Archive for ◊ 2010 ◊

15 Nov 2010 Poached Pear Salad
Author:  |  Category: Fruits, Guest Recipe, Holidays & Events, Salads  | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,  | 2 Comments

Poached Pear Salad is ideal for any fancy meal and also be good for a light lunch when paired (peared! now there’s a joke in the making… ) when paired with a bowl of soup or a sandwich. The salad looks elegant, tastes great, is endlessly customizable and is dead easy to throw together at the last minute (as long as the pears have been made and chilled ahead of time).

Poached Pear Salad

For the Poached Pears:

  • 6-8 Bosch Pears, with stems left on, peeled (Bosch pears are the ugly brown skinned pears.  I’d suggest using smaller pears so your guests aren’t too full after the salad to enjoy the main meal)
  • 2 cups Port, Shiraz or Zinfandel (The choice of wine will affect the taste of your pears.  If you can afford it, a good port is great.  I often the poach the pears in Zinfandel)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 slices orange
  • 4 star anise

For the Salad:

  • 1 bag of salad greens (I usually cut up my favorite lettuces, I don’t like the smell or the taste of bagged salad greens)
  • Cheese of choice, about 1 T. per plate (feta, blue, goat)
  • Extra toppings of choice, if desired: chopped nuts, candied nuts, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds…

For the Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar (OK to sub champagne vinegar)
  • 1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3 tablespoons reserved poaching liquid
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Poach the pears: In a large pan with a lid, combine wine, sugar, water, and star anise.  Turn heat to high and bring mixture just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
  2. Add peeled whole pears-with stem intact-to hot liquid turning to coat well.
  3. Stir in orange slices
  4. Cover pan and simmer pears on low for 10 to 15 minutes, turning pears occasionally, until pears are tender, but still hold their shape.
  5. Discard star anise.  Remove pears to a bowl and set aside to cool.
  6. Turn up heat under the wine mixture, heat to boiling, and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.  Liquid should thicken and reduce to 1 ½ cups. (Pour liquid into measuring cup every once in awhile to measure progress).
  7. When pears are cool, cut in half lengthwise, and carefully remove core.
  8. Pour reduced poaching liquid and the orange slices over halved pears.  Cover and chill overnight and up to two days. (Poached pears actually keep quite well for a week or more)
  9. When ready to serve, drain the pears from the poaching liquid. (Reserve the reduced poaching liquid. You will need 3T for the salad dressing.) Cut pear into a fan and the bottom, and keeping intact at the narrow top end.
  10. Make the Salad Dressing: Combine all the ingredients–except for the olive oil- for the salad dressing. Mix thoroughly. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Use immediately. If necessary, if the dressing has separated, shake well before using.
  11. Prepare the Salads: Place pear in the middle of a salad plate, and over a pile of salad greens.  Carefully and artfully  spread out the fanned bottom part of the poached pear. (Sometimes I don’t mess with this, I just cube or slice the pears and arrange on top of the salad greens.)
  12. Sprinkle pear and greens with approximately 1T. of the crumbled cheese of your choice and any desired toppings. Don’t overlook pomegranate seeds, I think they make the salad look especially attractive. I don’t like nuts, but my friends seem to love some candied pecans on this salad.
  13. Drizzle salad with the salad dressing.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today.

11 Nov 2010 Pumpkin-Maple-Pecan Sundaes
Author:  |  Category: Holidays & Events, Ice Creams & Sorbets  | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,  | Leave a Comment

I saw a Maple-Pecan-Bacon Sundae in last month’s issue of Bon Appetite.  I’d heard about bacon brownies and bacon cookies and bacon cupcakes and I was ready to be on the cutting edge with Bacon Sundaes.  With a friend coming over for lunch,  I was ready for some taste testing. We were prepared for a drop-dead wonderful taste sensation.  I warmed the sauce, poured it over two flavors of ice cream (vanilla and coffee), and set the sundaes down. We tasted. I looked at her.  She looked at me.  We tasted again.  We shook our heads.  We tried it one more time. “Nooooooooo”, I said.  “Nooooooooo”, she said.

