This came from a recipe which I found I one of those supermarket cookbooks at the checkout counter. I tweaked it some what to make it a complete meal, rather than just an appetizer.
What you need: a package of raw frozen shrimp, 400 gr the 51-68 size; one box of bow ties pasta, 340 gr; Marinade ingredients- 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 TB s each of dried mint leaves, basil leaves, and cilantro -(but you can use parsley if you do not like the flavour of cilantro); 2 tbs of minced garlic; 1/4 cup of lime juice; other ingredients - ground pepper to taste; half a package of small golden tomatoes; 2 mini sweet red peppers; grated Parmesan cheese.
What you do. Cook pasta according to package directions. Place shrimp in a water bath to thaw. In a large skillet, heat the marinade ingredients and add the shrimp. Cook until just turned pink, add pepper, halved tomatoes, and sliced sweet peppers. Cook until vegetables are just tender. Drain cooked pasta and add to the skillet. (I added a 1/2 cup of dry white wine.) Stir well. Serve hot with grated cheese.
Serves 4 unless Luc comes, then it serves 3. Enjoy with a glass of dry white wine.
Friday, 7 February 2014
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
Bacon herb cheese biscuits
So delicious, but so simple to make. Preheat oven to 425*F
What you need: 2 cups flour; 4 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 Tbs garlic powder; 1 tbs onion powder; 2 tbs parsley flakes; 1 tbs dried chives; 1/2 cup shortening; 5 - 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled; 1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese; 1 cup milk.
What you do: mix flour, salt, baking powder, and seasonings in a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture is like coarse meal. Add crumbled bacon and cheese. Stir with your hands until well blended. Use a spoon to stir in the milk just until all the dry ingredients are picked up. Knead a few times. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and pat into circles about 3-4 inches across. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 425*F.
Serve with butter, and enjoy. You can eat this with a meal like stew, or pasta. Goes with almost anything.
What you need: 2 cups flour; 4 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 Tbs garlic powder; 1 tbs onion powder; 2 tbs parsley flakes; 1 tbs dried chives; 1/2 cup shortening; 5 - 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled; 1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese; 1 cup milk.
What you do: mix flour, salt, baking powder, and seasonings in a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture is like coarse meal. Add crumbled bacon and cheese. Stir with your hands until well blended. Use a spoon to stir in the milk just until all the dry ingredients are picked up. Knead a few times. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and pat into circles about 3-4 inches across. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 425*F.
Serve with butter, and enjoy. You can eat this with a meal like stew, or pasta. Goes with almost anything.
Easy Fruit-misu Desserts
Here is a simple way to make an elegant looking dessert, using some pantry basics. You need canned frozen or fresh fruit, with a gelatine dessert in the same flavour. Add a little whipped cream and mascarpone, and you have a wonderful dessert which is not too sweet.
What you need: either 2 cups of fresh or frozen, or 1 (28 oz)can* of fruit; 1 box of gelatine to match the fruit; 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese, or cream cheese; 6 oz of whipping cream, whipped. A can of whipped cream topping.
What you do: if using canned fruit, drain the liquid into a small microwave proof bowl, then divide the fruit into two equal portions. Place half of the fruit into a blender or purée machine, and blend to a smooth purée. Heat the liquid from the can or 1/2 cup water until almost boiling. Add half the gelatine powder and whisk until the powder is dissolved. Add the fruit purée and cool. Add the mascarpone or cream cheese and whisk well. Whip the 6 oz of cream, and fold into the mixture. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl, or divide into small dessert dishes, filling them about 2/3 full. Chill for about 2 hours. When chilled, begin the top layer. Heat 1/2 cup water to boiling point, and whisk in the remaining gelatine powder. Allow to dissolve completely. Cool until it just begins to set. Layer the remaining fruit on top of the cream base. Pour the cooled gelatine on top of fruit, and chill to set completely. Top with whipped cream topping just before serving.
I used a 28 oz can of peaches.
What you need: either 2 cups of fresh or frozen, or 1 (28 oz)can* of fruit; 1 box of gelatine to match the fruit; 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese, or cream cheese; 6 oz of whipping cream, whipped. A can of whipped cream topping.
