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Christmas Tea 2012 Recipes
Sandwiches

Artichoke & Chicken Salad
(makes 16 sandwiches)
1 chicken breast, cooked, chopped fine
1 15 oz can  plain artichokes, drained, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 jalapeno pepper
16 thinly sliced sourdough baguette, slightly toasted
1 TB parsley, chopped
Combine all ingredients and place on bread. Top with parsley.


Balsamic Roasted Tomato with Goat Cheese
(serves 8 appetizer, 4 main servings)

8 Roma Tomatoes, cored
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 TB minced  fresh ginger
Lemon cheese (recipe to follow)
Olive oil toast  (recipe to follow)
2 cups arugula leaves
Salt

1. Cut tomatoes in half length wise. Lay halves side up in a single layer in an 8 by 12 oval or rectangle dish (rim should be 1 1/2 inch higher than tomatoes).

2. In a 2 qt pan, combine vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and ginger. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring often. Pour over tomatoes.

3. Roast in a 400 degree over until tomatoes are dark brown and sauce is browned and thickened (bubbles will be large and shiny), about 1 1/2 hours; baste tomatoes with sauce and onions about every 15 minutes at first, then more often as mixture thickens, to avoid scorching.

4. Spread lemon cheese equally on oiled sides of the olive oil toast slices. Spoon tomatoes and juices onto toast. Add salt to taste. Place arugula slice on top. 

Lemon cheese - In food proccessor or bowl, combine 1/3 cup cream cheese(room temp), 1/3 cup goat cheese, 2 TB milk, and 1ts grated lemon peel.      

Olive oil toast- Lay 8 slices of rustic white bread such as sourdough or cibatta on baking sheet. Bake at 375 until lightly brown on bottom, 5-6 minute. Turn slices over and brush with 2 TB extra virgin olive oil. Bake until golden brown about 8 minutes longer. Cool on rack.             


English Cucumber and Mint
(Makes 12 sandwiches.)

1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped fine
3 TB unsalted butter, softened
3 Tb cream cheese, softened
3 4 inch length, thinly sliced english cucumber
6 slices bread 
Combine mint, butter and cream cheese. Spread smear on eah side of bread. Place cucumber on bread. Cut off edges of bread. Cut into 4 triangle or square shapes.


Italian Pesto and Red Bell Pepper
Prep Time : 5 min
Ready Time : 5 min
Servings 12

Ingredients:

12 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
1 cup store bought pesto
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (16-ounce)

Directions:

Lay out all 12 slices of bread and spread each with a heaping tablespoon of pesto. Sprinkle 6 of the slices with chopped bell peppers and top with remaining 6 slices.
Press down lightly to secure and trim the crusts off all 4 edges. Cut in half at a diagonal to form 2 triangle sandwiches.
Can be made up to 2 hours in advance if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated.


Sweets

White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse
Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson, Food Network website
9 oz. white chocolate (need to buy the good stuff in a bar form, do not use chips)
1 cup heavy cream 1 egg white (I used the liquid egg white in the refrigerated section by the eggs.) 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract 6 fresh mint leaves, optional
Directions
Put the pieces of white chocolate in a bowl, and sit this bowl over a pan over simmering water until it melts, stirring gently with a spatula every now and then. When it's melted, stand the bowl on a cold surface to cool down a little.
In another bowl, and using an electric handheld whisk for ease, whip the cream, egg white and extract together. You want soft peaking rather than a stiff mixture.
Fold the white chocolate into the whipped cream mixture.
Divide mixture between 6 small but perfectly formed glasses with a capacity of 60ml/ 1/4-cup each.
Chill in the fridge or give them a fast icy zap but sitting them in the deep freeze for 10 or 15 minutes. Decorate top with a mint leaf before serving.


