We all want to ‘up the ante’ when company is expected. For a perfect appetizer, make this one up. Everyone will want the recipe and you can smile and then run to the kitchen to pat yourself on the back.
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 1 tsp. butter
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- light pinch of salt
- 2-3 large Bosc pears, washed, pat dry
- 1 tbsp. water
- 3 large endives, trimmed
- 4-5 oz. Balderson’s aged cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for only 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Transfer the nuts to a frying pan and add the butter, sugar, paprika, cayenne and salt. Toss until the butter and sugar melt and the seasoning has covered all the nuts. Remove to a paper towel to cool down. Chop the nuts up and set aside.
Now grate the pears, making sure to remove the seeds, core and stem. Heat a frying pan . Add the pears. Add the 1 tbsp. water and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain any excess liquid and let cool.
Peel the leaves off the endive and set out on a platter. Place a spoonful of the pears on each leaf and top with the chopped pecans and crumbled cheese.
Serve immediately with a glass of chilled……
Pot Roast, Don’s Way
I hope you have been catching up on Damnigottareadthis and you will see why the recipes have not been here. Well, today, I am ready to go again and I hope you will try this recipe. It is absolutely delicious.
- 1 – 3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast
- 1 tsp. seasoning salt
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion wedges
- 2 garlic cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 – 10 9z. can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 2 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
- 1 square beef bouillon
- 2 cups beef stock
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the seasoning salt, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Rub the seasoning into the roast on both sides.
Heat oil in a Le Creuset dutch oven and brown the roast, browning on all sides. Place the meat in a roaster pan. Add onions and garlic to skillet and saute for 1 – 2 minutes to absorb the leftover roast juice. Place into the roaster pan with the meat and bay leaves.
Combine the mushroom soup, wine, Worchestershire sauce and beef bouillon into a bowl. Pour over the roast. Add the beef stock.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 3 – 3 1/2 hours or until tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves. During the last hour of baking time, add 10-12 baby potatoes and 3 coarsely chopped carrots. Re-cover pan and continue cooking.
This truly is a great meal. Add a crispy chilled salad, small dinner roll and, of course, the glass of Merlot.
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Chili Espresso Strip Loin Steaks
How can you tell the warm weather has arrived…..everyone in the neighborhood is barbecuing.
- 8 strip loin steaks, at least 1 inch thick
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
- 1 tsp. instant coffee espresso granules (instant coffee will do)
Preheat the barbecue to medium high. Trim excess fat from the steaks. With a sharp knife, make shallow slits 1 inch apart around the edges of the steak to prevent curling.
Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl.( Rub the espresso in your fingers to crush) then add to the dry ingredients. Season the steaks generously using about 3/4 tsp. per steak.
Barbecue steaks with the lid open about 5-6 minutes per side for a medium-rare doneness.
Transfer to a cutting board to rest 5 minutes, then serve with a crisp salad, corn on the cob, twice baked potato. What could be better than this meal? Oh yeah…add a beer or glass of wine and you have it.
Enchilada Sauce
Chef Paul gave us this recipe way back in 2012 and I am just now getting to it. I added the chocolate myself for the extra richness.
- 2 dried ancho chillies
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins
- pinch of oregano
- pinch of cumin
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 oz. darkest chocolate
Soak the ancho peppers in hot water for 15 minutes.
Remove the stems and seeds, then chop.
Saute the chopped peppers and onion in the vegetable oil until tender.
Add the tomato, raisins, cumin, oregano, chocolate and chicken broth and simmer for 15 minutes longer.
Transfer all to a blender and puree until smooth.
This is the ultimate sauce for true Mexican dishes.
Turkey Pot Pie
Don made turkey soup from scratch and we have almost finished that and then, after we ate turkey for about a week, he made 10 turkey pot pies. 4 large ones (feeds 2) and individual ones. They are so darn yummy. The dishes are our own and the two little turkeys were made by my (at the time) very young granddaughter, Sydney.
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery sticks, peeled and diced
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1 garlic clove, mashed
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 1/2 tsp. majoram
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1/2 tsp. crushed rosemary
- 1/2 tsp. sage
- 1/2 tsp. tarragon
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup peas
- 4 cups cooked turkey, chopped in 1 inch cubes
In a large pot, saute the first 4 ingrediednts until soft, and add 3 tbsp. flour and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes.
One cup at a time, add the chicken stock to deglaze and thicken the sauce and then add 1 cup half and half cream. Now add all the dry ingredients and bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the corn, peas and turkey and simmer for about 8-10 minues until all is tender. If it is too thick, add a little more stock.
Fill baking dishes or a couple of 9 inch pie plates with the filling and top with your favourite pastry recipe.
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove and let cool on a rack.
If not eating right away, wrap with saran and then tin foil and place in the freezer until the next time you get a turkey craving.
Yummy!
Chicken Butternut Soup
Nothing better than homemade soup. This is easy, extremely flavourful and a winner for sure at the table.
Are you ready? Remember to always recite the mantra “Damn I can do this”.
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, medium dice
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp. cumin and coriander
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- pinch of salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and add the chicken, butternut squash and onion. Toss with olive oil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken and let cool. Transfer remaining ingredients to a saucepan, add the broth and simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Now with a wooden spatula or potato masher, mash some or all of the vegetables until the soup is thick.
Remove the skin, bone and any cartilege from the chicken and break into bite size pieces and add to the saucepan.
Stir in 2 tbsp. lemon juice, pinch of salt and pepper.
Serve in a pretty soup bowl with a slice of toasted baquette (or two).