioned snacking. Make it on the weekend and you will be good for the week.
- 3 cups rolled oats – not quick cooking
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut in pieces
- 1/3 cup liquid honey
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 cup dried apricots, peaches, cherries, papaya, (basically whatever you like)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats and pistachios.
In a small saucepan combine the butter, honey and cardamom over a medium heat and cook until the butter has melted. Stir it once in a while. This should take about 2 minutes.
Pour the butter mixture over the oats and nuts and toss until all are completely coated.
Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet and spread out in an even layer. Bake until the oats are golden (about 35 minutes) and all smells great in your kitchen. Stir this up every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Stir in the fruit.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks……hahahaha. It won’t last that long. Change up the nuts used every time you make this. Add coconut if you like. Just make it your own.
Tuna Nicoise Salad Tuscany Style
When in the South of France a couple of years ago, we ate this salad often. It really is delicious and certainly healthy. This will serve 6 people.
- 1 1/2 lbs. new potatoes, quartered
- 1 lb. asparagus OR fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 cup creamy Caesar dressing, divided
- 1 tbsp. fresh Thyme, chopped
- 2 tsp. lemon zest (freshly grated)
- 12 oz. cooked tuna
- 8 cups baby spring mix lettuce
- 2 cups grape tomatoes
- 1 jar (12 oz.) of marinated artichoke quarters, drained
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- pinch of a T scan seasoning blend
- 6 hard boiled eggs, quartered
In a pot of water over high heat, boil the potatoes until fork tender (10 minutes). Add the asparagus or beans during the last 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool.
In a large bowl, combine the dressing, thyme and zest and set aside. Line a platter with the lettuce. In another bowl, toss together the tuna, the remaining 6 ingredients and the potato mixture; add 1/4 cup of dressing and arrange all this over the lettuce. Top with the eggs, and serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
Trout Bunwiches With Avocado Aioli
If you need a quick and easy meal on any given weekday, this one is a real winner.
- 1 avocado, halved, pit removed and peeled
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tbsp. mustard
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 4 x 4 oz. trout fillets, bones removed
- 2 tbsp. melted butter
- pinch of salt
- pinch of lemon pepper seasoning
- 4 buns (cheese or onion) split
- 1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
- 1 orange, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
Avocado Spread
In a blender, combine the avocado, oil, juice, 2 tbsp. water, mustard and sugar. Cover and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Rinse the fish and pat dry. Grill on a rack (sprayed with Pam) directly on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill buns, cut sides down until lightly toasted.
Serve the fillets on buns and top with the avocado aioli. Add the fennel and orange slices. In a simple description….YUMMY!
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!
Sesame Crusted Cod
What a nice way to serve cod fish fillets. The sesame seeds make it special.
- 1 lb. cod fillets, 3/4 inch thick
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 lb. fresh young green beans, trimmed
- 1 orange, halved and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Preheat broiler. Rinse cod and pat dry. Cut into 4 portions, place on a rack in broiler pan. Sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper.
Stir the seeds into the butter and set aside 1 tbsp. butter for the beans.
Brush the cod with the butter mixture. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 4 minutes. turn the pieces over. Brush with the remaining butter mixture and broil for about 5-6 minutes longer until it flakes easily.
In a skillet with the reserved butter, add the beans and orange slices . Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, add the garlic and cook for 6 minutes longer, tossing the beans occasionally. When tender, serve with the cod. SDimply add a salad and you have a quick and easy dinner.
Enjoy!
Peach Cocktail Sauce
At a cooking class last night at Walnut Beach Resort, Chef Justin prepared a sauce you would never in a million years think would work BUT IT DOES.
We were having grilled shrimp (recipe tomorrow guys) and this sauce. Everyone was taking the end of the shell and scooping up every last drop in the shot glass.
- 2 x 100 gram container of peach yogurt
- 2 ripe peaches pitted
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. hot horseradish (yup!)
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. oil
Take the pitted peaches and lightly oil them (skins still on at this point)
Place them on a hot grill and grill until they become seared and the skin begins to peel. Peel the skins off and set them aside to cool.
Mix the balance of the ingredients in a small bowl. Once the peaches have cooled, dice them as small as you can and add to the yogurt mixture. Mix well and then divide into two bowls.
Take one bowl with half the sauce and puree it briefly until smooth. Now mix the two together and mix well.
These will be served with the Himalayan Salt grilled prawns.
Damn these are good and you did it again!
Moroccan Chicken With Dates
For the more adventurous, this is a different way to serve chicken. Serve with couscous or rice. Add a generous dollop of sour cream and Voila! You did it again. Damn!
- 3-4 lbs. chicken breast halves, thighs and drumsticks
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- about 10 shallots, peeled
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. tumeric
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 5 tbsp. lime juice, divided
- 12 dated, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and flour. Heat oil in a heavy pot on medium heat and add half the c hicken pieces, turning occsionally for ab out 13-15 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off all but 2 tbsp. of the fat from the pot and discard. Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots to the pot, saute until golden. This should take 4-6 minutes.
Add the cinnamon, ginger, cumin, tumeric and cayenne and stir until it becomes fragrant. This takes only a minute. Now increase the heat to high, add the broth and 3 tbsp. of lime juice. Bring to the boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the shallots are softened.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the juices run clear ( for about 20 minutes) when you cut into the thickest part of the drumstick is pierced with a knife.
Transfer the chicken and shallots to a platter, tent with foil. Boil the juices in the pan until slightly thickened. Stir in the dates and the remaini g lime juice. Reduce and simmer gently for another 2 – 3 minutes.
Pour the sauce with dates over the chicken. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Now, everyone will think you just returned from an exotic vacation and this is what you had there.
Kale and Toasted Pine Nuts
Kale has become the new “hot” food to consume and this might be a great way to ‘try it out’ if you have not tasted it OR did not care for the way it was prepared for you. The amount of Kale will cook down so don’t be scared.
- 4 bunches of kale
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- scant 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Fold each leaf in half, cut stem away from the crease. Tear the leaves coarsely.
Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until onion is soft (about 6 minutes). Add half the kale, packing slightly until it wilts. Add the remaining kale and half of the pine nuts, Toss until the kale is tender and still a bright green.
Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle the remaining pine nuts over.
Now, was I right? Tastes pretty good? You betcha!