If you are like us, we are always looking for different ways to impress guests at dinner and this is definitely one of them. It looks fussy to make (but not) and the flavours of this dish are really and truly awesome.
You will need:
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 pound of mushrooms, sliced thin
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 – 10 oz. can chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 lb. lump crabmeat
- 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb. bay scallops, poached 3 – 3 1/2 minutes, drain well
- 1 cup buttered panko crumbs
- 8-10 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley, fine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp. of melted butter. Drain and set aside.
In a medium skillet, melt 6 tbsp. butter and whisk in the flour, making a smooth roux. Add the broth and cream slowly, whisking all the while and cook until thickened.
Carefully combine the crabmeat, shrimp and scallops. In a 3 qt. casserole alternate layers of the seafood and mushrooms. Pour sauce over the layers, letting it seep to the bottom. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Top with the panko crumbs and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until bubbly. Just before serving, sprinkle the parsley over the top. Serve with a cold salad, lime slices and either rice or buttered noodles and a glass of chilled white wine.
Cannelloni alla Fiorentina
Forever ago I told my husband I must have been Italian in my previous life. Love of pasta (almost everything) and this, the one I am giving you today, is one that Don put together yesterday.
It is beyond fabulous. Truly it is.
- 1 container (454 g) ricotta cheese (regular)
- 1 – 10 oz. fresh spinach (sweated in fry pan until becomes limp)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese for topping
- 24 oven ready Cannelloni (you use only 15 of them)
- 1 jar original Prego sauce
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 disposable decorating bag (or regular pastry bag)
In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, sweated spinach, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan, mixing well. Set aside.
Fill the decorating bag with the cheese mixture and cut off the tip. **This makes filling the cannelloni a breeze.
Mix together the Prego sauce, fennel seeds, oregano and basil together and cook in a saucepan for 20 minutes to marry the flavours of the herbs in the sauce and now spread 1/2 cup of the Prego sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Arrange the cannelloni neatly in a single layer, and cover all with the sauce. Spread out the grated mozzarella over the entire surface of the dish.
Bake for 50-55 minutes. During the baking time the pasta will soften and expand. The top will be a wonderful golden brown, bubbly and wonderful.
Serve this with a chilled salad, garlic toast and, of course, and glass of a beautiful red wine.
Caramelized Pineapple With Ice Cream And Chocolate Ginger Sauce
This is a recipe that ‘cheats’ but don’t tell anyone….they will never know.
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tbsp. rum
- 2 tbsp. chocolate sauce
- 1/3 of fresh pineapple, cored and peeled
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- Vanilla, coffee or coconut ice cream
- 1/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
Cut the pineapple in 12 wedges. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the pineapple and brown sugar, stir frequently, cooking only until the pineapple has softened and has turned a deep golden brown (3-5 minutes). Leave in the pan.
Drizzle the chocolate sauce in a zig zag pattern on each plate. Arrange the wedges so they are just slightly stacked. Scoop ice cream and place near the pineapple and sprinkle with the coconut.
This will serve 4 people….you may have to tell them NOT to lick their plates. HA!
Yummy!
Fruit-Dulce de Leche Napoleons
What an easy dessert to make…part of it can be made the day ahead and then you are off the hook, time-wise. Use any combination of fruit – ones you like best…could be strawberries and chocolate, bananas and the dulce de leche sauce, peaches with raspberries sauce…on and on.
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut in 6 rectangles
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. icing sugar
- 2 bananas (your choice of fruit), cut on the diagonal
- 1/2 cup dulce de leche (your choice as above)
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut, toasted OR finely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden and puffed. This should take 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Beat the whipping cream and icing sugar until stiff peaks form. With a serrated knife, cut the pastry lengthwise in half. Reserve 4 tops.
Divide the bananas on 4 pastry bottoms, drizzle the caramel sauce over them. Use 2 tops and 2 bottoms and make the middle layer. Top this layer with whipped cream and coconut and top with the remaining pastry tops.
If you want to take it one step further, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. These look like they came from the Bakery not your kitchen.
Hurray for you, you did it again!
Chocolate Lovers Pancakes With ChocolateSauce
Okay, so it’s not diet free…..Shrove Tuesday is coming ( pancake Tuesday), okay….Sunday breakfast, maybe Saturday lunch….anytime…..Yummy beyond words…
- 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 2 whole eggs (use large eggs)
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (shake well before pouring)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- unsalted butter to butter the griddle
Sift together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, buttermilk, oil and vanilla until well combined. Add to the flour mixture and mix to combine.
Heat the griddle and lightly coat with butter. Working 2-3 at a time, pour 1/4 cup of batter per cake on the griddle and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, Flip cakes and cook until the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with tinfoil to keep warm. Always add butter to the griddle for each batch you make.
Sauce
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (do not use unsweetened, it is different)
Bring the cream to a boil in a bowl over simmering water and add the chocolate. Whisk until melted and smooth as silk.
Plate the pancakes and pour the sauce over. If you really want to go over the wall, add a generous dollop of whipped cream. Makes a great simple dessert as well.
For chocolate lovers…..what did I tell you? uhuh….
Raspberry/Blackberry Souffles
Ready to show off? Here is a beautiful dessert to serve. Spring, Summer, even in the middle of December. So luscious.
