Category Archives: Recipes

28

Jan. ’12

Curried Pumpkin Soup

A friend once told me that you were prepared for a snowstorm and winter in general in you had enough firewood and wine!  I would like to add soup to warm your body and soul as well.  Here is the first of two great soup recipes.

Ingredients:

2 T. butter

1 – 8oz pkg sliced fresh mushrooms

½ c. chopped onion

2 T flour

1 T curry powder

3 C chicken broth

2 C canned pumpkin

1  T honey

½ t salt

¼ t nutmeg

¼ t pepper

1 – 12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions:

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushrooms & onions and cook until tender, stirring often.  Stir in flour & curry powder.  Gradually add chicken broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.  Stir in pumpkin & next 4 ingredients.  Reduce heat & simmer 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Stir in milk & heat through. Garnish with sour cream, chopped fresh chives or toasted coconut (toast coconut in low oven – about 325 degrees – for 5-10 mins) Makes 6-1 cup servings.

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26

Jan. ’12

Best Fudge Brownies

Chocolate is applauded for health benefits in addition to it’s sinfully delicious flavor.  If you want, these can be made in a muffin tin for individual portions rather than in a baking dish (just divide the batter – fill each greased section of the muffin tin about 1/2 full of batter.)  Spread a small circle of the icing on each one and top with a raspberry for an elegant dessert!

Ingredients:

Brownie:s

½ c. + 2 T. butter

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

½ c. cocoa

½ c. flour

½ c. pecan pieces

Icing:

1 ½ c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. cocoa

1/4 cup butter

½ t. vanilla

¼ c. milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325oF.  Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add cocoa, flour and pecan pieces.  Bake in a greased 8” square pan at 325oF for 30 minutes. For icing, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat and blend until smooth.  Spread on brownies while they are still warm.

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26

Jan. ’12

Marinated Chicken Wings

Another recipe for the Super Bowl party!  This can also be made with  baby back ribs.

Ingredients:

5 lbs. chicken wings

1 c. honey

½ c. Worcestershire sauce

½ c. lemon juice

½ c. sherry

3 large sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350oF.  Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, separate chicken wings at the joints and discard the tips. Arrange chicken wings in a glass baking dish. Remove leaves from rosemary and very finely chop them.  In a microwavable bowl or glass measuring cup, combine honey, Worcestershire, lemon juice, sherry and rosemary.  Microwave on high for one minute. Stir slightly to blend ingredients.  Pour over chicken wings and bake them for 2 hours, turning them over with tongs after one hour.

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23

Jan. ’12

Spicy Shrimp Dijon

Another recipe that is sure to please the guys!  Load the refrigerator with beer, because this one’s spicy.

Ingredients:

1 ½ c. olive oil

1 ½ c. red wine vinegar

¾  c. Dijon mustard

½  c. minced parsley

½  c. scallions, finely chopped

½  c. celery, finely chopped

2 T. cayenne pepper

2  t. salt

10 lbs. cooked jumbo shrimp shelled & deveined, tails removed

Directions:

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, parsley, scallions, celery and cayenne in a large bowl.  Add shrimp and stir to coat. Marinate in refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.  Serve with toothpicks.

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23

Jan. ’12

Avocado Corn Salsa

Just in time for the Super Bowl party you’re planning! Here is another recipe courtesy of our summer in Carmel Valley.

Ingredients:

1 – 16 oz. bag frozen corn, thawed and drained

1 small can sliced black olives, drained

2 medium tomatoes, diced

2 ripe avocadoes, diced

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ c. vegetable or canola oil

Juice of one lime

¼ t. chili powder

½ t. cumin

Directions:

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently until well-blended.  Serve with tortilla chips.

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18

Jan. ’12

Shrimp and Artichoke Hearts

As I’ve mentioned, my husband and I first met in Pensacola, FL where he was going through flight training to become a Naval Aviator.  Pensacola is the gem of the Gulf Coast – warm weather, pristine sugary sand beaches, and azure water teeming with a variety of seafood.  The Gulf Coast is probably best known for its shrimp and we always found the best selection at Joe Patty’s Seafood downtown.  Here is one of my favorite shrimp recipes for you to savor. It makes a great company dinner with a chilled white wine.

Ingredients:

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

½ t. cayenne

1 pint half & half

3 T. catsup

2 T. Worcestershire

5 T. lemon juice

5 T. sherry

3 jars marinated artichoke hearts, well drained

½ lb. Fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 ½ lbs. Jumbo shrimp, cooked, peeled & deveined

2 c. grated cheddar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400o. Melt butter over low heat in a medium saucepan.  Add flour & cayenne pepper.  Mix well.  Whisk in half & half and cook over low heat until thick and well blended.  Add catsup, Worchester, lemon juice & sherry.  Blend well.  In baking dish, combine artichoke hearts, shrimp & mushrooms.  Pour sauce over and top with cheese.  Bake about 30 minutes in 400o oven.  This is best served with a crisp green salad, rice and a crunchy loaf of bread. Serves 6-8.

