Stuffed Upright Potatoes

Serves 4

  • 4 small baking potatoes
  • Butter (optional) or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Monterey Jack  cheese, shredded
  • 2 tsp. mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • Whipping cream (as needed)
  • 2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
  • 1 half large green pepper, chopped
  • Fresh chives (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes and prick all over with a fork. If you wish to have softer skins, just rub in some olive oil. Bake about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

To make the potatoes stand up, cut enough off the bottom so they won’t tip.  Cut a small bit off the top.  Scoop pulp from the slices and discard the skin but do not break it. You want to be able to use them like a “bowl ‘ later on.

Place the pulp in a bowl and mash. Stir in the sour cream and butter (if using) cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. If needed, add a little cream to make the desired consistency.  Stir in the hard cooked eggs. Carefully spoon this mixture into the skins of the potatoes equally.  Stand the potatoes upright in a square baking dish.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20 minutes until completely heated through and tops are browned. You can prepare these ahead up to putting them in the oven. Cover and refrigerate. Can be reheated in a 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Besides looking pretty they taste amazing.

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Ice and Snow Martini

Well, well, well.. it has been awhile since I came up with a recipe for a great martini.  It is funny for the name as it is now summer, but would sure taste good when it is hot outside.

  • 3 oz. mango nectar
  • 2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
  • 1/2 oz. cream
  • 1 oz. Creme de Banana
  • 1 oz. Grand Marnier

Fill a shaker three-quarters full of crushed ice. Add all the ingredients and shake for a couple of seconds to let it get cold, now strain and pour into  your sexiest martini glass. Add a few pieces of mango, chopped fine. For more “pizzazz”, add a strawberry and orange spiral on a toothpick and let it rest on the side of the glass.

Yumm!

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Pecan Coffee Cake

This is a great treat to have when the neighbors/friends come over.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • 6 oz. softened butter
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup pecan pieces
  • 2 tsp. instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp. boiling water
  • pecan halves

Grease two 8″ cake pans with removable bottoms and line each base with parchment paper.

In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy and add the eggs one at a time. Carefully sift the flour over the top and fold in. Fold in the pecans and coffee.

Bake at 350 degrees to about 20 minutes or until golden. Turn cakes on to wire racks to cool.

Frosting:

  • 2 tbsp. cream
  • 2 tsp. instant coffee
  • 3 1/2 oz. softened butter
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 2 tsp. Kahlua liqueur

In a saucepan combine cream and coffee, only to a warm temperature and stir until the coffee dissolves. Pour into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Place one layer on a plate and ice the top and sides. Add the second cake . Frost the sides and top. Decorate with pecan halves in any pattern you wish to place on it.

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Summer Appetizers

We are now into summer and that means a lot of bbq’s, family picnics and visits with family, friends and neighbors.  Today I will showcase a couple of new ideas to get you started AND excited to show off your new found recipe skills.

Firstly:  Fresh Figs with Proscuitto and Blue Cheese

Note-the combination of flavours can’t be beat but your figs must be perfect. Ripe but not too soft. Use both green and purple figs for variety.

  • 1/2 cup Blue Cheese
  • 6 medium figs, cut into quarters
  • 2 tbsp. of exceptional balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • pinch of mediterranean salt
  • light pinch of pepper
  • 1/2 lb. thinly sliced proscuitto, cut into strips.

Place 1/2 tsp. of the cheese on each quarter, gently pressing into the bottom of each fig piece. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Mix the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper together using a whisk and brush each fig.

To assemble, wrap the bottom half of each fig with a strip of proscuitto.  Do not refrigerate.

Secondly: Pecan, Brie and Grape Salsa Tarts.

 To get the results of this recipe you should have a high quality Brie. This means it should be soft when cut into but never runny.  If you make a mistake and buy an under-ripe wheel of Brie, you should be aware that it will not ripen further.

  • 1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsps. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. each of fresh rosemary aned minced garlic.
  • pinch of pepper
  • 48 prepared tart shells (you could make your own pastry)
  • 1/2 cup roasted and chopped pecans
  • 8 oz. Brie, rind removed

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place grapes and salt in a processer and chop until coarse in texture. Transfer to a strainer and let stand for about 10 minutes. Mix together all the ingredients up to and including pepper. Fold in the grapes.

With a fork, fill the tartlets. This will avoid picking up any of the liquid. Bake until the cheese starts to melt (about 5 minutes). Do not over-bake. Serve immediately.

You have now become the queen of the appetizers for any occasion that crops up.

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Raspberry Tart with Chocolate Ganache

First of all, before the recipe gets started….a little trivia..did you truly know there were four raspberry types. 1-red, 2-yellow, 3-pink and 4-black . The black one is sometimes confused with Blackberries. Blackberries are bigger, shinier.  So, now pick your choice and begin.

 

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 10 tbsp. cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 tbsp. sifted icing sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. water
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla
  • 2 tsps. Kahlua liqueur
  • 3-6 ounce containers fresh Raspberries or Blackberries (your choice)
  • 3 tbsp.seedless Raspberry Jam (Blackberry)

Pulse together the flour, butter and sugar until it becomes a coarse meal.  Mix together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. water in a small bowl.  Add to the flour mixture, mixing until moist clumps start. Gather the dough into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and work into a 12 inch round (approximately). Fit into the pan and freeze for about 15 minutes.  Bake the crust  until golden and cool. Takes about 10-15 minutes.

Bring cream to just the boiling point, remove from heat and add the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Stir in the liqueur and vanilla.  Cool the ganache for about 15 minutes.

Move the tart shell to a platter. Spoon in the ganache and smooth the surface. Place the raspberries on top (pointy end up).  Now stir the jam and 1 1/2 tsp. water in a small saucepan and stir until smooth. Carefully brush the mixture over the berries while still warm.