Red Velvet Cupcake
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 ts salt
2 TB Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 ts vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 TB liquid red food coloring
1 ts white distilled vinegar
1 ts baking soda

Sift together flour, salt and cocoa, set aside. Use electric mixer to beat the butter until soft (1-2 minutes). Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add one egg at a time, beating well after each one, add vanilla. In a measuring cup whisk buttermilk and food coloring, then with mixer on low speed alternate flour and buttermilk mixture ending with flour. In a cup combine vinegar and baking soda allow to fizz then quickly fold into batter. Working quickly to fill mini muffin pan lined with papers, smooth tops with back of spoon. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool, wrap and freeze for 1 hour then frost. Makes about 60 mini cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temp
3/4 ts vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
white chocolate
coconut

With food processor or mixer, process the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, blend. In another bowl whip cream until stiff peaks form. With spatula gently ford in cheese mixture. If not thick enough, refrigerate for 1 hour. Frost on cooled cupcake. Top with white chocolate and coconut. 


Gingersnap Snowflake Cookie
King-Size Gingersnaps
1 cup sugar (plus extra for rolling)
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ cup shortening
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ salt

Preheat oven to 350. Measure all ingredients into large bowl. Mix at medium speed until well mixed. Sprinkle some sugar onto waxed paper. With hands, shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll each in sugar. Place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten balls with fingers and sprinkle with more sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes. With pancake turner, immediately remove cookies to wire racks and cool.

These cookies were not meant to be cut into shapes. If you do use a cookie cutter, you must cut them as soon as they come out of the oven as they harden within a minute or two. Only make one cookie sheet at a time. You will have lots of scraps left which are good for munching or to use as topping on ice cream.


Chocolate Ganache Truffle with Salted Carmel
(yields: 20-25 truffles)

Ganache filling:

8 oz. heavy cream
8 oz. good chocolate, Ghirardelli 60%
Caramel:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
8 tbsp. butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla
Good Chocolate, Ghirardelli 60%, melted
Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Make Ganache filling: Pour chocolate into bowl and set aside. Scald cream and pour over chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes and whisk together until smooth. Place plastic wrap over bowl and refrigerate 4-6 hours at least to harden.
2. Make caramel:
Place sugar in a small heavy sauce pan. Drizzle water evenly over the top. Turn stove top to medium-high heat. Hold sauce pan by the handle and swirl occasionally until sugar has dissolved. (Avoid letting sugar burn until all the crystals have completely dissolved.) Cover pan, turn heat to high, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove lid and continue to boil until syrup turns brown around the edges of the pan. Again grab the handle and swirl syrup occasionally until it turns a deep amber and begins to smoke.
Remove pan from heat. Add butter. Gently whisk, until all butter is mixed in.
Stir in cream.
If sauce become lumpy, set pan over low heat and stir until smooth then turn off heat again.
Stir in vanilla and salt.
Set aside to cool.
3. When ganache is cooled, take a melon baller and scoop ganache. Roll into balls in the palm of your hand. Just set on parchment lined cookie sheet and refrigerate.
4. Melt chocolate chips over double boiler. When all melted, dip the chocolate ganache balls using a fork (shake off excess chocolate) and set onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Place in refrigerater to harden chocolate.
5. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of truffles and sprinkle sea salt on top.


Orange and Cranberry Scone
Whisk together thoroughly in large bowl:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tb baking powder
½ ts salt

Drop in:
6 tb (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into piece
Cut in the butter with pastry blender, tossing the pieces with the flour to coat and separate them as you work, until the largest pieces are size of peas and the rest resembles breadcrumbs. Do not allow the butter to melt or form a paste with the flour.
Whisk together, and then stir in all at once:
1 large egg
½ cups heavy cream
1 ts grated orange zest
Mix ingredients just until moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides and bottom of the bowl 5-10 times, turning and pressing any loose pieces into the dough each time until they adhere and the bowl is fairly clean. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into two rounds about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 6 pieces and separate. Place each triangle on ungreased cookie sheet.***stop here if freezing.
Brush tops with:
2-3 ts eggnog and cinnamon/sugar.
Place sheet in center of oven. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
*****To freeze ahead- make scones and separate them on a cookie sheet and freeze until they are hard enough to put in a Ziploc without changing their form, store in Ziploc. On baking day, place the scones on cookie sheet and then top with eggnog and cinn/sugar mix and bake.

Clotted Cream for Scones

1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temp
1/3 cup sour cream, room temp
1 TB powdered sugar

Place heavy cream in a small bowl with tall sides. Beat until it holds soft peaks. Combine sour cream and sugar. Whisk into cream. Chill 1 hour. Makes 2 1/2 cups.


