You can use whatever combination you wish: strawberry ice cream, with chopped strawberry pieces and strawberry sauce; chocolate chips, chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce; or this one.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup rolled oats (not the instant kind)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup English Toffee Bits
- 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce (homemade)
- 8 cups really good quality vanilla or butterscotch ice cream
Combine the flour, oats, pecans and sugar together. Add the melted butter and mix well and spread out evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden in colour.
Cool this mixture completely, then press half of the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Stir the toffee bits into the remaining mixture. Drizzle half the sauce over the oat mixture in the pan. Cover with softened ice cream. Cover with the remaining crumbs. Drizzle the remaining sauce over all.
Cover with plastic wrap, then tin foil and freeze. Cut into squares when ready to eat. You will be tempted to “drop by” the freezer from time to time….Yes you will!
Perfect Whipped Frosting
This frosting is made the same way you would if you were tempering chocolate. That is, a metal bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water in it. It shouldn’t touch the bowl.
- 3 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- pinch of salt
Over medium heat and the water simmering, stir all the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved (or if you have an instant read thermometer-150 degrees).
Now transfer this to a large mixing bowl and on medium high speed, beat until glossy, thick peaks form (about 3 minutes) and do not overbeat.
Reduce the heat and add whatever flavouring or food colour you want, beating only to combine well.
Use immediately. Oh, by the way, this will make 5 cups so you can fill and frost your cake(s).
Pears with Everything Dessert
Pears are a very understated fruit and this one brings it to the forefront, for elegance, taste and presentation.
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- 4 firm, ripe red skinned pears, halved and cored
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 4 oz. white melting chocolate discs
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl. Place pear halves, cut side up in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Drizzle with the melted butter and now top with the sugar mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven of 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until the pears are tender, all the while spooning the sugar mixture over the pears halfway through the baking. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Bring the cream barely to the boil, add the chopped white chocolate and whisk until it has melted completely and is a smooth texture.
Place one pear half on each pretty serving plate, stir the sugar mixture in the baking dish and spoon over the pears. Sprinkle with the almonds and cranberries and while the chocolate is still very warm, drizzle over the pears and serve immediately.
After all the ooohs and aahhs, say calmly to yourself…damn I did this.
Cinnamon Toffee Muffins
Aha! Another muffin recipe and this is a yummy one. What is better than cinnamon and toffee? okay, I know…chocolate but that’s another story.
- 7 tbsp. room temperature butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 4 oz. cinnamon chips (new on market here)
- 4 oz. English toffee bits
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (this is a lower temperature than most muffins are baked in). Prepare muffin tins with nonstick spray and set aside.
Combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until pale in colour and smooth in texture.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture in two additions alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir until just moistened and fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full. The batter, of course, will be lumpy.
Streusel Topping
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. softened butter
Cut the butter into the above ingredients until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Place a generous tablespoon on top of each muffin and gently press to adhere.
Bake for about 20 minutes (check for doneness) and let stand for about 5 minutes before unmolding on a wire rack to cool.
Lobster Crepes
Okay, so you want to impress your company this week and are not sure how to go about it. Read this through, get your ingredients ready and go for it. Everyone will marvel at what you just accomplished and your secret? It wasn’t difficult.
Crepes
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups whole milk
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until totally smooth. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and spray with cooking oil.
Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into the hot pan and tilt the pan to thinly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for about a minute but do not burn. Flip with a wide spatula. Cook until the underside is golden and remove to a plate. Continue until all the batter is used. If making this beforehand, put waxpaper between each one and wrap with plastic. Refrigerate for up to 2 days only.
Filling
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh fennel
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 250g regular Philadelphia cream cheese, cubed
- 3/4 cup Swiss cheese
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 cups medium cooked shrimp, peeled and cleaned
- 4 cups cooked lobster, chopped
Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan and when hot, add the fennel and cook until softened (3 mins approximately) Stir in 1/4 cup of the flour and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and then the cheeses.
