"Announced by all the trumpets of the sky, arrives the snow, and driving o'er the fields, seems nowhere to alight; the whited air hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven and veils the farmhouse at the garden's end. The sled and traveller stopped, the courier's feet delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit around the radiant fireplace, enclosed in a tumultuous privacy of storm."
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Thinking of taking a fun-filled winter vacation? Cold weather, snowfall and chilly breezes may leave you to stay cozied up and warm in your cabin rental this winter. With temperatures dropping outside, your winter getaway, hopefully with a warm fireplace for the perfect place to relax and get some relief from the cold. However, you can only spend so long in your cabin before your tummy starts rumbling....so where will you go from there? Well, you can always go to some great restaurants, but that gets old after awhile and some homemade food might be needed. The recipes below are winter vacation recipes, that you can either make ahead (such as soups or stews) and store them in the cooler if you are driving to your destination. You can always stop at the local grocer and purchase your ingredients where ever your travel plans take you. With a full belly, crackling fire and a warm blanket snuggled up with your loved one(s) either reading a good book, playing games or deciding your vacation plans I hope you will have a relaxing fun-filled winter vacation to talk about for years.
"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?" - JB Priestley
Every year my daughter, Brittany and son-in-law, Derek make the trek to Tahoe and rent a winter condo for some skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, playing in the snow and taking in some entertainment at the casinos. Brittany, likes to bring along enough food to make breakfast and lunches sometimes dinners. Although they love going out to dine at the many fine dining establishments in Tahoe, they also enjoy cooking at the condo too.
Jerry and I are going to be renting a cabin this winter and enjoying some time riding snowmobiles, taking a horse drawn ride through the snow and just relaxing and playing in the snow. I will also be doing some cooking, as well as going out to restaurants, so I've prepared some recipes (both Brittany's and mine) you will enjoy for your winter retreat. Here in Colorado there are many resorts, cabins and condos to rent in the numerous ski resorts around this lovely state of ours.
"Snow falling soundlessly in the middle of the night will always fill my heart with sweet clarity." Novala Takemoto
I hope you enjoy the eclectic blend of recipes and even if you don't have a chance to get away for that relaxing winter weekend or vacation you can enjoy these recipes in the comfort of your own home. Today, as I finished this up it's snowing and freezing cold outside, just like I like it!
Snow Ice Cream - you screen, I scream, we all scream for Snow Ice Cream (well, maybe not Frosty!) Bundle up, grab a large chilled metal bowl and head outside. Scoop up clean fresh snow and place into the chilled bowl. Snuggle the bowl into the snow to keep it cold. For this delicious treat both kids and adults love use 8 cups clean fresh unpacked snow, 1 cup of whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract. In a large bowl (not the bowl with the snow in it) stir all the ingredients together EXCEPT the snow. Once the sugar is dissolved, slowly add in the snow, stirring and waiting until it thickens. Wow, how easy was that? My mom used to let us make this and what fun it was. And we used to make it with Brittany and her friends.
Brittany's Lemon Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
Pancakes
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbl. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbl. canola oil
Sauce
3 cups fresh blueberries
2 Tbl. sugar (or more if needed)
1 1/2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbl. cornstarch
2 Tbl. cold water
For sauce; in a cup combine lemon juice and cornstarch stirring to combine. In a saucepan, combine berries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, stirring in cornstarch mixture. Stir until sauce slightly thickens, remove to serving bowl and cover. For pancakes; In large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk ricotta, egg, egg whites, lemon juice, zest and oil. Gently fold into dry ingredients, do not overmix. The batter will be thick. Heat your griddle or nonstick pan spraying with cooking spray. Drop your batter on and cook until lightly browned and little bubbles for on outside of pancakes. Flip and cook other side. Continue cooking pancakes and place onto a warmed serving platter, cover lightly with foil to keep warm. Serve with sauce, some thick cooked slices of crisp bacon, fresh orange juice and hot coffee. Good way to start the morning.
Sausage Patties with Apples
1 lb. pork sausage
1 tart green apple, peeled, cored and grated
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
2 Tbl. heavy whipping cream
1 egg yolk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
In a bowl combine all ingredients and stir to combine. Divide the mixture into patties about 2-inches each. Place them onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, covered with plastic wrap. Remove from refrigerator and let stand about 5 minutes. In a large saute pan, drizzle in a little oil and fry patties until nicely browned on each side and cooked through. Serve with eggs, pancakes, breakfast sausage sandwich or frittata.