What you do: if using canned fruit, drain the liquid into a small microwave proof bowl, then divide the fruit into two equal portions. Place half of the fruit into a blender or purée machine, and blend to a smooth purée. Heat the liquid from the can or 1/2 cup water until almost boiling. Add half the gelatine powder and whisk until the powder is dissolved. Add the fruit purée and cool. Add the mascarpone or cream cheese and whisk well. Whip the 6 oz of cream, and fold into the mixture. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl, or divide into small dessert dishes, filling them about 2/3 full. Chill for about 2 hours. When chilled, begin the top layer. Heat 1/2 cup water to boiling point, and whisk in the remaining gelatine powder. Allow to dissolve completely. Cool until it just begins to set. Layer the remaining fruit on top of the cream base. Pour the cooled gelatine on top of fruit, and chill to set completely. Top with whipped cream topping just before serving.
I used a 28 oz can of peaches.
Monday, 30 December 2013
Favourite Christmas Brussel's Sprouts
This is one of those foods which people either love or hate. We enjoy Brussel's sprouts just boiled, or steamed, but this is our favourite way to eat them.
What you need: 1 bag of frozen Brussel's sprouts, 5 or 6 slices of bacon, chopped, 1 onion, chopped.
What you do: cook the bacon at medium heat,in a skillet, stirring often, until nearly crisp, and then add the onion. Cook until the onion is transparent. Add the sprouts, and about a cup of water. Cover the pan, so the lid is just off slightly, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Most of the water should be gone, but if there is still some there, remove the lid and let the rest of the water cook off. as always, enjoy.
What you need: 1 bag of frozen Brussel's sprouts, 5 or 6 slices of bacon, chopped, 1 onion, chopped.
What you do: cook the bacon at medium heat,in a skillet, stirring often, until nearly crisp, and then add the onion. Cook until the onion is transparent. Add the sprouts, and about a cup of water. Cover the pan, so the lid is just off slightly, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Most of the water should be gone, but if there is still some there, remove the lid and let the rest of the water cook off. as always, enjoy.
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Simple Cheese Sauce
My son called tonight to ask what he needed to have to make cheese sauce, and as I told him the ingredients, I said it is on the blog, but when I checked. I found out it really wasn't, although the basic white sauce is on a post in March 2012.
Once again, this is a very easy to make, and much healthier option to those package sauces. You can even do a gluten free version, if you have a flour blend which you use for gravy.
What you need: 2 Tbs butter or margarine; 2 Tbs flour; 1 cup of milk or cream; salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp each of garlic and onion powder; and 2 cups of grated cheese, of any kind you like. I would usually use cheddar, or Gouda or a blend of the two.
What you do: In a large glass bowl or measuring cup - at least 1 litre - melt the butter or margarine for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk. Add milk or cream. Whisk well to stir up all the flour blend. Return to microwave, and cook on high for 2 minutes. Add the seasoning, then cook on low for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the sauce begins to thicken. Add cheese in thirds, and cook on low power until just melted before adding the next portion of cheese. When all the cheese in melted, use over cooked vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or on macaroni.
As always, enjoy.
Once again, this is a very easy to make, and much healthier option to those package sauces. You can even do a gluten free version, if you have a flour blend which you use for gravy.
What you need: 2 Tbs butter or margarine; 2 Tbs flour; 1 cup of milk or cream; salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp each of garlic and onion powder; and 2 cups of grated cheese, of any kind you like. I would usually use cheddar, or Gouda or a blend of the two.
What you do: In a large glass bowl or measuring cup - at least 1 litre - melt the butter or margarine for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk. Add milk or cream. Whisk well to stir up all the flour blend. Return to microwave, and cook on high for 2 minutes. Add the seasoning, then cook on low for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the sauce begins to thicken. Add cheese in thirds, and cook on low power until just melted before adding the next portion of cheese. When all the cheese in melted, use over cooked vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or on macaroni.
As always, enjoy.
Saturday, 7 December 2013
Chicken Lasagna
I had some cut up chicken breast, which was left over from a fondue, that I decided I should use to try something new. I had Wil and Luc for dinner, and a friend came over, too. I have another friend, who makes a chicken lasagna, which is delicious, so I thought I would try to make one. I looked on line for recipes, and found many, but did not see a combination that I wanted to make. I combined some ingredients from about 5 different recipes, to make something I thought would taste good. Luc told me it passed his taste test, and my friend, Kellie, said it was "Yummy". So here it is. -sorry I didn't take a picture before it was all gone.
