When you taste this, perhaps it will become your favourite as well.
- Enough Romain lettuce to serve 4
- 1 large fresh orange or yellow pepper
- grape tomatoes
- fresh snow peas
- toasted pine nuts (preferred) or pecans
Preparation:
Wash, spin dry the lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces. Slice the pepper and pea pods in strips. Add the toasted nuts with the tomatoes and carefully toss.
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- juice of half a l ime
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 3-4 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. minced onion
Combine dressing in blender really well and refrigerate until serving the salad.
Veal and Brie With Asparagus
This is a lovely dinner to present to….your friends, partner/spouse, guests…whomever you wish. It is not complicated. It serves 4
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 small round of Brie, skin removed
- 1 cup flour
- 1-2 tbsp. butter
- 16 spears fresh asparagus, peeled
- 8 ounces fresh crab
- 2 lbs. Veal cutlets
Preparation:
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan over slow heat. Add the whipping cream and as bubbles start to form on the edges, whisk in the Brie cheese and stir until completely melted. Cover and set aside to keep warm (or put in warming oven).
If the veal has not been pounded out, take a mallet and, after covering with eaxed paper, pound it out until it is thin and unison in size. Dredge in the flour and make sure to knock off the excess. Melt the butter in a large fry pan. Cook in the butter for 2-3 minutes until browned . Set aside and keep warm.
Add enough water to your pot with a steamer bowl and bring to the boil. Snap off the asparagus where it does so naturally and drop in the water for only a couple of minutes (keeping the bright green colour). Place the crab meat over the asparagus to steam and get hot.
To assemble, plate the veal, top with a little crabmeat. Place 4 asparagus spears on top and drizzle the cheese sauce over the top. Serve extra sauce on the side. It will be all used up as it is soooo tasty. The only thing this needs is a crisp , warm dinner roll and fresh butter.
Never use margarine for this recipe. Actually, never use margarine. Butter is better for sure.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Attitude
These are great potatoes and it was my son-in-law who taught me how to get “lumpless” potatoes, guaranteed.
Enough potatoes for your guests
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 inch cube of cream cheese
- 1 baked garlic head, flesh only
- Whipping Cream
Preparation:
Boil your potatoes until they are thoroughly cooked. Drain water and with an old fashioned potato ricer, mash the potatoes. Now put the mashed potatoes in your mixer, add all the ingredients and beat until smooth and no lumps appear. Use enough cream to make it light and fluffy.
To bake a head of garlic. Cut off the top of the head and discard, put in tin foil, pour a good quality olive oil just over the top. Seal and bake about 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Make sure it has caramelized before removing from the tin foil. When it has cooled for a few minutes, squeeze out the flesh into the potato mixture.
These potatoes are sooooooo good and will go with any dinner you are planning. Everyone in this house loves them. Enjoy!
Busy Day Ahead
Today I have baking to do for give-aways at the book signing on Saturday. Also company coming for dinner so I am making my gourmet mac and cheese. THIS is incredible comfort on a plate. It will be served with Don’s niece, Mireille’s, salad. Bocconcini (baby) cheese, fresh basil and baby tomatoes and her dressing. Soooo good!
Also, my computer guru is coming at noon to move this up another notch. As I said, it’s a busy day ahead. Later.
Turkey Pot Pie (Don’s Way)
For leftover turkey, a great dish to make is turkey pot pie. It goes like this:
- 3 large carrots, chopped 1/2″ cubes
- 3 celery sticks (ribs removed) and cut into 1/2 ” cubes
- 1 whole onion, chopped into 1/2″ cubes
- 1/3 cup butter,
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 6 oz. frozen green peas
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
In saucepan, sweat onions, carrots and celery (about 8 minutes), add flour, salt, pepper, seasoning. Stir to coat all vegetables. (important)
Now add: 2 cups chicken broth (1/2 cup at a time),
- 3/4 cup milk,
- 2 instant chicken bouillion cubes.
Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, then cook 2 minutes more. Now stir in the frozen peas.
Stir in 3-4 cups cubed turkey and cook a further 2 minutes. Turn mixture into 6 individual casserole dishes, top with a square of pastry. Cut slit in middle and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. You can wait until they are completely cool and wrap with tin foil to freeze. Great quick supper when needed.
* For a different approach, use puff pastry for the topping. OMG! Yummy.
Taste Rating: 9.7
I did it! I really did it!
The story about me making pastry is laughable…NOW.
At 15, I tried it and I swear my dad used it to pave the driveway. No one could eat it, except my youngest sister. Now, 50 plus years later, I made it and it worked. Can you imagine?
I make dessert of all kinds and never have problems. But this is the first time I have, once again, tried to make pastry. Ha Ha I did it! Damn! I can do this.