Breakfast Cake - this can be made ahead and packed in cooler
Cake
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Topping
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
6 Tbl. cold butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round springform pan. For the topping; add ingredients and rub butter together with your fingers until coarse crumbs form.
For the cake; chop the macadamia nuts. In a bowl stir together the flour, cake flour, sugars, baking powder, soda and salt. In another bowl; whisk together the sour cream, eggs, oil and vanilla blending well. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture beating with a hand beater until smooth and creamy for about 1 minute. Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of the topping and cover with remaining batter. Sprinkle with nuts pressing lightly into batter and cover with remaining topping. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and cool 20 minutes before removing sides of springform pan.
Brittany's Easy Granola Yogurt and Fruit Breakfast Parfait
2 cups of your favorite granola (make your own or purchase good quality)
1/2 cup pecan pieces, coarse chop and lightly toasted
2 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
2 1/2 cups mixed fresh berries or fruit
Line up your parfait glasses. In a small bowl stir together granola and nuts. Divide the granola mixture into the glasses. Top with half of the yogurt, then fruit and continue layering. Sprinkle top with some granola.
Creamy Spinach Eggs - you can also serve these between a warm lightly toasted croissant with a slice of ham
12 eggs
whipping cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco to taste
butter
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
3 scallions, sliced including green part
1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded (or I also love feta cheese)
Optional additions; diced black forest ham, cooked sausage, smoked salmon (my fav), smoked trout, crab
Fresh chopped parsley, garnish
In a bowl, crack eggs add a little whipping cream, salt, pepper, Tabasco whisk well. In a large saute pan add about 2 Tbl. butter. Add spinach and stir to wilt, add scallions and whisked eggs stirring to cook (don't overcook your eggs you want them light and fluffy) If you are adding cooked ham, sausage or seafood stir in now, then stir in cheese to lightly melt. Place on serving platter and sprinkle with a little fresh chopped parsley. Serve with toast, or croissants, fresh fruit and nicely browned hash browns.
Brittany's Crepes with Berries - you can either make your own crepes or buy some frozen ones and bring in the cooler.
Crepes
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. orange zest
Berry Mixture
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbl. sugar
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
6 tsp. butter
powdered sugar, sifted
In a blender combine milk, egg, flour, salt, oil and zest blending until smooth. Place mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
In a large bowl, combine berries, lemon juice and 2 Tbl. sugar, mixing gently. In another bowl combine ricotta with 1 Tbl. sugar, set aside.
In a crepe pan over medium heat melt 1 tsp. butter and coat pan evenly. Pour in 1/3 cup batter and spread around by swirling pan. Cook the crepes until lightly golden underneath about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the crepe and cook another minute or so. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil, continue cooking crepes. On a plate add a crepe and cover half of the crepe with some ricotta mixture and fold. Top with some berries and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with some hot coffee or you can also serve these for dessert.
Marinated Olives - really like these for snacking
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1 cup green olives (I like the spicy ones)
1/4 cup sliced roasted red peppers
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tsp. dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, cut into chunks
warm pita bread
In a shallow dish add olives, 3/4 cup oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. oregano and red pepper flakes, cover and refrigerate overnight. On a small serving platter add feta cheese and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and 3 Tbl. lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. oregano and black pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill about 2 hours. Remove olive mixture from refrigerator and place into a beautiful serving bowl. Serve alongside with the platter of feta cheese and warm pita bread.
Marsala Meatballs (can be used as an appetizer or main dish)
1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey (I use turkey)
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
3 Tbl. whipping cream
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp. Italian seasoning (divided)
2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup milk
Fettuccine (if using this for a dinner)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, add beef or turkey, 2 tsp. Italian seasonings, bread crumbs, egg, whipping cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and mix well. Shape into small 1-inch meatballs for appetizers or 2-inch meatballs for dinner meatballs. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with a little cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through and browned. In a saute pan, add a little olive oil and cook mushrooms until nicely browned. Add marsala, cream cheese, milk and the remaining 2 tsp. Italian seasonings. Stir until cream cheese is melted and heated through. Add cooked meatballs to saute pan with sauce and stir to coat, add half of the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings. If using pasta, into a pot of boiling salted water add pasta and cook about 10 minutes, drain well. To serve; for appetizers place on a platter and serve with toothpicks. For dinner; add cooked pasta to a platter and pour meatballs and sauce over the top. Garnish either the appetizers or pasta with the extra parsley.