It just didn’t work. Bacon does not belong on ice cream.  Nope.  Not ever. The bacon was like a cold gummy bear, all texture, little flavor.  What salt kick did come, came after the chewing was over, and by that time the sauce and the ice cream had been swallowed.  The dessert just didn’t work.  But it had potential. We liked the sauce. We liked it over the coffee ice cream best, but still it wasn’t quite right.

I tinkered a bit more, and this is what I came up with… the warm Maple-Pecan Sauce (minus the bacon), drizzled over homemade Pumpkin ice-cream, and topped with a bit of bourbon whipped cream. Now here’s a nice dessert alternative for Thanksgiving, or an nice ending to any fall meal!

Just a note:  Pumpkin ice cream has a bit of a grainy texture (ALL pumpkin ice cream has this issue, unless it has been made with pumpkin flavoring rather than pumpkin puree), but with the sauce and the whipped cream, it’s not so noticeable and the pumpkin flavor goes fabulously well with the maple, the pecans, and the bourbon.  Mmmmmmmm 🙂  I taste tested pumpkin ice creams, too.  This one’s the best.

Maple Pumpkin Pecan Sundaes

with Bourbon Whipped Cream

Pumpkin Ice Cream

2 cups whipping cream (35%)
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree

  1. Gently heat the cream, milk, sugar, spices and salt over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
  2. Stir warm cream into the pumpkin along with the vanilla.
  3. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator until cold.
  4. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

I found this recipe at Christie’s Corner.

Maple-Pecan Sauce

¾ cup Grade B Maple Syrup
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger (I used Australian crystallized ginger, it’s very soft)
½ cup pecan halves

  1. Combine maple syrup and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to ½ – 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes.
  2. Remove sauce from heat.  Discard cinnamon sticks.  Stir in lemon juice, chopped ginger and pecan halves.  Can be made 2 hours ahead.  Let sit at room temperature and then reheat slightly to serve.
  3. Spoon warm sauce over scoops of pumpkin ice cream. Serve immediately with a bit of Bourbon Whipped Cream, if desired.

I found the inspiration for these sundaes at Epicurious. The original recipe had diced maple glazed bacon in the sauce but just. say. “NO”!

Bourbon Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

  1. Whip with electric mixer until creamy.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today. Happy Fall!

05 Nov 2010 Corn Pudding
Author:  |  Category: Holidays & Events, Side Dishes, Veggies  | Tags: , , , , , , ,  | Leave a Comment

My daughters made me do it. My daughters made me do it!!  Why else would I mix a box of Jiffy cornbread mix with a few cans of corn, a hefty handful of cheese, some butter, some sour cream and then pour it into my prettiest casserole dish and call it Thanksgiving?  Do you think I want to expand out of my jeans?  Nooo, of course I don’t.  I did it for my girlies. They seriously loved this corn pudding.  Just like they love those corn cake things at Chevy’s.  They think I am pretty darn smart.  Yay for the Internet! I found this recipe at The Runaway Spoon, but I must also thank my friend Terry, who brought a dish very similar to this to a Dining For Women meeting last winter… I have been thinking about it ever since!

Corn pudding is on our Thanksgiving menu now (along with a mandatory before dinner walk around the lake).  We usually try out one new dish each year (at least). The bright yellow will be a colorful addition to our plates, we have almost all the colors of the rainbow on the plate now (well, except for the colors at the blue-purple end of the rainbow).  And here’s another plus for this recipe, the leftovers will reheat very well in the microwave, 19 year old boys could probably do it all by themselves.  I don’t know about you, but after I get Thanksgiving dinner on the table I don’t want to cook again for at least another week!

Corn Pudding

2 eggs
1 (16-ounce) can creamed corn
1 (16-ounce can) whole kernel corn, drained
½ cup (1stick) butter, melted
1 cup (8-ounces) sour cream
1 (8½ ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese (other kinds of cheese can be used, pepper jack anyone?!)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives (or finely chopped green onion if you forget to buy the chives, or chilies, or green pepper…)
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350º.  Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, then add both corns, butter and sour cream and mix thoroughly.  Fold in the corn muffin mix, cheese and chopped chives.  Add salt and a few grinds of black pepper and mix completely.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until puffed and golden and firm in the center.

Serve immediately.