Can be made ahead no more than 8 hours and be sure to keep it at room temperature.

This will look like you really worked hard…now pour a Kir or a glass of crisp white wine and declare for all to hear “damn I DID this!  Enjoy enjoy.

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Angelic Cheesecake

After preparing this and then tasting it, you will hear the angels sing. It is a ‘heavenly’ dessert and certainly a must for your next dinner.

 

You need :

  • 1 1/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 3 pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup caramel topping
  • 1 Mars bar, chopped coarsely.
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Mix the crumbs and butter and press into a 9 inch springform pan. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, until blended. Pour over crust and bake 40-45 minutes until centre is almost set. To help avoid a cracked top, place a small bowl of water in the bottom of your oven. (moisture keeps it from big cracks).

Make sure you have only family or best friends over to eat this or else the line up will form outside if they even get a hint of how good this is.

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Glazed Ham Updated

Everybody has their own way of preparing ham and this is just one more. Give it a try, it really is DELICIOUS.

  • 1 Maui pineapple, peeled, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup grainy mustard
  • 1 smoked ham (approximately 10 pounds trimmed of all but 1/4 inch of fat
  • 35-40 whole cloves
  • 1 cup Chardonnay wine

To start bring the pineapple, sugar and water to a boil. Reduce and simmer until the pineapple looks translucent and has reduced to about 4 cups (about 1 hour). This glaze will keep covered and in the fridge for 3 days. A great make ahead.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put the rack on the lowest position. Score the ham with a sharp knife in a pattern of 1 1/4 inch diamonds. Press a clove in the center of each diamond (wear gloves if  you must, cloves are sharp). Place the ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan and drizzle wine over the top. Coat ham with half of the glaze. Cover with parchment then foil and bake for about one hour. Remove from the oven.

Increase the temperature to 425 degrees. Now uncover the ham and coat with remaining glaze. Bake uncovered until browned (about 40 minutes.) If the bone becomes too dark, tent it with foil. Let set for about 30 minutes before carving. Serve with the pan drippings and pineapple.

A great dinner is upon you.

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Lemon Scones

Sometimes  we wrack our brains trying to find something different, either for breakfast or afternoon tea, and this might just hit the spot. They are not difficult and will raise a few eyebrows when they take that first bite.

 

You will need:

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. each of allspice and cloves
  • pinch of salt
  • 8 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup yellow raisins
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
  • 2/3 cup milk.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly stir the flour, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl. With a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until butter is blended into small granules. Add the raisins, sugar and lemon.  Now add the milk and stir to form a soft ball.

On a lightly floured board turn out the dough and knead about 10-12 times. Form into a ball and lightly flatten out on a cookie sheet that has parchment paper on it.  Score with a sharp knife so that 8-10 triangles are marked.  Bake about 15 minutes (watching it doesn’t get too brown) and cool on a wire rack.

When ready to serve, cut in half and put a generous spoon of lemon curd inside and replace the top. Sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy.

This is just one of the treats served at the B & B.

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Table Setting: A Cut Above Casual

The table setting tonight is a touch above casual….Today, being a special occasion, I have used a  beige faux suede tablecloth, black charger plates, with snow white napkins with a black napkin cover and tan and black napkin holders. I added black wine glasses as well as black water goblets. My candles are a warm beige in colour set in black candleholders.

The china I am using today belonged to my husband’s mother. It is a  white plate with a silver rim and really looks amazing. Along with this is a cup and saucer at each plate.

Now to bring it a step more, add salt and pepper shakers at each setting (in my case tonight it is set for three) and individual butter dishes.

You could serve meatloaf and make t look amazing at this table. It isn’t so much what you serve to eat  BUT how it is presented.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Pear Martini

Last night I tried this one on friends (one had never tried martini’s before) and a gentleman said “is this REALLY a martini”.  It is a nice one for Father’s Day as well. Of course it is….read on

 

Chocolate Pear Martini

  • 2 shots pear vodka (Blue Goose is the best)
  • 2 shots Godiva White Chocolate liqueur
  • 2 shots Baileys

Fill shaker with ice and shake the ingredients a few seconds to get cold. Strain into chilled martini glasses and garnish with a slice of fresh pear. Sooooooo good!

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Father’s Day Weekend

My husband, his two sons go on a golf weekend along with about 16 other  fellows and it is a tradition. A nice tradition I can assure you. To see father and sons together for fun times is a wonderful thing to watch.

We had a nice steak dinner with Trevor on Friday night as he leaves Sunday afternoon and tomorrow I am preparing scallops and lobster tails for Maurice and Don for their special day.

For those who still have their fathers, enjoy them, love them and keep them in your hearts. For us who have lost our fathers, there is a large hole in my heart, wishing my Dad would be at the end of the table tomorrow revelling in the spotlight. It was always a joy and believe me,he is ever missed and loved.

Time for a martini I think. Back at it tomorrow. Enjoy the day and put in your memory book in your mind. They are a treasure.

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You Made Your Moms, Friends and Family Proud

Yes, we were disappointed but you didn’t understand, in your liquored state, IT WAS ONLY A GAME. So thank you one and all for showing the world just how we handle disappointment. My biggest thanks goes out to the Canucks who let me enjoy, laugh, cry and sit on the edge of my seat for 7 games and feel so alive. Well done. Truly, I thank you.

 Congratulations to all the hooligans that took part in that mob scene last night. You made your moms SOOOOO proud to watch you act like animals and look after that which wasn’t yours. Oh yes, your manners towards the police really showed just how well you listen when told to cease and desist and go home!

If our Judges had any gumption they should put one and all of these hooligans in the Army for 2 years (no excuses and no time off for time spent in jail). Then and only then will they appreciate and guard property, life and limb of others.

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