Easy Broiled Mushroom Appetizers
1 lb. fresh medium to larger mushrooms (such as button or crimini)
3 scallions, finely chopped including green part
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (I love Maytag)
2 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped (and chop some for garnish)
Heat your oven broiler. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely. In a saute pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the stems, garlic and scallions until tender. Remove this mixture to a plate to cool. In a bowl add cream cheese, blue cheese, 2 Tbl. chopped parsley and Tabasco mix to combine, add cooled garlic, scallions and stems mixing well. Spoon this mixture into mushrooms you have placed on a baking sheet. Broil about 3 minutes watching carefully so they don't burn. Remove to serving platter and sprinkle with parsley. Note: you can also mix in some crab meat if desired.
Hearty Italian Sub Sandwich - for this sandwich pile on the ingredients
1 long loaf Italian bread, sliced in half lengthwise
Thinly sliced salami
Thinly sliced cappicola
Thinly sliced Salami Cotto
Thinly sliced mortadella
Thinly sliced black forest ham
Thinly sliced provolone cheese
Fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Fresh basil leaves
Pepperoncini, drained well with stems removed and sliced in half lengthwise
Roasted red peppers, sliced
black olives, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
Ruby red tomatoes, sliced thinly
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasonings
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes, mustard, salt and pepper then whisk in the olive oil to incorporate. On a work surface lay out long pieces of plastic wrap, placing them side by side and overlapping them. Place the bottom half of the bread over the wrap. Spread on the pepperoncini and roasted red peppers. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, fresh bail leaves, onion, and green pepper drizzle on some of the vinaigrette. Layer on meats, distributing evenly, top with cheeses. Drizzle on remaining vinaigrette and top of bread. Wrap the plastic wrap to enclose the sandwich. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Note: you can use any type of deli meats you enjoy including thinly sliced roast beef, turkey, chicken, black forest ham, etc. it doesn't have to be Italian deli meats, but they sure taste good! Remove sandwich from plastic wrap, sliced into serving pieces placing on a platter. Serve with wine or beer, potato salad or chips.
My Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup - easy as can be
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken, poached and shredded
1 large white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (26 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
juice of 1 lime
Tabasco
2 cups of your favorite salsa
8 cups chicken stock (good quality)
1 package taco seasoning (or use your own blend of seasonings, I usually do this)
Corn tortillas, sliced into strips
Accompaniments; chopped white onion, Haas avocados (peeled, seeded and chopped), shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, chopped, scallions, thinly sliced, fresh lime wedges
In a dutch oven add some oil and add onion cooking until softened, add garlic and cook a couple more minutes. Add chicken stock, taco seasoning packet, stirring well to combine then add lime juice, salsa and kidney beans. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer cooking for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in chicken and heat through. In the meantime, heat some vegetable oil in a pan and add strips of corn tortillas, cooking until light brown and crisp. Remove to baking sheet lined with paper towels and dust hot chips with salt. Taste soup and add some Tabasco. You can add salt if required, but sometimes the taco seasoning blend is pretty salty. To serve; dish up into bowls, top with crisp tortilla strips and add accompaniments of your choice.
My Favorite Creamy Potato Salad - this can be made in advance and stored in cooler to take with you
3 lbs. red potatoes, unpeeled
4 hard boiled eggs, grate on a microplane or grater
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 heaping Tbl. Dijon mustard
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
8 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal, including green part
1/2 large carrot, peeled and shredded
3 stalks celery, light green ones thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a pot of boiling salted water add potatoes and cook about 20 to 25 minutes until tender, drain well and cool completely in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Cut potatoes into chunks. In a large bowl whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice to combine well. Stir in the scallions, carrots, celery, parsley and grated eggs. Taste and season with salt and pepper stir in cooled potatoes to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a couple of hours. Either serve in pretty bowl or place on green leaf lettuce lined platter and pile up salad.