Makes a lot of servings, at least 10-12.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!

04 Nov 2010 My Top Ten List for Thanksgiving
Author:  |  Category: Holidays & Events, Seasonal  | Tags: ,  | Leave a Comment

I am not putting Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy or Cranberry Sauce on my list, because those are “musts”.  One must have those five: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving.  I like it all.  My Top Ten list deals with the other Thanksgiving food and, after all, if I put the must have five on my list, I would have only had space for another 5 options.  Not cool!

1. Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes – I came close to adding this to my “must” list, verrrrrry close, and I probably should have, but I really wanted to post my recipe for Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes!  Stay tuned.  I also have a recipe for Apple Cider Sweet Potatoes, which is different, but quite delightful in its own way…

2. Pumpkin Roll – I was only just introduced to this recipe last year, but now it’s a must have.  I am going to share this “secret” recipe with you (but the recipe has been right there in front of you for all these years. Yes it has!  Do you know which recipe I am talking about?  My goodness, it’s sooooo good.  It’s now my Mom’s all time favorite Thanksgiving dessert.  Last year she had a slice every day for breakfast (after her half gallon of oatmeal, banana, half an apple, and slice of panettone), and another with her cup of tea at 10 0’clock.  My mother is not a big woman.  She might weigh all of 100 lbs. I should be on her diet.

3. Pumpkin Pancakes – My elder daughter started a tradition of an open house, at my house, early on Thanksgiving morning (too early).  Neighbors and friends are invited over for pumpkin pancakes, sausages, glazed bacon, coffee and pumpkin roll (see above).  Very  informal.  Stay a few minutes or stay a lot of minutes. Jammies and slippers are encouraged.  The Macy’s parade will be on and there will be a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle to work on.

4. Wild Rice and Turkey Soup – You have to make this!  Save your turkey carcass and have a box of wild rice on hand (you’ll need 1 1/2 cups).  I’ll post the recipe (it’s on my Polly, Julie and Julie facebook page, if you can’t wait). It’s sooooo good, it’s almost the best part of Thanksgiving.  Really!

5. Turkey Sandwich with Balsamic Onions and Cranberry Sauce – My daughter made this from Tom Colicchio’s book, ‘wichcraft: Craft a Sandwich into a Meal–And a Meal into a Sandwich.  Sooooo good.  I’ll post his recipe for the balsamic onions and let you know how to put it together.  A Turkey Sandwich on some good bakery or home made bread is a Friday lunch must-have (and I usually have one for breakfast, too).

6. Sweet Potato Pie – A richer, sweeter cousin to Pumpkin Pie.  This year I am trying a Sweet Potato-Pumpkin-Coconut Pie.  I am excited about it.  The sweet potatoes have already been roasted with whole star anise, cinnamon sticks, ginger and cloves. I’ll make the pie on Saturday and taste testing will be on Sunday.  If it’s any good (crossing my fingers), I’ll post the recipe.

7. Baked Brie with Cranberries – I found this recipe on the back of the puff pasty box.  Is there any other Thanksgiving appetizer?  I think not! I’ll post the recipe (it’s on my Polly, Julie and Julie Facebook page, if you can’t wait).

8. Gorgonzola Broccoli Casserole – I don’t like the canned soup green bean casserole, I like this alternate.  It’s still green, it’s still creamy, it’s still a casserole, but it’s made from real food, ten times tastier, and just as easy to make.  The blue cheese flavor is very mild.  The whole thing is delicious.  I can’t wait. I’ll post the recipe.  I found the recipe in Sunset Magazine in 2003.

9. Roasted Carrots – So simple, so good. I’ll post this recipe, too (it’s on my Polly, Julie and Julie facebook page as well).

10. Hrmmmm…, I think THIS spot is still open, what have I missed?!?  Tell me, please!

The picture above is last year’s family portrait, taken with the three desserts!  We had Apple Pie, Maple Cheesecake, and for my son and my father, the absolute must-have, oh-so-not-Thanksgiving dessert, Chocolate Cream Pie, it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving (or Christmas or Easter or July 4th) without it!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today.  Aren’t you happy we are in this season of celebration?  BTW, share your Top Ten List, I’d love to compare notes!

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