Lemon Curd for Scones
(this recipe is from our beloved Carol Porter)

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 ts salt
3 egg yolks
peel of one lemon
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 whole eggs

Melt butter a double boiler, or in a pot with boiling water bath beneath. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar, salt. Slightly beat whole eggs with egg yolks. Blend into sugar mixture with a wire whisk, stirring ocassionally there after, until thick and smooth, about 20 minutes. Cool. Makes about 2 cups. Store in fridge.






Salmon BLT Tea Sandwich
Featured @ Sereni-Tea 

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 3 servings

Ingredients
  • 6 thick slices bacon
  • 6 slices country white bread, sliced from loaf
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 (5-ounce) piece salmon, skin removed
  • Lemon Mayonnaise, recipe follows
  • 1 beef steak tomato, sliced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Curly leaf lettuce, for garnish
Directions
Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Wipe the skillet with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Add the bread slices and toast until golden brown.
Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat another nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Once hot, add the salmon and cook about 3 minutes per side.
Spread the Lemon Mayonnaise on 2 pieces of bread. Season the tomato with salt and pepper, to taste. Add some lettuce, tomato, bacon and the cooked salmon fillet to 1 bread slice and cover with the other slice. Cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal and hold in place with a decorative toothpick. Repeat with remaining ingredients and arrange the sandwiches on a serving platter.


Lemon Mayonnaise
Featured @ Sereni-Tea 

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwich
Featured @ Sereni-Tea 
 
Makes 12 Tea Sandwiches
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
3 Tbls unsalted butter, softened
3 Tbls cream cheese
3 inch length of seedless cucumber, cut into thin slices
6 slices of whole-wheat bread
In a small bowl combine the mint, butter, cream cheese and stir the mixture until it is combined well.
Spread the bread slices with the mixture, top 3 of them with the cucumber distributing the cucumber evenly and seasoning it with salt. Top the cucumber with the remaining bread slices. Cut off and discard the crusts and cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters.


Carmelized Onion and Roast Beef Tea Sandwich
Featured @ Sereni-Tea  
 
Makes 3 dozen
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 large Vidalia onions (about 3 pounds), cut into ½-inch dice
Gorgonzola cheese to taste
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
18 thin slices wheat bread
8 ounces roast beef, thinly sliced
In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions, and stir to coat; cook stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking, stirring every 20 minutes, until onions are amber colored and completely caramelized, just over 1 hour. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl to cool.
In a small bowl, mix horseradish and cream cheese; season with salt and pepper. Spread two slices of bread with a thin layer of horseradish cream cheese; cover one with a layer of onions, and top with roast beef and other bread slice. Use a serrated knife to trim crusts and cut into four small squares. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cover with damp paper towels until ready to serve.

Lemon Blueberry Scone
Featured @ Sereni-Tea  
 
2 cups flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen
½ cup dried blueberries
1 generous tsp of lemon zest
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in blueberries.
In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.
Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into two circles. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut each circle into 6 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.


Southern Strawberry Cupcake
Featured @ Sereni-Tea  
 
1 box white cake mix
1 (3 oz) strawberry flavored jello
1 (15 oz) pkg frozen strawberries, in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 eggs
½ cup veg oil
¼ cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In mixer, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil and water. Beat at medium speed until smooth. For mini cupcakes, takes about 10-12 minutes.
Makes approximately 90 mini cupcakes.


Cream Cheese Frosting
Featured @ Sereni-Tea with Southern Strawberry Cupcake
 
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Cream butter with mixer. Add cream cheese and mix together. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Makes enough frosting for approximately 70 mini cupcakes.


Coconut Key Lime Cupcake
Featured @ Sereni-Tea  
 
1 ¾ cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
lime juice to taste (approximately 1 Tbsp)
lime zest to taste (approximately 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, lime juice, lime zest and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Sprinkle the top with coconut. Serve at room temperature.

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, coconut extract and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.
Makes about 30 cupcakes.


