I love-love-love yams any way you can cook them but this is a really cool way.
- 4 medium yams, scrubbed clean
- 4-6 bacon slices,
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 tbsp. butter, divided
- 4 tbsp. pure maple syrup for drizzling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prink each yam with a fork and wrap tightly in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until they are fork tender. (35-45 minutes). Make a large X across the top of each one and scoop out the flesh carefully. Do not break the shell apart.
Cook the bacon until crisp and chop finely. Set aside.
Mix together the yam flesh and butter. Spoon back into the shell and top with a dollop of sour cream, bacon bits and drizzle maple syrup over each one.
Oh my goodness these are wonderful. Serve with a favourite fish or steak dish and a crisp salad. What more could you ask for?
Blackberry/Lime Easter Dessert
Easter is coming soon and you will probably have company coming or, even better, being asked out but bring a dessert. Here you are – so easy and certainly easy to take out.
- 2 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar, divided
- pinch of cinnamon
- 6-7 tbsp. melted butter
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups fresh blackberries
- 1 tbsp. of lime zest, save 1 tsp.
- 1 tbsp. lime juice, divided
- 4 large eggs
- 4 pkgs. Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1 cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper, with ends hanging over for easy removal.
Mix together the cracker crumbs, 2 tbsp. sugar, cinnamon and melted butter and press into the prepared pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Reserve 1/2 cup berries and 1 tsp. zest for later.
Beat together the cream cheese, lime juice, remaining zest and sugar until completely smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time on low speed, mixing well. Fold in the berries carefully and pour into the pan.
Bake 35-40 minutes until almost completely set (just giggle to check). Remove from the oven and cool down completely.
Refrigerate for 5-6 hours and when preparing to serve – pull out with the ‘handles’ of parchment paper and cut into bars. Top with a dollop of whipped cream , a berry and sprinkle the lime zest over.
Apple Crumb Pie
This is the first day of Spring. Thank Goodness! What a winter the world has been through this year. Never mind, we all need is a dessert tonight and here we go.
- Pastry for 8″ square pan
- 6-8 apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1/2 – 3/4 tbsp. cinnamon (to taste)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup oatmeal
- 6-7 tbsp. butter (not margarine)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line the bottom of an 8″ square pan with your favourite recipe for pastry (or store bought will do).
In a large bowl, mix together the sliced apples, 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon. Toss with your hands gently to coat the apples. Pour this into the baking pan.
Mix together 1/3 cup of sugar, the flour and oatmeal and the cold butter. Cut in with two forks or pastry cutter until crumbly and sprinkle over all the apples. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Watch that it isn’t burning.
Turn the broiler on and for the last 2-3 minutes, broil the top to get a nice golden brown colour.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream or cheddar cheese. For a special touch, drizzle a caramel sauce over the surface.
In a few words, yum yum and yum.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This must be a dessert day for no other reason than I feel like chocolate and pecans. So here we go.
- 1 1/3 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- pinch of cinnamon
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate melting discs (dark chocolate is best), melted
- Chocolate syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the crumbs, pecans, butter and cinnamon and press firmly into a 9″ pie plate. Bake for 5 minutes and set aside.
Beat egg whites until stiff. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks, condensed milk and melted chocolate discs until smooth. Fold in the egg whites. Pour into the pie crust.
Bake for approximately 34-36 minutes or until set. Cool.
When ready to serve, cut into wedges and drizzle with the chocolate syrup. Oh, if you insist, add a generous dollop of whipped cream on the side.
Easy Friday Night Lasagna
This only takes about an hour to make, so put it together then pour a glass of the grape and get ready to enjoy a wonderful dish on a Friday night.
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 chorizo sausages, casings removed
- 3 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3-4 drops of hot sauce
- 1 -796 ml can of plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 lb. container smooth ricotta
- 1 1/2 cups Asiago cheese, grated
- 6 fresh lasagna noodles
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat oil in a deep 10 inch fry pan that is oven safe. Add the onion and cook until transparent (3 minutes). Add the sausages and cook until browned. Now the mushrooms, garlic and hot sauce and cook until the mushrooms are soft.
Stir in tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium. Gently simmer until the sauce thickens (12-16 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl.
Stir the beaten egg, ricotta and 1/2 half of the Asiago cheese in a bowl.
Spread 1 heaping cup of the meat mixture on the bottom of the fry pan (one you have been using). Cover with 2 lasagna noodles, making sure to cut to fit. Layer with 1 heaping cup of the meat mixture and half the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers, ending with the meat mixture.
Bring this to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
Broil in centre of oven until cheeses are melted and browned. 2-3 minutes. Serve with garlic toast, wine/beer and you are set.
Caramelized Yam Wedges
I love Yam fries (without the chipotle mayo) and these are more than yummy delightful. What a way to serve a burger, these wedges and a cold one on a Friday night or maybe Sunday afternoon watching the golf, hockey or whatever channel you watch. Trust me I don’t need an excuse.
- 3 tbsp. butter (not margarine)
- 3 medium yams (orange ones), peeled and cut lengthwise and then into 8 – 1/2 inch wedges
- 1 cup water
- 3 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. white sugar
- zest of one orange
In a large pan on medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the wedges to the pan and stir to coat completely. Add 1 cup water and the orange juice, cover and cook for about 5 minutes (fork tender). Do this in stages if you must until all done.
Remove cover, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. About 4 minutes longer.
Combine the sugars and sprinkle over the potatoes until all coated. Continue cooking until they start to caramelize and the potatoes have a brown glaze (5-7 minutes) and tossing to prevent them burning. When the sugars bubble and brown around the edges, removed and garnish with the zest.
Serve immediately. Put the salt and pepper on the table and let everyone season to their liking.
Take a bow, these are amazing.
Baked Cod Using Panko Crust
I promise you this is a nice way to prepare the cod fillets. We had this last night and we really enjoyed it.
- 3 – 8-9 oz. pieces of Captain Cut cod fillets
- 1 1/2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 3.4 cup panko crumbs
- 1 1/2 tsp. Joe’s Stuff Seasoning OR Old Bay – from New Orleans School of Cooking (better)
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil or 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh chopped Basil
- 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
- lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush the fillets with a mixture of mayonnaise and mustard.
Saute the shallot and garlic in the butter and olive oil until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the panko crumbs, basil, lemon and seasoning until well combined.
Spread 1/3 of the hot mixture over each piece of fish and pat down to adhere the crumbs. Bake for 15 minutes in a shallow baking pan prepared with parchment paper.
Serve with a crisp salad and serve with lemon wedges on the side.