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15

Jan. ’12

Grilled Crab and Swiss Sandwich on Rye

Ingredients:

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, cleaned

1 stalk celery, diced

1 t. Old Bay seasoning

1/4 c. mayonnaise

6 slices Swiss cheese

12 slices of marble rye bread

Butter, softened

Directions:

Prepare crab salad by combining crabmeat, celery, Old Bay seasoning and mayonnaise in a bowl. Divide among 6 slices of bread.  Top each with one slice of Swiss cheese.  Top each one with another slice of bread which has been spread with a small amount of mayonnaise.  Spread softened butter on the outside of the sandwiches and grill on medium heat until golden brown.

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15

Jan. ’12

Easy Gazpacho

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. can beef stock

2 ½ c. V-8 or tomato juice

2 T. diced green onion

1 clove garlic

¼ t. Tabasco

½ t. salt

Dash fresh ground pepper

1 c. diced green pepper

1 c. diced cucumber

1 c. diced tomato

Directions:

Peel and slice garlic clove lengthwise and spear on a toothpick.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and chill at least 4 hours. Serves 6.  This is a refreshing soup to take sailing or to the beach in a large thermos!

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14

Jan. ’12

Coffee Toffee Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry shell:

½ package pie crust mix

¼ c. light brown sugar, firmly packed

¾ c. finely chopped walnuts

1 square unsweetened chocolate, grated

1 t. vanilla

Filling:

½ c. (one stick) butter, softened

¾ c. sugar

1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

2 t. instant coffee

2 eggs

Topping:

2 c. heavy cream

2 T. instant coffee

½ c. confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375oF.  In medium bowl, combine piecrust mix with brown sugar, walnuts and grated chocolate.  Add 1 T. water and vanilla.  Using a fork, mix until well blended.  Turn into a well-greased 9 inch pie plate. Press firmly against the bottom and side of pie plate.  Bake in 375oF oven for 15 minutes.  Cool pastry shell in pie plate on wire rack.  Meanwhile, make filling.  Cream butter and sugar and mix on medium speed for five minutes until light and fluffy.  Blend in cool melted chocolate and instant coffee.  Add one egg and beat five minutes.  Add remaining egg and beat five minutes longer. Turn filling into baked pie shell and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, overnight.

The next day, make the topping.  In mixing bowl, combine cream with instant coffee and confectioner’s sugar.  Refrigerate mixture, covered for one hour.  Remove from refrigerator and beat until stiff.  Spoon over filling. Garnish with chocolate curls or grated chocolate, if desired.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving. Serves 8.

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14

Jan. ’12

Red Pumpkin Ravioli with Four Mushroom Sauce

Ravioli con Zucca Rosso

(Red Pumpkin Ravioli)

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 c. fresh Zucca rosso (red pumpkin), small dice (or you can use 1 c. canned pumpkin)

1 T. olive oil

½ c. Ricotta cheese

¼ c. Parmesan, grated

¼ c. Smoked provolone, grated 2 T. fresh basil, chiffonade

Pasta Dough:

1 c. flour

1 c. semolina flour

3 eggs

Egg wash:

One egg, beaten

Water

Directions:

Sauté pumpkin in olive oil until soft (if you are using canned pumpkin, you can eliminate this step). Stack basil leaves, roll and slice thinly into slivers. Combine all ingredients for filling and set aside while you make the pasta dough.

Using dough hook, combine all ingredients on low speed. Dough will be very sticky. Use disposable gloves to form dough into a ball and knead on flour-dusted surface until it is smooth. Cut a portion off with sharp knife. Dust with semolina flour and roll out pasta dough into a thin sheet using a rolling pin, pasta maker or pastry sheeter. Brush with egg wash. Place teaspoons of filling on dough at regular intervals. Place another sheet of pasta dough on top. Carefully, seal around the filling with your fingers. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the raviolis. Check seal again to remove any air bubbles. Pasta may be frozen on a cookie sheet and transferred to a zip loc bag for later use at this point. For service, boil gently in 4 quarts of salted water for 4-5 minutes or until they float. Recipe makes 30-40 pieces of ravioli, depending on size of cookie cutter. Can freeze any extra pasta dough that is not used. Serve with Sage Butter Sauce or Porcini Mushroom Sauce.

Sugo ai Quattro Funghi

(Four Mushroom Sauce)

Ingredients:

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 T. Olive Oil

8 oz. Shitake Mushrooms, sliced

1 large Portobello mushroom, diced

½ c. dried Porcini mushrooms, rehydrated & diced

8 oz. Button mushrooms, sliced

1 T. fresh thyme, chopped

1 T. fresh basil, chopped

½ c. chicken broth

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 scallions, sliced

Directions:

Sauté the garlic in a frying pan, add mushrooms and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add thyme, basil, and chicken broth and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over ravioli. Garnish with scallions. Serves 6.

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