This would make a great appetizer for your Easter Dinner. It is simple yet refreshing and you come out looking like a real pro….
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped lemon thyme
- 1 1/2 firm rype cantaloupe, seeded and cut lengthwise into 1 1/2 inch wedges
- Butter lettuce
Bring the water, sugar and lemon thyme to a boil over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and it reduces down to about 3/4 cup. Anywhere from 6-8 minutes.
Remove this from the heat and let stand for about 35-40 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing on the thyme, then discard.
Remove the rind from the cantaloupe, and cut each wedge in half, crosswise.
Put all the melon in a bowl and pour the syrup over all.
Put a leaf of butter lettuce on a plate, spoon some of the fruit and syrup in the center. Serve.
Cornish Hens With Bacon and Glaze
Perfect Sunday dinner for the family or keep it a secret and serve when you have guests. This will serve 8 people. If you are a family of 4, you cook once and eat twice. That way it is certainly economical.
- 2/3 cup raspberry jam, seedless
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 16 slices of bacon
- 4 cornish hens (1 1/2 – 1/3/4 lbs each)
Briskly simmer the jam and vinegar until the glaze reduces down to about 1/2 cup. This should take about 8 minutes. Cool down to room temperature and the glaze will continue to thicken up.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While that is happening, cook the bacon just until some of the fat is rendered and it is still pliable (wiggly) yet transluscent. Transfer to paper towels and drain.
Cut and discard the backbone from each of the hens and then cut in half lengthwise. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and arrange in a large roasting pan, cut side down. Brush the hens liberally with the glaze and wrap 2 slices of bacon around each half, making sure just to tuck in the ends of the bacon under the hen.
Cook for about 30 minutes or until the juice in the thigh runs clear and you have basted the hens twice during this cooking process (about every ten minutes).
Serve with potatoes or noodles, vegetable, glass of wine….yummy!
Tomato Florets
Company is coming and you want to offer up a different but tasty hors d’oeuvres. This will make about 18 so judge accordingly as to amounts required.
- 1/3 cup pepper Boursin cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup finely chopped basil
- 18 very thin slices of Genoa salami
- 18 grape tomatoes
- 18 long, fresh chives
Stir the cheese and basil together until well blended.
Put 1/2 tsp. of the cheese in the center of the salami. Press a tomato, with the stem down, into the cheese and wrap the salami around it. Put the bundle on its side while you wrap the long chive, CAREFULLY, around and tie it off. Make sure you leave the tomato exposed.
If you are making this ahead of time, simply cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator. To get ready to serve, on the counter and leave until it reaches room temperature -should be about 15 – 20 minutes.
No one will believe their eyes when you pass the plate and see the pretty flowers you prepared.
Yummy!
Easter Breakfast Salad
This can be used also as a side dish if you are planning a buffet for breakfast or for a dessert by adding whipped cream. Either way, it is a winner and everyone will love the flavours.
- 2 limes
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 large mangoes or 4 ataulfo mangoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
Grate the zest of a lime. Squeeze 3 tablespoons of juice from the limes and set aside. Put the lime zest into a saucepan along with the sugar and water and boil, stirring constantly until the sugar has all dissolved.
Boil for another 3 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Let this sit for about 25 minutes and remove the zest with a slotted spoon and discard.
Toss the mangoes, blueberries and syrup in a large bowl and sprinkle with the ginger. Serve in your prettiest bowl(s).
If having this for breakfast, drizzle some homemade creme fraiche over the top. All I can say is….yum!
Orange Brittle For Ice Cream Splendor
Ic cream is ice cream….or is it? You can buy toppings or you can make your own and make it special. Try this and let me know how much you loved it.
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp. fennel seeds, toasted
- 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with a non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the sugar in a skillet over moderate heat, without distrubing ,until it begins to melt. Stirring occasionally, continue to cook until it becomes a golden caramel.
Immediately remove from the heat, quickly add the toasted fennel seeds and zest and then pour onto the tin foil spreading with the back of a spoon before it hardens.
Cool for about 5 minutes. Break into pieces (save some shards) and put the rest in the food processor until a coarse grind.
Scoop ice cream into a bowl, place a shard on the side and sprinkle some of the ground brittle over the top. If you wish a much crunchier brittle, just break into small pieces rather than put in the processor.
Enjoy! Summer is on its way.
Italian Sausage And Three Pepper Hero Sandwiches
What a delightful treat for everyone out cleaning up the yard at home or opening up the cabin after the long winter. These will give you the energy required to keep moving.
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 3 assorted bell peppers: red, green orange or yellow seeded and cut into thin strips (do not leave out the green pepper for sure – cuts sweetness of other peppers.
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 lb. hot Italian sausage links
- 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage links
- 4 slices of Monteray Jack Cheese
- 1 Italian loaf, cut crosswwise into 4, then halved lengthwise
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion, peppers, salt and pepper until the onion is golden, about 15 minutes.
While the peppers are cooking, preheat the broiler and prick the sausages all over with a fork, and now broil the sausages, turning once, until golden and completely cooked through (about 10 minutes).
Transfer sausages to a cutting board and let stand for about 5 minutes, then cut in half lengthwise.
Fill the buns with the peppers and sausages. Add a slice of Monteray Jack cheese and let it melt over the hot mixture. Yummmmmmm. Add a cold drink and potato salad and you have a meal fit for a king.
Roasted Lamb Chops
Cooking lamb is easy but getting the right flavour, sometimes, takes much longer.
This recipe is for 4 servings…if company coming-great! If not and it is for 2, here you go again…cook once-eat twice… Either way it is pretty tasty.