When the cheeses are melted, add in the wine and the mustard stirring until it becomes thickened. Add the shrimp and the lobster and heat through. Do not overcook the seafood as it will become tough.
Put a crepe on cutting board and cut in half. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the filling onto one half of the crepe and fold in to a triangular cone shape. Fill remaining crepes the same way. Place two on each plate. Crisp salad, warm rolls or focaccio bread and, of course, chilled white wine.
You will make this again and again…just not to the same people all the time.
Truly, yummy!
Three Day Entertaining
This is one busy weekend coming up and this is where planning ahead helps. A lot!
Friday we have a friend coming here for dinner and staying over. So, for him, we are having: (He is French- as well Don is too) See how we planned the food to suit.
- Mini pizza starters with a glass of wine
- Caesar salad
- Twice baked potato
- Corn on the Cob
- T-bone steak
- Lemon Cream with Almond Madeleines
Saturday we are having a most delightful new friend, who is sooooo French she is truly adorable and for her, we are having:
- Stuffed Butterfly Shrimp with a glass of wine
- Three cheese Risotto (I love this stuff)
- Green String beans
- Rack of Lamb
- Lemon Cream with Almond Madeleines (plan once, eat twice)
Sunday…this is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations and we worked on making sure we were serving food that is normal in Irish Pubs in Ireland and this is what we found out:
Classic Poutine (yes, this is true) from scratch, not frozen
Garden Pea Soup (oooooh, this is delightful)
- Steak and Guiness Pie
- Irish Soda Bread
- Mac ‘N Cheese (6 different cheeses used, here)Sticky Toffee Puddings with Caramel sauce – one guest does not eat sweets, so instead we have a plate of fruit, cheese and crackers for her)
Green Beer to start and wine throughout
Everything for the next three days was planned, prepared in advance where we could and yes, my table is set already. I do this, just in case….just in case something happens in the kitchen that would take up more time than planned for.
House is cleaned, sparkles and, of course, greener than Ireland itself. Music is at the ready so let it all begin. Pictures will be happening by Monday.
Lemon Cream Dessert
This recipe is from the Bakers at Lake Village Bakery in Osoyoos. I absolutely love it. It is like eating pure silk.
This can be a dessert, or if having several dinner courses and you want to have a palate cleanser, use this.
It can’t be simpler. Three ingredients, but do it exactly or it won’t set.
- 3/4 cups heavy cream
- meagre 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/2 oz. sugar (weigh this out on your kitchen scale)
- zest from 1 1/2 lemons
In a pot over medium heat, pour in the cream and cook for 6-10 minutes (until the bubbles start to form around the edges and is hot). Remove from the heat and pour in the sugar, stirring with a rubber spatula until the sugar is totally melted.
Add the lemon juice (keep stirring so not to curdle) and the lemon zest. Let this sit for about 10 -15 minutes and then strain through a fine mesh sieve.
This will set completely when put into the refrigerator, so don’t be concerned.
Pour into your desired dishes and you will not believe how wonderful this is. I made French Madeleines this morning and they will be teemed together to tease our guests with this lovely confection..
Apple Streusel Muffins
This recipe is in my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook” (order from Amazon or your local library) and it is truly a great morning ‘waker-upper’.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla and stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened (batter will be stiff). Fold in the chopped apples.
Grease muffin tins and fill them 3/4 full.
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. cold butter
Combine the ingredients and cut in the butter until very crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over all the muffins and gently press to adhere.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick and if it comes out clean…done
Cool for five minutes before removing to a rack. One more thing….
Glaze
1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
1-2 tbsp. cream (not milk)
1 tsp. melted butter
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Mix together until combined and smooth. Drizzle over the muffins. Need I say – OMG these are good.
Coffee any one?
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This recipe is made with the two best items in the world…chocolate and pecans. It can be made with a store bought pastry crust or your own homemade. Either way, it is truly a yummy dessert. When I get to Heaven I hope they have pecan anything…..
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
- 1 pastry crust (9″)
- 3/4 cups dark chocolate wafers
- 1 tbsp. flour, extra for coating the chocolate
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the pecans evenly over the pastry crust.
