I am getting so ticked off I can hardly think. The word professional conjures up things like…studied hard to attain the title, worked hardto prove you earned title, and would NEVER be anything less than professional.
Teachers, at least in B.C., hold for ransom the children and parents. Grade 12’s were robbed of their grads (as they were before the ‘professionals” went on strike) and awards were not given out, report cards were not marked…but their leader ??? told us consistently they were ‘only looking out for the children’..poppycock…it was for more money.
This strike cost parents hundreds of dollars out of their pocket. The teachers….still on strike. Oh, yeah, I forgot..they wanted MORE money. But they only had the children in mind this whole time
Hockey players and all “professional” athletes…money,money, money. I really don’t feel that ANY man/woman is worth multi millions and then have the audacity to go on strike for more money. In the meantime, businesses that depend on these events go broke, close down and have no way to pay wages, mortgages of their own B UT the professional athlete doesn’t give a rat’s darn about that. It is always about money, money, money. Millions are lost and can never be gained back….ever.
I feel I am a professional…I go to work each and every day, I work hard to attain the same level of professionalism….now does that mean I can go on strike? For what? Money- Not…..Comments…sometimes….pleasing a reader because they could venture forth and make one of the recipes that just might give her cause to tremble…..absolutely. I have had years and years of ‘professional’ entertaining, table setting, finding and making signature drinks to present to guests, teaching you, my readers, to try to go one step further and try upping the presentation.
Mad? Absolutely….Can I do anything about this? Probably not…Do you even care? Only your comments will show. Pass it along to all your friends and see if they care.
I am done. I have tried now for over 2 years to do something that you might like, but when I challenged you to add even one person, I would donate to the Food Bank, but there was no response.
As crazy as this sounds, this has been a passion of mine, I loved coming to work each and every day and always, always tried to make it so you could entertain well and feel good about yourself. I love this blog. I really do.
My husband said the other day, I am only doing this for me. I got angry but I guess he is right. I am in tears that this has not done what I prayed for.
Two years ago, I promised my husband and Bill, my guru and constant helper, I would not miss a day. Even when we went on vacation , I always had my work ready to be posted each and every day. All I got in return was porn hacking to my site….twice. Cost a couple of hundred dollars to clean it up.
I thought I was being a professional…….
Starting Ahead of Baking Time
With so much over-whelming news about the east coast weather and on the west coast…two earthquakes in three days…I decidedI needed a pick-me-up. I made the dough for my cheese shortbread and put it in the freezer and I now have the Gumdrop Christmas Cake in the oven.
The dishwasher is going and when my cake comes out of the oven, I will make lunch and then clean my oven. Next week it will be running for hours on end and it needs to be sparkling clean before we start.
THEN I have to make a list of things to be done in order be ready for the dinner next Saturday. This may sound crazy, but when I do this (for me it works), I don’t have any last minute panics. Things like cleaning the silverware, lining up what we are serving, making sure the grocery list is completed, table setting ideas…..
Darn good thing I did…the dessert I am making will take about three days prepping. Day 1 I will make the pound cake and then on day 2, I will make the pumpkin/rum/lime custard….did I get your attention?
Day 3 – I will complete the dessert. The dessert is a pumpkin-rum trifle and is truly amazing. It is one of those recipes that says to you “damn I can do this”. I did.
Wow! I may have to have a martini later….haha
We did a ton of shopping last weekend but it had to cover the baking we do on November 11th.
Christmas Baking List 2012
Here we go again….time to start thinking about what to bake for this year. Some of my favourites are always on the list and a couple of new ones. One thing for sure, it WILL change from time to time as we go through the day(s) around November 11th and something new will crop up.
Here we go…..
- Italian cookies
- Chocolate Flowers
- Raspberry Meringues
- Victoria cookies
- Cheese Shortbread (for company coming)
- Whipped Shortbread
- Lemon Shortbread
- Pecan Shortbread
- Christmas Gumdrop Cake
- Lemon Bars
- Custard Tarts
- Maple Pecan Tarts
- Cranberry/Pistachio bark
- Spiced Nuts
- Candied Nuts
- Nuts and Bolts
- Truffles
What can I say? Bring it on. This is the time we have sooooo much fun. Don makes his Tortiere the same time. We go like stink in the kitchen all day and then drop in the easy chair with a huge sigh!