It will serve 10 – makes a super dessert for company and you might have one or two leftover for your dinner the next day.
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 7 1/2 tbsp. berry sugar, divided
- pinch of salt
- 5 tbsp. butter (not margarine)
- 2/3 cup sifted flour
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup Chambord or creme de cassis (okay, sip for you-now keep going)
- 1 3/4 cups of raspberries/blackberries mixed
- icing sugar
- a simple vanilla sauce or your own raspberry/blackberry sauce, chilled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 10 ramekins (3/4 cup size) and dust with sugar.
Bring the milk, 2 1/2 tbsp. of sugar and the salt to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly to melt the sugar. Remove from the heat.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the flour, stirring for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk/cream and cook on low heat until it thickens and begins to boil. You must whisk this until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks and Chambord. Transfer to a large bowl.
In your electric mixer beat the egg whites until foamy, gradually add the remaining 5 tbsp. of sugar, beating until soft peak form. Fold the egg whites and 1 cup of the berries into the milk mixture. Divide the remaining 3/4 cups of berries into the prepared ramekins and spoon the souffle mixture over the top. Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan, adding enough water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake until puffed and gently set in the middle. (about 20 minutes). Remove from the oven, sprinkle with icing sugar and, using small individual bowls/boats, place the sauce on the side. Serve immediately.
Sooooo delicious.
Honey Cakes With Pears And Sauce
This allows each person to have their own small cake. It is a recipe for 8 people. It can be you and 7 family/guests or friends OR 8 of you….that means you really like it and don’t want to share. Shame on you! Lucky you!
Poached Pears
- 1 bottle of Gewurztraminer white wine
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 3 inch long piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 4 pears, peeled, halved and cored
Bring wine, sugar, ginger, cinnamon sticks and lemon juice to a boil in a heavy sauepan. Add pear halves and simmer until just tender (12 minutes). Drain well.
Transfer to a work surface and slice lengthwise in 1/2 inch wide wedges. Place 1 sliced pear half in each of the ramekin cups and fan out.
Cakes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of ground cloves
- 1 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter 8 ramekin cups.
Whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves in a bowl to blend. Using your eletric mixer, blend together the honey and butter in a large bowl to completely blend. Beat in the sour cream.
Add the dry ingredients and beat to blend. Pour a generous 1/3 cup over the pears and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden . Cool slightly and invert on pretty dessert plates.
Caramel Sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup whipping cream
Stir the water, sugar and lemon juice over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and WITHOUT stirring watch it until it becomes a deep amber (7-8 minutes). Swirl it around the pan and remove from heat.
Slowly add the cream (it will bubble up). If you find any hard caramel bits, simply reheat on low and stir. Drizzle, generously, over the cakes.
Yum, Yum, Yum.
Pulled Pork Pizza
A couple of days ago, Don made Pulled Pork Sandwiches and we had some meat and sauce left over.
Sometimes for lunch we will have little pizzas. We make them with tortillas as the base. (1 each). We had run out of pepperoni so we thought we should try using the pork.
Soooooooooooooooo we loaded up the tortilla with pulled pork and topped with shredded cheese. Baked it off and then…and then…we drizzled the top with some of the extra sauce.
This was the best pizza we have ever tasted, I kid you not…I have had that now for 3 days (waste not, want not or something…..).
If you want to try the best, use his recipe for pulled pork and sauce and have at it.
Boxing Day Breakfast For The Weary
You worked hard getting dinner ready yesterday and the cleaning up afterwards. You should be rewarded and I can’t think of a better way except for this two fisted start to the day.
Nectarine Melt
Serves 2
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups lemon sorbet
- 2 ripe yellow mangoes, pitted and diced
- 2 ripe nectarines, pitted and diced
Pour the milk in the blender and add one half of the sorbet.
Blend together and when smooth, add the remaining sorbet. Again, blending until smooth. Now add the fruit and process until smooth. Serve immediately with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top.
Chocolate Crepes – Makes 8-10 crepes
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tbsp. baking cocoa
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup half and half cream
- 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
- 6 oz. best quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 oz. best quality white chocolate. grated
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
After sifting the flour and cocoa together, make a well in the center and gently whisk in the sugars and milk until smooth and no lumps. Cover this for 30 minutes and set aside.
Peel the oranges into segments with no pith, saving the juice. Keep the segments and juice in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate.
Heat an 8″ crepe pan or non sticking fry pan over medium heat and brush with melted butter. Pour a couple of tablespoons of batter in and swirl the pan around to cover with the pan. Cook for only a minute and turn over to cook the other side.
Remove, and cover with a tea towel For the remaining layers, use parchment paper between each one so they don’t clump together and keep the towel covering them all.
To make the sauce, drain the orange segment and combine the juice and chocolate and cream in a saucepan. Over low heat, stir until the chocolate has melted.
To plate….put a spoonful of sour cream on one quarter of the crepe. Sprinkle white chocolate over and fold into a wedge. Spoon sauce over it and spread the blueberries and orange segments over the top.
Sit back, eat slowly and remembering the last couple of days, shout for all to hear “Damn I Did It! Congratulations.