Sweet Potato Soup - this is an amount great for a crowd and I know you will love it. I created this for a big catering I did once, but on a much larger scale.
5 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup butter
8 cups chicken stock (good quality, I like Kitchen Basics)
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbl. honey
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast sweet potatoes on a baking sheet until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel skins off and chop into chunks. In a large dutch oven, add butter and onions, then add garlic cooking until softened, but not brown. Add jalapenos and cook for about 10 minutes. Add white wine and deglaze pan and reduce wine for about 10 minutes. Add chunks of sweet potatoes, and chicken stock, season with cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the honey and let simmer for 10 minutes. With an immersion blender, puree soup until nice and smooth with a velvety texture. Stir in heavy cream simmering for about another 10 minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings. To serve; either place into a large soup tureen or place dutch oven on table and serve up into individual serving bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Note: I usually make cornbread croutons to garnish with.
Chicken Stew - similar to French coq au vin, but with white wine and potatoes
1 (4 lb.) chicken cut into serving pieces
1 lb. red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 bag baby pearl frozen onions
3 slices bacon, sliced
1 box crimini mushroom, sliced, but not too thinly
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced in large pieces
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Chicken stock (good quality)
1 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour (or you can use gluten free flour)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, add flour and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat, shaking off excess. In a large Dutch oven, add olive oil until hot and add a little butter. Without overcrowding add a few pieces of chicken and brown nicely on both sides, remove to plate and continue browning chicken pieces. Add bacon cooking until browned, remove from pan with chicken. Add onions and garlic cooking until softened, add mushrooms and cook to brown, then whisk in about 1 Tbl. flour cooking for about 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook a few minutes, then stir in about 1 cup chicken stock. Add potatoes and stir a few minutes, add carrots. Place chicken and bacon back into Dutch oven and pour in some more chicken stock just to cover chicken and ingredients. Add bay leaf, parsley sprigs and thyme. Place lid on dutch oven and put in oven to cook for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and serve with a Caesar salad or tossed salad and of course some French bread to get those wonderful flavored juices. Cheesecake for dessert would be nice or just some fresh berries with whipped cream. Hopefully you have a nice chilled bottle of white wine too, all served around a roaring crackling fire in the fireplace.
A Simply Wonderful Rich Mashed Potato Casserole
4 lbs. large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stick butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbl. fresh chives, snipped
8 pieces thick bacon, sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced including green part
2 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
In a saute pan, add sliced bacon and cook until browned and crisp, place on paper towels to drain. In a pot of boiling salted water add potatoes and cook for about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain well and place back into pan. With a potato masher mash them. Add butter, salt, pepper, cream and mash again. If they are too dry for you add just a small amount of milk and mash again. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese, chives, cooked bacon and scallions, mixing to combine. Spray an attractive baking dish with cooking spray and place potato mixture into dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted, then place under broiler for just a minute to get bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Brittany's Pork Stew - this is another one you can make ahead and bring to cabin or condo with you.
2 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
pinch of fresh nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbl. cider vinegar
3 Tbl. prepared applesauce
1 small can diced tomatoes with juice
1 lb. winter squash, peeled and chopped
2 tsp. fresh sage
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (good quality)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season pork cubes with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven add some olive oil. Working in batches, brown the pork on all sides and transfer to a plate. Don't overcrowd or it will steam instead of browning. Reduce heat to medium and add some more olive oil. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves and red pepper flakes. Cook stirring for about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, applesauce, tomatoes with juice, squash, sage, stock and the browned pork. Bring to a boil, then transfer pot covered to oven and cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and skim off any fat. Serve with some warm crusty bread.
Easy Mustard Apricot Chicken
8 chicken breasts - bone-in and skin on
salt and freshly ground black pepper
oil
2/3 cup apricot jam (good quality, sugar free is best sweetened with fruit juice)
4 Tbl. red wine vinegar
2 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. grainy mustard
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Fresh apricots if available (for garnish)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In large Dutch oven, add some oil and add chicken cooking each side until golden brown (you will do this in batches). In a bowl, stir together the jam, vinegar, mustard and garlic. Brush glaze over chicken breasts, using all of the glaze. Place in oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and place on serving platter and sprinkle with parsley. If you have any fresh apricots, slice in half, remove pit and place around the chicken on serving platter. Serve with tossed salad and baked potatoes.