Plum Vodka Martini
Ha! You thought I had given up on martinis, didn’t you? Well, I haven’t. We haven’t had company that I could make any for. So it took me awhile and then I thought…..now’s the time.
It is simple but the inclusion of the whipped cream vodka makes it really tasty.
- 1 part spiced run
- 1 part Slivovitz (plum liqueur)
- 1 part whipped cream vodka (yes, they really do make it)
Rim martini glasses with coloured sugar (mauve to purple) and chill. Pour ingredients into shaker filled with crushed ice and shake.
Strain into the prepared glasses and garnish with a slice of red plum.
Yummmmmmmm.
Cinnamon/White Chocolate Cheesecake
Wow! What a wonderful way to celebrate ANY occasion/reason/excuse to try another cheesecake. Here we go….
- 1 8 oz. package Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 8 oz. container Philadelphia Cinnamon Indulgence cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon flavouring
- 2 large eggs
- 4 squares good quality white chocolate, chopped, divided
- 1 graham crust (ready-to-use)
Mix the cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon flavouring in your electric mixer until completely smooth. Add the eggs and mix until thoroughly blended. Stir in 1/3 cup of the chopped white chocolate.
Pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped white chocolate.
Bake in a 350 oven for 35 minutes or until center is ALMOST set. Cool, Refrigerate for at least 3 hours….haha you have to wait.
A little hint would be to place a pan with water on the bottom rack of your oven while baking. It prevents cracking. Also, run a spatula around the edges so when it cools down, it isn’t ‘pulling’ from the sides of your pan…again…no cracks on the surface of your cheesecake. Just sayin’.
Harvest Bread Pudding With Ginger Sauce
Family gatherings, be it Thanksgiving or Christmas, allows one to dream….dream about the smells that permeate your home (and really half the neighborhood), the table setting, company coming, menu, laughter, pure joy of seeing one another again, etc. This is a dessert that uses pumpkin but in a different way. One that really is enjoyable and memorable.
- 4 1/2 cups white bread (stale or oven dried out), cubed
- 4 large eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. rum
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg – freshly grated
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 2 tbsp. cold butter, cut up
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. ( To oven dry the bread, place the cubes on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, if it is fresh bread).
Place the cubes in the cooking dish and whisk all the remaining ingredients except the butter, until smooth. Pour over the bread and let sit for about 10 minutes until the bread is completely soaked pushing down gently, if necessary. Now dab the butter over the top and bake for about 45-50 minutes unil set in the middle but not dried out.
Ginger Creme Anglaise
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
In a suacepan over medium heat, bring the milk, cream, ginger and vanilla just to a slight boil, stirring often. ( While this is heating up, whisk the yolks and sugar until smooth.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately.
Slowly pour about 1/4 – 1/3 of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture whisking constantly. Now add this back to the remaining cream mixture in the saucepan and while still whisking, stir until it coats the back of a spoon.
Pour into a bowl and when plating the pudding into your prettiest dessert bowl, ladle a generous amount of the sauce over the top.
OMG this is good.
Gingered Crab in Potato Nests
A few weeks back, we had the landscaping crew over for a ‘thank you dinner’ for the wonderful work and great fun we had last summer (and still tweeking) in our yard.
After dinner was over, they commented this was one of the highlights of the evening. Imagine! So before I lose the recipe, here it is and we will be using it again in a couple of weeks for our next dinner with company.
- 1 large baking potato -about 8 oz., peeled and grated
- 1 lightly beaten large egg
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley (not cilantro)
- sea salt
- crushed red peppercorns
- syrup from jar of ginger (it is thick) to taste
- 3 tbsp. melted, unsalted butter
- 1/2 granny smith apple, cored and diced
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup cooked fresh crabmeat, chopped
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- creme fraiche
- finely chopped dried cranberries
- fleur de sel
Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Oil a mini muffin tin or two with cooking spray and set aside.