Chocolate Banana Wonton
Featured @ Sereni-Tea  
 
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
The time-honored combination of sugar-sweet bananas and creamy chocolate provide the filling for this mouthwatering dessert.

Ingredients:
2 serving(s) butter-flavour cooking spray
1 large banana(s), diced
6 Tbsp mini chocolate chips
24 item(s) wonton wrapper(s), half of a 12 oz package
1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine banana and chocolate chips; mix gently.
Place wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Drop banana mixture by teaspoonfuls onto center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with wet fingers, fold over one corner to make a triangle and press sides together to seal. Transfer filled wrappers to prepared baking sheet and coat surface with cooking spray.
Bake until wontons are golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over wontons before serving. Yields 4 wontons per serving.


Incredible Shortbread
Featured @ Sereni-Tea  
 
To make 1 ½ dozen:
1 cube butter
¼ cup sugar
1 cup flour
To make 5 dozen:
3 cubes butter
¾ cup sugar
3 cups flour
Mix butter and sugar thoroughly. Add flour.
Roll in 1-inch balls and press with cookie stamp (brush stamp with oil). Sometimes it’s helpful to roll the top of ball in sugar if the dough is sticking to the stamp. If not using a cookie stamp, then press flat with a smooth bottom cup.
Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
If you want to put chocolate on the bottom of the cookies, melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Spread on the bottom of the cookie and place on wax paper. Put in the freezer for 5-10 minutes for a quick set.


Chocolate Decadence
Featured @ Sereni-Tea
Chocolate Mousse Cups are assembled as follows:
1st Layer - Chocolate box cake diced up at bottom
2nd Layer - Chocolate Mousse
3rd Layer - Chocolate Ganache
4th Layer - Whipped Ganache rosette

Chocolate Mousse:

4 egg yolks
2 oz. Simple Syrup, recipe follows
8 oz. good baking dark chocolate (For mousse cups, I used Ghiradelli 70% cacao) The higher percentage of cacao the more bitter it will be. If you use anything lower than 70% cut back on the simple syrup otherwise it will be too sweet)
12 oz. heavy cream

Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Mix sugar and water together and simmer on stovetop until sugar is dissolved.

Directions:

-Beat heavy cream at medium speed until you have soft peaks. Set aside.
-Heat simple syrup in microwave or stovetop until simmering.
-While simple syrup is heating, with mixer, beat egg yolks on high. When syrup is heated, slowly pour into yolks while mixer is still going. Keep beating until yolks have tripled its size.
-While yolks are beating, melt chocolate over double boiler or very carefully in microwave. Be careful not to burn chocolate. Let chocolate cool slightly. You still want the chocolate to be slightly warm to the touch. Whisk chocolate into egg mixture and mix well.
- Very carefully add a little whipped cream to chocolate/egg mixture and stir together. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into whipped cream.

 Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup good baking dark chocolate

Directions:
Scald cream and pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for a few minutes and then whisk together until smooth.

Whipped Ganache:
8 oz. heavy cream
3 oz. good baking dark chocolate

Directions:
Scald cream and pour over chocolate. Whisk together until smooth. Chill completely. The best would be to let it chill overnight. Then whip up like whipped cream over low to medium speed. Be careful not to over whip.


Lemon Curd
Featured @ Sereni-Tea
Lemon cheese and lemon butter are other names for this English spread which resembles a rich pie filling. You can use it as a jam; a filling for cakes, tart shells, and French pancakes; a dessert topping.
½ cup butter
½ cup lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
3 egg yolks
peel of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups sugar
3 whole eggs
Melt butter in top of a double boiler. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Slightly beat whole eggs with egg yolks. Blend into sugar mixture. Cook over boiling water, beating with a wire whisk, until thick and smooth, about 20 minutes. Cool.
Makes about 2 cups. Store in refrigerator as long as 6 weeks.


Clotted Cream
Featured @ Sereni-Tea
Use on scones or similar pastry. Can also be used as a filling for crepes.
½ pint heavy cream at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Place heavy cream in a small bowl with tall sides. Beat until it holds soft peaks. Continue to beat until thick. Combine sour cream and sugar. Whisk into the cream until just combined. Chill for 1 hour. Mixture can be held in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.


