This is a little different but certainly tasty. There will be cries for ‘more please’.
- 1/2 cup Basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 5 medium ears of corn, husk and silk removed
- 1/2 cup toasted pistachio nuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped basil, fresh
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 2-3 tbsp. melted butter
- 1 large lime juiced (3-4 tbsp.)
- pinch of salt
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and quartered
- Baby spinach and arugula for each serving
In a large saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to the boil, stir in the rice. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes on a lower temperature.
On the grill, brush melted butter over the corn and grill for about 6-7 minutes until lightly charred, turn often. Remove from the grill and let cool down. Cut the corn from the cob.
Drain the rice and stir in the corn, pistachios, basil, oil, lime juice and salt. Return to the stove and stir to combine and heat through.
To plate, add a generous serving of the fresh greens, plate the salad on top and add the avocado evenly. Serve with toasted brioche bread, glass of chilled wine and you have a feast.
Enjoy!
Note: I added melted butter to the corn, and then drizzled the remaining butter over it all and simply mixed it lightly.
Pecan Crusted Scallops with an Anjou Pear Puree
Here is one of the most luscious tidbits you can offer family and friends. Get ready for the holiday seasons upcoming and, yes, even show off a little. Go on, you know you want to!
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Anjou pear, peeled, cored and diced in cubes
- pinch of salt
- 1 quart of oil for frying
- 10 sea scallops, cut in half
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 – 1/2 cups finely chopped toasted pecans
In a medium sized saucepan, place 2 cups of water with the sugar on high heat and bring to a full boil. Add the diced pear and reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 10-12 minutes until very soft. With a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the pot and reserve the liquid separately. Allow both to cool down.
Put the pear cubes in the blender with 2 tbsp. of the boiling liquid and a pinch of salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
In a clean pot, pour in the oil and heat to a temperature of 350 degrees. Season the scallops with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in three different saucers. Dip each scallop in the flour, then the egg and now in the pecans, covering well.
Fry them in small batches for about 2 minutes, until golden. Remove to a towel lined plate and sprinkle with just a hint of salt.
Using a pastry bag with a small tip, pipe a small amount of the puree on each scallop. Arrange on your prettiest plate and serve warm. They won’t last long enough to get cold.
The Perfect Russian Salad
This is a lovely fresh salad to serve for lunch or with dinner when serving baked or fried chicken. In a word: YUM!
- 2 medium cucumbers (English)
- bunch of radishes
- 2 red delicious apples
- 1/2 cup sour cream mixed together with
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
Slice the cucumbers and radishes paper thin. Place in a medium bowl.
Wash, core and slice the apples thin. Add these to the mixture in the bowl and toss to mix well. Top with the dressing of sour cream and lemon juice.
Serve of a leafy garden lettuce leaf and garnish with the parsley, toasted pecans and pinch of pepper.
Yummy good.
Caramelized Pecan Tart
This is easy. A bit of a cheater because you can use a packged or frozen crust and spend a couple of minutes making the filling. The end result: OMG this is good.
- 1 pie crust
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped, toasted pecans
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Transfer crust to a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom, making sure to hang the edge of the pastry over so you can fold it up to form a double thick edge.
Whisk the cream, sugar, corn syrup. vanilla and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Stir in the nuts and simmer until the colour changes slightly and the sugar has melted. Spread evenly over the crust and bake for about 25 minutes until golden.
Remove to a rack to cool completely. When ready to serve, remove bottom from pan, slice and add, of course, a generous dollop of cinnamon flavoured whipping cream. Besides, what is dessert without whipping cream? That is like a day without chocolate.
Burnt Sugar/Pecan Rum Sauce
Summer is here and that means ice cream. This is a luscious sauce to use. The ice ceam consumers will love this one. It is easy to make and brings the simple dessert up a notch or two.
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. rum
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Cook the sugar over medium heat in a heavy saucepan , do not stir, until it starts to melt. Now, with a fork, continue stirring until the sugar becomes a deep golden caramel colour.
Tilt the pan and CAREFULLY, pour in the water, then add the cream and rum. (this will bubble and steam vigorously).
