Nothing makes a hostess super great except by being prepared and not a slave in the kitchen when you have a house full of company. They came to see you, talk to you and enjoy all you have to offer. Your job, however, is to plan ahead, make ahead and only allow last minutes tasks to take place.
That means candles lit, nuts, candies in dishes spread around for easy access by everyone and double check before the doorbell rings that your bathroom is sparkling clean and then greet them, put a drink in their hands and bring out the “oh my” quiches.
- Use ready-to-use mini pastry shells.
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 oz. bacon, cooked crisp
- 3 tsp. whole grain mustard
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 -3/4 cup half and half cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet until hot and add the onion, cooking over medium heat for about 30 minutes until golden. This brings out the sweetness of the onion. (so they say).
Remove the onion and allow to cool. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Add the onion to this and 3 tsp. of the mustard. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Beat the eggs until foamy and add the cream, blending completely. Into the tart shells, add equals amounts of the onion mixture and carefully spoon the egg mixture over the top. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet(s) and bake for 15-18 minutes until puffed and golden in colour.
Make sure each guest has a small plate and napkin. Enjoy and I hope you have more …they’ll be asking.
Now….where did I put my wine glass?
Crab Ravioli With Lemon Butter
I love all kinds of pasta and I love Crab. Together they are a winning combination. Add a salad, roll, glass of wine and Mama Mia you have a wonderful, tasty dinner.
Filling
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1 cup lump crabmeat
- coarse salt and pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 pkg. wonton wrappers (90 pieces required)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Mix together the ricotta, crabneat, pinch of salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Lightly flour a baking sheet and arrange 45 wrappers on a work surface. Keep the remaining 45 wrappers under a damp towel so they won’t dry out. Mound 1 tsp. of the crabmeat in the center. Brush the edges with eggwash and put the remaining wrappers on top. Press the edges to seal. Cut out the circles with a 2 1/4 inch cookie cutter.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a few of ravioli at a time, cooking until they rise to the top (about 3 minutes).
Sauce
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Melt 4 tbsp. of butter in a skillet. Add the ravioli as well as 2 tbsp. of the boiling water. Add the lemon zest and peel and stir to cover.
Serve with a salad, roll and a glass of Chardonnay – well chilled, of course.
Seconds anyone?
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.
Noodle Kugel
This is a sweet casserole usually served at Yom Kippur, but it is delicious anytime. It is a sweet noodle yummy dish. Try it!
- 1/2 pound wide kosher egg noodles
- 1/2 stick butter, melted
- 1 pound cottage cheese (4%)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 eggs, well beaten
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil the noodles in salted water for only 4 minutes. Strain the noodles.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until smooth, add the rasins at the end and pour into a greased (buttered) 9 x 13 baking dish.
Kugel Topping
- 2 cups cornflakes, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Stir together the cornflakes, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the noodles. Dot the butter over the top. Bake for about 1 hour until golden brown.
Let stand a good 5 minutes before serving.
Chestnut Soup
Another way to use these nuts and I’ll bet you have never tried them.
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup EACH of finely chopped celery, carrots and onion.
- 2 flat leaf parsley sprigs
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 jar peeled, cooked whole chestnuts, crumbled (approx. 15 ounces)
- 1/4-1/3 cup Madeira
- 1/4-1/3 whipping cream
- cheesecloth and some string
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat and stir in the carrots, celery and onion and….this is different….cover the vegetables with parchment paper that has been buttered on the side touching the food, cover with a lid and sweat for about 15-16 minutes. The veggies, not you!
Wrap the parsley, cloves and bay leaf in the cheesecloth square and tie off with some string.
Discard the parchment paper, add the broth and the cheesecloth bundle and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Add the chestnuts, Madeira and simmer, covered for about 3 minutes.
While hot (and be careful here) pour in a blender in small batches and puree until smooth. Strain into a clean pot, add the cream, pinch of salt and pepper and reheat. Do not boil now or it will separate. Stir occasionally to mix well and serve.
This makes an elegant first course for you and your guests.