- 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, crushed
- pinch of kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 6 1 1/4 inch thick lamb chops – someone may want 2
Mix the first 4 items with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large bowl. Add the chops and turn to coat. Let this marinate for about 1 hour. You are trying to get great herby flavour here-did I just invent a new word? Nah!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Now heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the lamb, cooking about 3 minutes on each side.
Now transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 10 minutes to attain a medium-rare doneness.
Remove from oven, transfer to a plate and let rest, covered, for about 5 minutes.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, some fresh asparagus and voila! you have a winning dinner.
Berry Mash Cocktails
If you thought I had given up on my ‘signature drinks’, think again….here’s another one. It makes 2 drinks so be sure to add on when making more.
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries
- 3 tablespoons of Chambourd
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 bottle of any semi-dry sparkling wine of your choice
Gently stir the raspberries, sugar and Chambourd in a bowl, mascerate and let sit, covered, in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
Spoon 2 tbsp. of the raspberries and some juice into champagne flutes, and slowly top up with the sparkling wine.
Toast each other and enjoy!
Fruit Salad in Winter
Salads are good anytime, but a fruit salad in the winter or early Spring is a great thing.
- 1 lime
- 3 oranges (blood oranges if available)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. Cointreau
- 1 pink grapefruit (only if not on cholesteral medicine)
- 2 kiwi fruit (gold if you can get it), peeled and sliced
- 2 apples, cored and sliced
- 2 Asian pears, sliced – not peeled
- 2 cups (1 cup red, 1 cup green) seedless grapes, cut in half
- 1/2 cantaloupe melon
- 1/2 seedless watermelon
- l 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup whipped cream
To make the syrup, squeeze the juice from the lime and one orange into a small saucepan, add the water and sugar. Over medium heat , stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, add the vanilla and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the liqueur and let cool.
Segment the oranges and grapefruit (if using) by cutting away the peel and pith. Place fruit in a bowl and cut away the segments from between the membrane. Be sure to squeeze the juice left in the segments.
Add the sliced kiwi, apple, pear and halved grapes. Remove all the rind and “white” from the melons and cube*. Add to the bowl and pour the syrup over all the fruit. Stir gently to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Divide into your prettiest bowls, using a slotted spoon, add some whisked yogurt and whipped cream and spoon some of the syrup over the top.
Garnish with a glass of wine….did you think I would say anything else?
* The hard bit closest to the rind is not to be eaten. Cut into the flesh of the melons and cube.
Frozen Apricot Yogurt
All you really need for this frozen delight is an ice cream maker. If you use California apricots you attain a more intense flavour and colour that seems to be missing when using any other type.
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups cold water
- 2 cups soft dried apricots
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk plain yogurt
- 2 1/2 tsp. unflavoured gelatin
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves and then add in the apricots. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered until they become soft and plump. This should take about 25 minutes or so.
Strain the apricots over a bowl and return the syrup to the pot. Cook this for about 4-5 minutes until it becomes a dark caramel colour. This will be bubbling, so remove from the heat to check the colour properly.
Very carefully, add 1/2 cup of water, returning the pot to medium heat and keep stirring until the caramel dissolves.
Put the apricots into a blender and puree until smooth and then cool to room temperataure.
Whisk the apricots and yogurt together until well combined and cover with plastic. Chill in the fridge for about 5 hours.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan and let sit for about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes to soften. Heat this up, stirring until dissolves then immediately whisk into the apricot mixture.
Freeze this in an ice cream maker and transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs
I usually promote doing up recipes for company but I am wanting to be selfish and keep this one for my beloved husband and me. Both our favourite things to devour……
- 8 scallops
- 16 large shrimp, deveined, peeled, making sure to leave last shrimp with tail on
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. ginger, grated
- 8 wooden skewers, soaking in water
- 1 tbsp.oil
- 1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
Slice the scallops in half so you get 2 circles from each one; then in a mixing bowl, combine the scallops, shrimp, lime juice, fish sauce and ginger together and marinate for about 10 minutes.
Thread two shrimp and two pieces of scallop on each skewer. Brush with the oil and place on a preheated grill for about 2 minutes on each side. Do not over cook.
When seafood is cooked, transfer skewers to plates sprinkled with the chopped parsley and drizzle with the “Champagne Butter” and serve immediately. Perfect appetizer.
Champagne Butter
2 cups Champagne or sparkling white wine
1/4 cup grated shallot
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
pinch of freshly ground white peppercorns
1 cup of unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
pinch of salt and pepper
In a heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the butter and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until it has reduced down to about 1/4 cup and becomes like syrup. This should take about 18-20 minutes. Reduce the heat to really low and whisk in the butter, two cubes at a time, allowing to dissolve completely before adding more. This should become a creamy consistency. Keep this warm while cooking the scallops and shrimp and then plate as noted above.
Want me to share? Pass the wine and I’ll think about it….
Apple Pecan Crisp
This is a lovely dessert. I can’t imagine anyone not liking the flavours of apples, oatameal and toasted pecans…yummmmmm!
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/8 cups of rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 1/8 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups toasted, chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, cut into cubes and softened
- 4 1/2 lbs tart-sweet apples such as a Gala
- 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 4 – 5 tbsp. sugar (to taste)
- 2 tbsp. flour
- cinnamon whipped cream or vanilla ice cream drizzled with Calvados
**what the heck, drizzle the Calvados over the whipping cream as well.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish
Sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt and add the oats, brown sugar into a bowl and blend the butter in with your fingers to form small clumps. amd set aside.
Peel and core apples and cut into 1/4 inch wedges then toss with lemon juice, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking dish, spreading evenly.
Crumble the topping over the apples and bake until golden and the apples are tender, abpout 45 minutes.
Top with the cinnamon flavoured whipped cream or cinnamon whipped cream and be sure to drizzle some Calvados over this. OMG this is delicious.