Cook slowly over a low heat until the caramel has dissolved. Stir in the pecans and serve warm over vanilla ice cream.
Add a pecan shortbread cookie or two and enjoy.
Papaya-Grape-Avocado Salad
You just can’t beat a well chilled fruit salad for a warm summer meal. You can add whatever you want, but this is a real good one.
Serves 8
- 4 cups Red leaf lettuce
- 4 cups butter lettuce
- 1 large, ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced
- 1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup red, seedless grapes, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Gently toss the salad ingredients to combine. Now to make the dressing.
Dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tbsp. grated lime peel
- 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
Drizzle the dressing over and toss gently to coat. This, is a yummy salad.
Now, may I pour you a glass of wine? Be right back.
Cherry Pecan Biscotti
Store bought Biscotti, to me, is doubtful. The commercially made ones can break your teeth they are so hard. Homemade ones, even though they are baked right, don’t seem to be that way. Must be the love that they are made with.
You can combine any dried fruit and nuts for your own tastes, but this is a nice one to start with.
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup unsalted pecans, toasted, chopped
- icing sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Firstly, mix together the oil and sugar. Now add the two extracts and the eggs. Beat until well blended.
In another bowl, blend together the dry ingredients. Keep the mixer running on slow and add the dry ingredients to the mixture. Fold in the dried cherries and pecans.
The dough is sticky, so dampen your hands and turn out on a lightly floured work surface. Shape into two logs approximately 2 inches wide and 12 inches long and it should be about 1 1/2 inches high. Lightly sprinkle with icing sugar and place on a cookie sheet and bake for about 35 minutes. They should be a light golden colour.
Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 2-3 minutes to cool down a bit and a sharp knife, slice on the diagonal.
Place the cookies, flat side down and bake for about 7 minutes. Turn them over and bake another 7 minutes. They should be dry. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Sample and enjoy! Store in a glass jar with a lid. It’s okay, this way everyone can look at them and, in a flash, you will have to make more ‘cuz they will be gone. When you notice that, it must be time for a martini. Later.
Baked Peaches 2011
This is the season for peaches and now is the time to make good use of them with an updated recipe.
You will need:
- 6 peaches, halved
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 3-4 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 block of Philadelphia cream cheese (not lite)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 x 10 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Trim a very thin slice off the bottom of each peach half (so they will stand straight). Dip each half in the butter to coat and sprinkle the cut sides with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla untill well mixed and light and fluffy. Spoon this into each peach half centre. Sprinkle pecans on top.
Bake uncovered until lightly browned and softened. (about 25-30 minutes) Serve warm.
This is truly yummy-yummy!
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.
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.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
I just made this loaf and while the beautiful aroma wafts into my office, I am going to share it with you.
This makes 3 loaves (1 to eat now, 2 to freeze for later)
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 (15 oz) can PURE pumpkin (not pie filling)
- 1 cup Crisco Oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup pecans (or Skor chips)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans (9 x 5 inch).
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, and water. Beat until smooth.
Add flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Fold in the chips and pecans.
Bake for one hour and cool a few minutes. Ice and then sprinkle on toasted and crushed pecans.
This is SCRUMPTIOUS to say the least.
Salmon/Pecan Nuggets
We have always loved entertaining and, therefore, always trying new foods out. This is a foodie’s delight.
- 1 lb. skinless salmon fillets (fresh or frozen) about 1 inch thick
- 2 tbsp. water
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. fresh ground ginger
- 2 tsp. cooking oil
- 1 tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 tbsp. or more toasted and finely chopped pecans
Procedure:
Thaw fish, if necessary. Rinse and pat dry. Cut into 1 inch chunks. Place fish in a plastic bag. Make a marinade of water, soy sauce, ginger and oil; close the bag and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet or wok heat the tbsp. of oil over medium heat. Drain the trout and toss in the marinade. Cook half the trout for about 4 minutes or until flaky and remove from heat.
Cook and stir the remaining chunks and drain all on paper towels, Sprinkle with pecans, Serve warm with rice or a crisp salad.
This makes about 22 appetizers. I really like the pecans, so I use more, but that’s just me.
Taste Rating: 8.8