Red Bean Soup
Featured @ Ladies Equipping Day 2011

1 15oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large onion
4 celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1 cup green beans, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 28oz can crushed tomotoes
6 cups vegetable stock (I use 4 cans of Swansons veggie broth @ Safeway)
1/4 tsp of each salt, pepper, basil, oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tbs romano cheese
1 tbs olive oil

  • In 4 qt pot heat oil.
  • Saute onions, celery, carrots about 5 minutes, until
  • tender not browned.
  • Add stock, other veggies, herbs.
  • Boil about 10 minutes.
  • Simmer partly covered 45 minutes until veggies are tender.
  • Add favorite pasta.
  • Serve with romano cheese to top soup.

Mexican Quiche
Featured @ Getaway 2010

8 servings
6 eggs
¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 small can mild green chilies, chopped
2 Cups cottage cheese
2 Cups grated cheddar cheese
½ Cup half & half
Preheat oven to 400. Whisk together eggs, flour, and baking soda. Add chilies, cheeses, and half & half. Pour into a greased quiche pan and bake for 35-45 minutes.
Serve with sour cream, avocados, salsa, etc.
(Tip: I sometimes make this quiche with Swiss cheese and artichoke hearts instead of cheddar cheese and chilies. Yummy too!)


Sticky Bun French Toast
Featured @ Getaway 2010 
  
1 ½ Cups brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 sourdough baguette, sliced into 1” cubes
5 eggs
1 ½ Cup milk
2 T vanilla
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cinnamon
Chopped pecans
Melt sugar and butter in saucepan. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. In a bowl mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Fill pan with bread cubes. Pour milk mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 400 for about 45 minutes until bread is crispy.


Baked Pears with Streusel Filling
Featured @ Getaway 2010 
  
Streusel:
¼ Cup flour
¼ Cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ T butter, melted
1 T honey
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp allspice
¼ Cup chopped pecans, toasted
 
Pears:
3 Anjou pears, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1/3 Cup apple juice
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare streusel by combining flour with next 6 ingredients in a bowl. Stir with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans.
To prepare pears, scoop out core from each pear half. Spoon streusel evenly into pear halves. Place pear halves, cut side up, in a baking dish. Pour apple juice into dish. Cover dish with foil. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve pears warm. Drizzle evenly with cooking liquid.


Chinese Chicken Salad
Featured @ Getaway 2010 
  
6 Cups shredded cabbage (I buy bagged coleslaw)
sliced green onions (to taste)
2 Cups diced cooked chicken
1 small can mandarin orange slices, drained
slivered toasted almonds (to taste)
Wonton wrappers cut in strips and fried OR a bag of Top Ramen noodles broken up (do not use flavoring packet)

Spicy Ginger Dressing:
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 ½ T soy sauce
1 T Asian red chili sauce
1 ½ tsp grated fresh ginger (or ½ tsp ground ginger)

Mix and slowly whisk in 1/4 Cup vegetable oil. (You probably won't use all of the dressing for the salad.)



Chicken Marabella
Featured @ Getaway 2010 
  
4 to 8 chicken breasts
1 clove garlic
1 ½ T oregano
¼ Cup olive oil
¼ Cup red wine vinegar
½ Cup pitted prunes
½ Cup green olives
¼ Cup capers
½ bay leaf
½ Cup brown sugar
½ Cup white wine
1 T parsley, finely chopped
Combine all ingredients in baking dish or plastic bag. Cover and let marinate 2 hours in the refrigerator. If you want to marinate it all night, do not add brown sugar or wine until the next day.
Bake in preheated 350 oven for 50 minutes. Serve with brown rice.


Graham Cracker Cookies
Featured @ Getaway 2010

1-2 sleeves graham crackers
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
chocolate chips (minis chips work best because they do not fall off--use whatever you have on hand)

Line a jelly roll pan, or cookie sheet with sides, with aluminum foil. Cover pan with crackers.
In a saucepan over medium heat melt butter.
Add sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add nuts.
Pour over graham crackers.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and press lightly. (no specified amount of chips just sprinkle some. Does not need to be densely covered)
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool. It is easier to break into pieces than to try to cut. (Uniformity is not the goal.)

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