In my cookbook, I do have a recipe for muffins like these but the difference, by accident this morning, was to change up the muffin just a little bit. I used buttermilk rather than milk and made 3 layers of the batter. Watch!
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- Rind of a lemon or lime, if you prefer
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- lemon curd, or lime if you want to
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Either grease or use the really large parchment ‘flour-like’ paper cups.
Mix together the dry ingredients. Melt the butter, add 1 cup of the buttermilk to it and whisk in the egg until absorbed. Add the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stir to mix well. You may need to add a little more milk -a tbsp. at a time- to get the right consistency. Carefully add the blueberries.
Fill the cups with a scoop of the batter, add a tsp. or so of lemon curd in the centre, then another scoop of the batter. Here, again, add a tsp. of lemon curd and now equally add the batter to top of the muffins. This recipe will make 6 LARGE muffins.
While these were cooling, I wanted to taste to see if they were okay. While still a bit warm, I cut one if half and ‘tasted it’. Walked around the kitchen for a moment and went back and finished the other half. Without a word of a lie, this is probably the very best muffin I have yet to make.
Try it out. You will love it.
The Very Best Spaghetti Sauce
I say that as Don has been making this forever. You always want more. Make it and you will see.
- 4 tbsp. good olive oil
- 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 – 14 oz. cans of canned Italian tomatoes
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 3/4 tbsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. each of: basil, thyme, oregano
- pinch of rosemary (chopped)
- 1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tin tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne
- 1 cup grated Asiago cheese
Mix all together in a large saucepot and simmer for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours until thick. On each individual serving, sprinkle the Asiago cheese.
All that is needed for a perfect meal is to add a chilled salad, slice of garlic toast and a glass of red wine.
Pie In A Bowl
Sometimes it is just fun to make a dessert up and present it in a different way. This is a lovely Apple Pie but made up in a bowl. Read on….
- Pastry of your choice (in a box, frozen or your own)
- 4 Braeburn apples, cored and peeled)
- 4 Granny Smith apples (cored and peeled)
- 1 cup caramel ice cream topping (or your own homemade)
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts
- 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
- 2 tbsp. butter, cut in 8 small pieces
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 egg white
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine 1/2 of the caramel sauce, pistachios and pie spice. Set aside.
In a large bowl, slice the apples and toss to mix them up. Equally fill the ramekins with the apples, drizzle the caramel sauce over the apple slices, Add a pat of butter on each pie and squeeze a tsp. of lemon juice over each one.
When you have your pastry rolled out, cut into 8 squares, lay a square of pastry over each pie, pinching the corners with your fingers. It won’t cover the pie completely so don’t panic.
Set these out in a parchment lined baking dish and set the ramekins on.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp. water with an egg white and brush the pastry,
Bake these for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the apples are cooked through. Remove to a rack and let cool for 20 minutes. While still warm and just as you are about to serve, drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over each pie and add a light sprinkle of cinnamon. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side wouldn’t hurt either.
Cauliflower Panna Cotta Topped With Salmon Roe
This is a little ‘over the top but with Easter coming in the not too distant future and summer entertaining in the forefront, this will put you in a class all by yourself (head of the Class). One thing is you can change the cauliflower colour from white to buying the purple or green type and showing off even more. Let’s go.
- 1/2 head Cauliflower
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 2 cups really cold whipping cream
- 1 tsp. unflavoured gelatin
- fine sea salt
- 1 oz. salmon roe
- freshly ground white pepper
Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and place in a pot. Add the butter and just enough water to cover the cauliflower. Cover and over medium heat bring to a simmer until very tender. Drain well and puree the cauliflower in a food processor.
Place the cream in a small pot, sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let sit about 5 minutes and then bring to a simmer. Simmer long enough to dissolve the gelatin. Let cool to room temperature then gently combine with the cauliflower puree. Do not whip it. Now press this through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
This should be served in shot glasses or cordial glasses. Place about 20 of them on a tray, fill each glass and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour.
Remove the glasses from the refrigerator when ready to serve, top with a small dollop of salmon roe and serve on a pretty platter while still cold.
I know and if you are smart, you should blush with all the compliments being showered on you. Serve with a perfectly chilled white wine.
Summer Corn You Will Love
I don’t know anyone who does not like/love corn on the cob. This is the same thing but different. Ready to try?
- 7 ears of fresh corn
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup whipping cream
- pinch of salt
First, cut the corn from the cob. Combine with the sugar, stir to cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and when melted, add the corn and cook for about 3 – 3 1/2 minutes. Gradually add the cream, stirring to combine and making sure not to burn it.
Cook now for about 14-15 minutes over a medium heat until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Stir in the salt and serve to some very lucky people at the table.
You will be making this over and over.