What you need: 5-6 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces, some margarine or oil to cook it in, 1-3 cloves crushed garlic, 2 stalks of celery - chopped into small bits, 1/2 a large onion - chopped fairly fine, salt, pepper, 9 cooked lasagna noodles, a large batch of white sauce, or cheese sauce, and 2 cups of grated Mozzarella cheese. (you can use a commercially prepared sauce, such as Knorr Creamy Garlic or Alfredo, or jars of white pasta sauce. You need about 3 - 4 cups of sauce.
Pre-heat the oven to 350*F
What you do: First put on a large pot of water, on high heat, to cook the lasagna noodles. Then heat oil or margarine in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook on high to brown the pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and add chopped celery, onion, and garlic. (If you wish you could add some sliced mushrooms, but I can't eat those.) Add half a cup of water to the pan, then cover and let simmer. Add noodles to the water when it begins to boil. Cook about 9 minutes. Meanwhile, cook your sauce.
To make your sauce - 3 cups milk, 1/2 cup flour, 4 tbs butter or margarine, 1 tsp each of onion powder and garlic powder, 1/2 cup finely grated cheese, salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Add the flour, and use a whisk to mix together. Stir in the milk, then microwave on high heat about 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Remove the bowl from the oven, and add all the spices. Return to oven and cook on high for another 5 minutes or so, stirring every minute, or until the sauce is thickened, and smooth. Add the cheese, stirring well, and cook one more minute. An option for your sauce, is to replace 1/2 cup milk with a nice white wine. Some of the other recipes I saw on line used canned soup - either cream of chicken, cream of celery, or cream of mushroom in the sauce. You can use anything that you think will make a smooth sauce which has a good taste.
Assemble the lasagna by putting about one third of the sauce into your lasagna pan. Lay 3 noodles on top of sauce. Add half of the chicken and vegetable mix. Add 3 noodles, then 1/3 of the sauce, the rest of the chicken mix, the last 3 noodles, and the remaining sauce. Add all the grated cheese on top. Put into the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with a Caesar salad, or tossed or tomato salad. This should make 6 servings. If you have Luc over, it will feed 4 people.
As always - enjoy.
What you need: 5-6 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces, some margarine or oil to cook it in, 1-3 cloves crushed garlic, 2 stalks of celery - chopped into small bits, 1/2 a large onion - chopped fairly fine, salt, pepper, 9 cooked lasagna noodles, a large batch of white sauce, or cheese sauce, and 2 cups of grated Mozzarella cheese. (you can use a commercially prepared sauce, such as Knorr Creamy Garlic or Alfredo, or jars of white pasta sauce. You need about 3 - 4 cups of sauce.
Pre-heat the oven to 350*F
What you do: First put on a large pot of water, on high heat, to cook the lasagna noodles. Then heat oil or margarine in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook on high to brown the pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and add chopped celery, onion, and garlic. (If you wish you could add some sliced mushrooms, but I can't eat those.) Add half a cup of water to the pan, then cover and let simmer. Add noodles to the water when it begins to boil. Cook about 9 minutes. Meanwhile, cook your sauce.
To make your sauce - 3 cups milk, 1/2 cup flour, 4 tbs butter or margarine, 1 tsp each of onion powder and garlic powder, 1/2 cup finely grated cheese, salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Add the flour, and use a whisk to mix together. Stir in the milk, then microwave on high heat about 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Remove the bowl from the oven, and add all the spices. Return to oven and cook on high for another 5 minutes or so, stirring every minute, or until the sauce is thickened, and smooth. Add the cheese, stirring well, and cook one more minute. An option for your sauce, is to replace 1/2 cup milk with a nice white wine. Some of the other recipes I saw on line used canned soup - either cream of chicken, cream of celery, or cream of mushroom in the sauce. You can use anything that you think will make a smooth sauce which has a good taste.