In a bowl, beat the grated potato with the egg and nutmeg. Add the parsley and season with the sea salt (a bit) and crushed red peppercorns (a bit). Take a small amount of the grated potatoes in your hands and squeeze out the excess liquid. Press the potato in the bottom of the muffin cup to form a nest, and repeat for the remaining potatoes. Add 1/2 tsp. melted butter in each nest. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove from oven and carefully remove from the pan. Let cool on a rack.
In a bowl, gently toss the apple with the lime juice, crab, ginger syrup and oil. Season with the sea salt and pepper. Using a teaspoon, drop a small amount of filling inside eash nest. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of fleur de el and the chopped cranberries.
Your company will rave and again, you go back to the kitchen, give yourself a high five and proclaim….damn I can do this!
Banana Scones with Crystallized Ginger
Unusual flavours but very enjoyable with a cup of freshly brewed tea/coffee on a wintery day.
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
- pinch of salt
- 5 – 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup ripe banana (not mushy) diced
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
- sanding sugar (yellow or white)
Place the rack in the oven in the top third and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, lime zest and salt together. With a pastry cutter, blend the butter together until only a few pea sized lumps of butter remain.
Stir in the lime and ginger and add the cream. With a fork stir until it just comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently press it into a 7 inch circle about 1 inch high. Using a very sharp Chef’s knife cut into 8 wedges. Place these onto parchment lined cookie sheets, spaced about 10 inches apart. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through the time so the tops brown evenly. Transfer to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Glaze
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- pinch of salt
Mix together until smooth and drizzle over warm scones. Serve with butter.
Now, what could be better. If you wish, also serve with lime marmalade.
oooh, so delicious.
Soft Centered Chocolate Cakes
This makes a delightful dessert.
Serves 4
Everyone has this recipe and some even come in a box. This is homemade and much, much better. Read on.
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, extra for ramekins
- 2 tsp flour
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (best you can afford)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp chocolate liqueur
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Butter four ramekins (four oz. size). Lightly flour and tap out excess. Repeat.
In a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or double boiler, if you prefer), place the butter and chocolate and heat until it is almost completely melted.
In a electric mixer, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and thick. Add the liqueur. Add the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Quickly beat in the flour just until combined.
Divide batter among the four dishes. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about six-seven minutes. At this time, the sides have set, but the center is soft. Invert each mold onto pretty plates and let stand for ten seconds. Unmold by lifting one side of the mold. The cake will fall out on the plate. Add a dollop of whipped cream that has been flavoured with chocolate flavouring or liqueur. Serve immediately.
Note: My husband’s daughter, Suzanne, claims that it can be made a day ahead, covered with saran wrap and put in the fridge. Next day, just bake it as you are eating your dinner. (It doesn’t get much fresher)
The Reason for Setting The Table
We believe that all guests (including family members) should be treated like royalty all the time. If you take anyone for granted you are less likely to make the effort to raise the bar. Try and set your table the day before (if you can) or first thing in the morning for sure. When this is out of the way, you can concentrate on the dinner. Should something unforeseen happen and you find there is just enough time to finish your dinner preparations, it will have been worth having prepared your table earlier.
Once you have set out the charger plates,* dishes, glasses, cutlery, napkins, flowers etc., stand back and take a good hard look. Now is the time to take it to the next level. Add a napkin ‘cover’ (a sheer napkin in gold or silver) or put the sheer inside the napkin and call it a liner and use a napkin ring. If you have a meter or two of sheer material you can lay this over the tablecloth – you now have a tablecloth ‘cover’.
Add salt and pepper holders to the left of the charger plate. When you put out glasses of water for each guest, add a slice of lemon, add some ice and it changes everything. Now take a look. It is fabulous! Pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
* charger plates are larger plates that go under the dinner plates. They don’t have to be expensive. You can buy them in plastic as well as china if that is what you can afford.
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.
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.