A Beautiful layered Blackberry Loaf
I love Blackberries almost as much as I love Raspberries. You can use either one or alternate one layer Blackberries and the other one Raspberries. I like using both berries. It makes the loaf truly unique. Try it!
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. lime zest
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup Blackberries
- 1 cup Raspberries
In your mixer, cream the butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, zest, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternate the butter mixture with the buttermilk. Stir in the lime zest.
To prepare the loaf pan, spray with Pam and line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inch border for easy removal. Spread one-third of the batter in the pan. Arrange the Blackberries on the bottom. Add the second third of the batter, adding the Raspberries making sure to spread out evenly. Top with the remaining batter.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 55-60 minutes. Test to check for doneness. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes. Turn out on the rack to cool completely.
Drizzle with a glaze of icing sugar and lime juice.(use your own measurement here for your taste). Stir vigorously until smooth and drizzle over the top of the loaf.
Yum
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.
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.
Fresh Fig, Cheese and Brittle Crostinis
Now that we are finally settled in our beautiful condo, it is time to start entertaining and we started yesterday with our new neighbors. One of the easiest treats to serve would be something like this.
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1/4 peeled and finely chopped pistachios
- 1/8 tsp. crushed pink peppercorns
- 4-5 fresh black figs, cut into 1/2 inch slices, crosswise
- Cranberry and Pepper Boursin (my ultimate favourite cheese)
- Fig Balsamic Vinegar
- Crackers
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat the sugar and water in a small pan and, without stirring, until it turns a light amber (about 4-6 minutes).
Remove from the heat and add the chopped pistachios. Quickly pour out on the parchment paper making sure to spread it out as thinly as possible. Let cool until it is very firm. Finely chop and set aside.
Arrange the crackers on your best plate, each with a slice of fig, topped with a generous amount of the cheese. Drizzle the cheese with the balsamic vinegar and now sprinkle on the brittle with a pinch of the peppercorns.
Serve with napkins and a glass of your favourite…. chilled, of course. Please take note of this and be prepared as there won’t be a crumb left, I promise you. This still makes my mouth drool. Yum!
The Painter’s Guacamole
I am calling this as a tribute to the raves our painters made when we gave them a ‘taste’. They kept up with their raves and he gave them a few more chips with the guacamole on top. Then it turned out that Don gave it to them when they stopped for lunch along with a plate of tortillas. Amen. All gone in a heartbeat. Yeah, we got some too!
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1/3 cup coffee cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
- 1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. crushed coriander
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 large plum tomato, seeded
Cut the avocados in half and remove pit. Using a spoon scoop out the flesh and place in a blender. Add everything except the garlic, cayenne and tomato and mix until completely smooth. Stir in the chopped, seeded tomato, garlic and cayenne. Season to taste if needed. Scrape out the bowl and stand back. The stampede from everyone will spin you like a top!
Pork Tenderloin With Butternut Squash Risotto
These ingredients make my mouth water just thinking about them. This is soooo tasty I know you will make it again and again.
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice
- 1 – 32 oz. container of vegetable stock
- 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, washed and snipped
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, washed and snipped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. pork tenderloin
Heat a large skillet over a medium heat . Stir in the broth and add the squash, bringing to the boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Arborio rice and simmer for about 15 minutes. Uncover and boil for a further 15 minutes until tender and most of the liquid is absorbed but still appears to be creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and thyme.
Make a paste with the garlic cloves and place in a small bowl, add 1 tsp. of oil and mix together. Slice the tenderloin into 1/2 inch thick slices and flatten each one with the palm of your hand. Rub each one with the garlic paste.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tsp. of oil over medium heat and add the pork, cooking 1-2 minutes each side, until browned.
Serve over the Arborio mixture and sprinkle with a pinch of fresh herbs. Add a salad, warm rolls and you have a feast for the ages. YUM!
Filet Mignon Steak With Special Steak Butter
This recipe is making my mouth water. It is soooo yummy.
- 4-6 Filet Mignon (6 – 8 oz. each)
- Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Set the temperature on your barbeque to 450 F. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook the steaks, making sure to turn the to get grill marks, Cook only to the preferred doneness preferred by everyone at the table. A great lesson to tackle is using your finger to tell the doneness of the meat. The meat will get stiffer as they cook through. It really is a skill worth knowing.
Steak Butter
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp. finely minced fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp. of your favourite vinegar
- A light sprinkle of salt and pepper
Stir all the ingredients together until well combined. Scoop the butter into a large resealable bag. Press the butter into the mixture and then roll into a log shape by tightly rolling up the bag. Place in the refrigerator to become firm enough to slice.
When ready to serve your steaks, cut a thick slice of the butter and set on the hot-off-the-grill meat. Serve with a baked potato, butter and sour cream and a chilled salad such as Caesar or a spinach strawberry salad.