Assemble the lasagna by putting about one third of the sauce into your lasagna pan. Lay 3 noodles on top of sauce. Add half of the chicken and vegetable mix. Add 3 noodles, then 1/3 of the sauce, the rest of the chicken mix, the last 3 noodles, and the remaining sauce. Add all the grated cheese on top. Put into the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with a Caesar salad, or tossed or tomato salad. This should make 6 servings. If you have Luc over, it will feed 4 people.
As always - enjoy.
Friday, 16 August 2013
Easy Cranberry (Fruit) Cheesecake parfait
This is such an easy recipe to make, but it looks wonderful. I have used it for making mini desserts, and the layers look so pretty in the tiny glasses. This is a 2 stage process, so you need to start several hours before serving time. you need time for the bottom layer to set completely before making the second layer, and then time for the second layer to set completely before serving.
What you need : 1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce; 1 8 oz package of cream cheese; 2 boxes of cranberry jelly powder; 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped; water; 1 can of whipped cream topping.
What you do: Boil water, then pour 1 cup of boiling water into a medium sized bowl. whisk in the contents of 1 box of jelly powder. Stir until powder is completely dissolved. Open the can of cranberry sauce, and add half of the contents into the dissolved jelly. Stir well. Allow to cool to room temperature, and keep stirring to prevent berries from falling to the bottom. Meanwhile, warm the cream cheese in the microwave, until you can stir it easily. Add to the jelly mixture and whisk well, or use an immersion blender to incorporate the chees and jelly into a very smooth mixture. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour into pretty glasses, just over half full. Cover each glass, and place into the fridge to set for about an hour. Boil water and add 2nd box of jelly powder as before. Mix in the remaining cranberry sauce. Stir well. Place into fridge until it just begins to set, checking every few minutes. Remove the covers from glasses with the cheese mixture, and carefully add the cranberry jelly on top. Recover glasses, and put back into the fridge to set completely. When you are ready to serve, place the glasses on a tray, and add whipped cream topping.
Optional: you can place a Tablespoon of graham cracker crumb crust into the glass first if desired. Mix 1 cup of crumbs with 1 tbs of sugar, and 2 tbs melted butter or margarine. Stir well. Press 1 Tbs into the bottom of the glass, using the handle end of a wooden spoon to compact the crumb mixture. Then proceed as above.
If you are taking these somewhere out side, or where the glasses could get broken, you can also use small plastic wine glasses and plastic spoons.
This recipe can be altered for any kind of berry, or fruit which has a jelly flavour, such as strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, grape, orange, lemon, peach, and watermelon.
****CAUTION*** never use kiwi in any recipe which is to be set with gelatine or jelly. Kiwi has a chemical which prevents the gelatine from setting.
What you do: Boil water, then pour 1 cup of boiling water into a medium sized bowl. whisk in the contents of 1 box of jelly powder. Stir until powder is completely dissolved. Open the can of cranberry sauce, and add half of the contents into the dissolved jelly. Stir well. Allow to cool to room temperature, and keep stirring to prevent berries from falling to the bottom. Meanwhile, warm the cream cheese in the microwave, until you can stir it easily. Add to the jelly mixture and whisk well, or use an immersion blender to incorporate the chees and jelly into a very smooth mixture. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour into pretty glasses, just over half full. Cover each glass, and place into the fridge to set for about an hour. Boil water and add 2nd box of jelly powder as before. Mix in the remaining cranberry sauce. Stir well. Place into fridge until it just begins to set, checking every few minutes. Remove the covers from glasses with the cheese mixture, and carefully add the cranberry jelly on top. Recover glasses, and put back into the fridge to set completely. When you are ready to serve, place the glasses on a tray, and add whipped cream topping.
Optional: you can place a Tablespoon of graham cracker crumb crust into the glass first if desired. Mix 1 cup of crumbs with 1 tbs of sugar, and 2 tbs melted butter or margarine. Stir well. Press 1 Tbs into the bottom of the glass, using the handle end of a wooden spoon to compact the crumb mixture. Then proceed as above.
If you are taking these somewhere out side, or where the glasses could get broken, you can also use small plastic wine glasses and plastic spoons.
This recipe can be altered for any kind of berry, or fruit which has a jelly flavour, such as strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, grape, orange, lemon, peach, and watermelon.
****CAUTION*** never use kiwi in any recipe which is to be set with gelatine or jelly. Kiwi has a chemical which prevents the gelatine from setting.
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