In a small bowl toss the chocolate chips with flour then scatter over the pecans. In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and butter until thoroughly combined. Pour over the pecans and chocolate wafers.
Bake until set and the crust has browned and this should take about 70 minutes. Don’t let the pastry burn. Cover with tin foil or a pastry ring protector for pies. Remove and let cool on a rack for a good 1 1/2 hours.
Serve warm or room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
In a word: YUMMY!
Cinnamon Cranberry Cookies
This is the same method as making chocolate chips but the ingredients differ slightly and the flavour is really good.
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (quick cooking, not instant)
- 1 pkg. Cinnamon Chips (baking aisle in store)
- 1/3 cup white chocolate melting disks, chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until creamy (3-4 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time and add the vanilla. Beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
Combine the sifted flour and baking soda, beating well to combine (give it a couple of minutes), stir in the oats, cinnamon chips, chocolate and cranberries on low, just enough to combine.
On parchment lined cookie sheets, use a 1 tbsp. size scoop and put 6 on a tray. If using a convection oven, bake for 6 minutes, rotate the trays and bake a further 6 minutes. Let cool for a minute and then transfer to cooling racks. Repeat process until all cookies are baked. Makes 4 -4 1/2 doz. cookies.
Let cool and boy, of boy these are tasty.
Pour a cup of coffee or tea, invite a friend over (or not) and enjoy the lazy afternoon together.
Malted Milk Shakes-Yum!
This isn’t something that should be consumed every day, but in all fairness, you will think you probably should. It is yummy! Maybe you have to be in our age bracket to even remember what malted milk shakes taste like. If that is the case, go for it.
- 3/4 whole milk (really cold) and not skim
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds removed
- 2 1/2 cups Chapman’s or Tillamook vanilla ice cream
- 2 tbsp. malted milk powder (dry milk powder section of grocery stores)
- 1/4 cup malted milk balls like Maltesers, crushed
Place two 12 oz. glasses in the freezer and chill for 1-2 hours (or overnight).
Pour milk in the blender, add the vanilla seeds. Cover and blend for about 20 seconds. Add the ice cream and malted milk powder and blend until thick and creamy. Scrape the sides often to ensure a proper mix and that is is smooth.
Pour into glasses, add a straw and sprinkle the crushed balls over the top.
You can change the vanilla ice cream for chocolate. YUM! When I was a teenager and working after school, the store I worked at had “malted milk shakes”. Oh yeah
Plans For A Green Party
Ha, ha! It is for St. Patrick’s Day. This actually started two years ago when our friend, Sharon, wanted to celebrate her birthday (the very same day). Plans were made and we were to meet at a pub in Mission, B.C.
As we have a large van we took everyone in our vehicle and, due to the fact Don was our designated driver for the night, we picked everyone up and away we went. Sharon gave us all bright green shamrock necklaces (I still have mine, thank you very much) and the laughter, songs sung, green beer (yup) and ambience was more fun than I could possibly describe. Well, now….on the way home we all started to sing. Guess what? No one could remember the words after the first sentence or two but then they picked one song and sang it all the way home. Whenever they come to our home, they start singing it. Shameful, isn’t it?
I digress. We are having a St. Patrick’s Pub Food evening on Sunday and I can tell you our house is becoming quite green. Shamrocks galore, green candles, napkins are starting to show up.
We ‘took the five’ I keep talking about and googled the pubs in Ireland and checked out their menus to see if we are on the right page. We are…
We are starting with Dried Ribs (brought by one of our guests)
Believe it or not “Classic Poutine”, Beef and Guiness Pie, Mac ‘N Cheese, Pea Soup, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Green Beer and/or wine throughout. As one of our friends does not eat sweets, we will have a plate with fruit and cheeses, crackers.
We asked the “Irishman” among us (complete with lilting voice) to bring his guitar. (my father was Irish so I guess that counts). Do you think we will have fun? You bet. I will put up the pictures next week.