Brittany's Macaroni Salad
1 lb. large elbow macaroni
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Tbl. dill pickle relish
4 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 Tbl. fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
In a pot of boiling salted water add pasta and cook until tender. Drain well and refresh with cold water to cool pasta, drain well and refresh again draining well. Place cooled pasta in large bowl, add celery, onion, red bell pepper, chives and parsley. In another bowl, add relish, mayonnaise, and Dijon mixing to combine. Pour over pasta and toss gently, add cheddar cheese and mix gently. If you feel you need more mayonnaise add some extra, we don't like ours too wet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for a few hours for flavors to combine.
Asian Pork and Noodle Salad - love this and it's another one you can make ahead and store in cooler
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
peanut oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vinaigrette
1/4 canola oil
3 Tbl. soy sauce
1 Tbl. Hoisin sauce
1 Tbl. toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
2 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 Tbl. honey
Sriracha sauce
Salad
1 lb. Chinese egg noodles
2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cup carrots, julienned (or purchase the ones in the bag already sliced)
1 cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped
1 cup fresh Thai basil, chopped
1 small red serrano chili, seeded minced
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal including green part
2 cups fresh snow peas, diagonally sliced
2 cups Napa cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
Sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Preheat grill and brush with some oil. Brush the tenderloins with some oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place on grill and cook turning occasionally until cooked through. Remove pork from grill and let rest for about 10 minutes on cutting board. Slice the pork into 1/4 inch slices on diagonal. In a pot of boiling water, add snow peas and blanch for about 1 minute. Drain and refresh in cold water, drain again.
In a blender combine vinaigrette ingredients and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, I usually add more Sriracha sauce because I like it a little hotter. In a pot of boiling salted water add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain well then refresh in cold water and drain again transferring to a large bowl, drizzling and tossing with a little sesame oil. Pour dressing over pasta and toss. Add the bell peppers, scallions, snow peas, carrots, cabbage, serrano chili, basil and cilantro. Pile up on a large serving platter and arrange pork pieces on top. Dust with sesame seeds.
Tabbouleh - love this - do you recall in the 80's this was the dish to make and serve. Remember this dish is all about the parsley, not the bulgur. This does require advanced preparation.
1 cup medium fine bulgur
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced thinly including green part
2 cups fresh parsley, chopped (I like a combo of both curly and flat leaf parsley)
4 ruby red tomatoes, diced
1 large English cucumber, halved and diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce leaves
warm pita bread
Place the bulgur into a bowl and add 2 cups hot water over the top, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for about 30 minutes. Drain well and I mean well. You can also place into a large bunch of paper towels and get out extra water, but don't crush it.
Place bulgur into a clean dry bowl. In another bowl whisk together the lemon juice, cumin, olive oil and garlic, drizzling over bulgur. Next layer on the scallions, parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumber. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to develop flavors. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature, tossing together taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed. Serve with washed whole romaine lettuce leaves and warm pita bread. I like to add some hummus too.
Stroganoff
2 lbs. top sirloin, cut into think strips about 1x2 inches (we don't eat beef any longer so I use pork tenderloin, chicken breasts or ground turkey)
olive oil
butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped
1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbl. tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (something nice you would drink)
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 1/4 cups beef stock (good quality) if using pork or ground turkey use a rich chicken stock
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped for sauce and garnish
1 lb. thick egg noodles
In a large dutch oven, add some olive oil and butter. Pat beef pieces dry (same with pork). Season well with salt and pepper. Add some of the beef to pan cooking until nicely browned, remove from pan and place on plate, continue cooking meat. In same pan add more oil and butter if needed and saute leeks until lightly browned, just a few minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and stir to incorporate. Increase heat to high and add stock and bring to boil stirring from bottom of pan scraping up bits. Boil for 1 minute then reduce to medium heat. Stir in wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add cream, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice cooking for about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings. Return meat and juices from plate to pan and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in half of parsley. In a pot of boiling salted water add egg noodles and cook al dente. Drain well and place them on a serving platter and ladle on meat and sauce, garnish with parsley. Note: if you are using pork or chicken breast apply the same directions, but use a dry white wine. If you are using ground turkey, saute turkey but don't break into small pieces leave ground turkey chunky and also use white wine. Serve with tossed garden salad, sauteed baby carrots, and crusty warm bread.
Chicken With Herb Dumplings
5 cups cooked and shredded chicken (shred into large pieces)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
8 cups chicken stock (good quality)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
Dumplings
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
3 tsp. fresh chives, minced
1 tsp. fresh sage, minced
1 tsp. dried rosemary, chopped
In a dutch oven, heat some olive oil and add onions, carrots and celery, cover and cook stirring occasionally for about 7 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook until vegetables are tender about 20 minutes. Add the chicken, season with, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. For dumplings; In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt and stir in sage, rosemary and chives. Add the milk and stir to make soft dough. Using a tablespoon drop equal amounts of dough onto surface of simmering soup. Cover and cook dumplings for about 15 minutes. Serve in bowls and top with dumplings. A nice tossed crisp salad with a vinaigrette dressing is a good accompaniment.
"Snowflakes are kisses from heaven" - unknown
Healthy Peanut Butter Bars - you might want to make a couple of pans of these. They are easy to pack and great to take on snowmobile, cross country skiing, hiking, etc.
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butterscotch, chocolate or peanut butter chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8-inch square baking pan with butter line with parchment paper letting it hang over 2 sides of pan. In a bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt mixing to blend well. In a bowl of electric mixer beat butter, brown sugar and peanut butter on medium until creamy. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula. To the batter, add the egg and vanilla, beating well. Turn off the mixer and add flour oat mixture, beating on low until blended. Place batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven onto cooling rack. Lift the cookie out of pan with help of the parchment paper. Cut into bars. You can also drizzle these with chocolate if desired.
Blondie's - these are also a great dessert to take along, cut into bars and once again I'd bake a couple of pans of them
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans or macadamia nuts, rough chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and 8-inch baking pan well. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a large bowl of electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla beating until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients to combine. Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle on nuts. Bake for about 30 minutes, remove to cooling rack and cool. With a sharp knife cut into squares.
Perfectly Delicious Oatmeal Cookies - good energy cookies
2 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
pinch of salt
3 Tbl. butter, room temperature
2 Tbl. canola oil
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg white
1/3 cup apple butter
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup dark raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl stir together oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt. In a large bowl of electric mixer cream together the butter and oil until blended. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg white, apple butter, vanilla and raisins. Add dry ingredients and mix to form dough. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets, 2 inches apart and bake for about 14 minutes, shifting pans halfway through. Remove from oven and place on cooking racks and let cook before removing from pans, they will be crisp.
Simple Berries - for a nice simple dessert you will enjoy this
2 pints of raspberries
1 pint of blackberries
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 Tbl. powdered sugar
Splash of orange liqueur or Chambord
sugar, to sweeten berries
Shortbread cookies (hopefully ones you make yourself)
In a bowl, add berries and sugar to sweeten and stir in a little orange liqueur, let stand. In a bowl of electric mixer or hand held mixer beat whipping cream to almost stiff peaks, add powdered sugar and incorporate. To serve; Place berries into serving bowl or large wine glasses, top with whipped cream and a shortbread cookie. How easy was that??
Here is a fun project for the family to enjoy while you are on your winter snow vacation (we did this when Brittany was young.) While you are at your destination go to a gift shop and find some souvenir's (not too big, although this depends on the size of the jars) something plastic or ceramic. Take a jar with a lid and using a strong glue attach the souvenir to the inside of a jar lid, let the glued souvenir stand for about 30 minutes before proceeding so glue holds. With jar right side up, add cold water (I like using filtered water) some baby oil (couple of teaspoons, the baby oil keeps the glitter from sticking) and lots of glitter, then screw on lid tightly with the souvenir attached and you've made yourself a homemade snow globe. Be creative with this!
"Oh, the snow, the beautiful snow, filling the sky and earth below. Over the housetops, over the street, over the heads of people you meet. Dancing, flirting, skimming along." Joseph Warren Watson
"Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces....Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Psalm 34; 5, 8
"How joyful are those who fear the Lord - all who follow his ways!" - Psalm 128:1
'The Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." - John 1:14
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