Thursday, December 15, 2005
Spinach Salad with Pears and Spicy Pecans
Pecans:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/3 cup pecan halves
Cooking spray
Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
8 slices of bacon crumbled
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach or field greens (about 12 cups)
2 pears, thinly sliced (about 3/4 pound)
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare pecans, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Rinse pecans with cold water; drain (do not allow pecans to dry). Add pecans to the sugar mixture, and toss well to coat. Arrange pecan mixture on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coarsely chop pecans. Set aside.
To prepare vinaigrette, combine the shallots and next 7 ingredients (shallots through black pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended.
To prepare salad, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp, and finely chop. Combine spinach, nectarines, and dressing in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with the pecans and prosciutto.
Yield: 12 servings
**I usually double the pecans and I added about 4 oz. of goat cheese.
**This is also an adaptation of this recipe
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/3 cup pecan halves
Cooking spray
Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
8 slices of bacon crumbled
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach or field greens (about 12 cups)
2 pears, thinly sliced (about 3/4 pound)
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare pecans, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Rinse pecans with cold water; drain (do not allow pecans to dry). Add pecans to the sugar mixture, and toss well to coat. Arrange pecan mixture on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coarsely chop pecans. Set aside.
To prepare vinaigrette, combine the shallots and next 7 ingredients (shallots through black pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended.
To prepare salad, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp, and finely chop. Combine spinach, nectarines, and dressing in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with the pecans and prosciutto.
Yield: 12 servings
**I usually double the pecans and I added about 4 oz. of goat cheese.
**This is also an adaptation of this recipe
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Wild Rice Stuffing with Hazelnuts and Dried Cranberries
WILD RICE STUFFING WITH HAZELNUTS AND DRIED CRANBERRIES
Mary Risley, the director of Tante Marie's Cooking School, says, "I come from a family of Connecticut Yankees, and when I was growing up, I spent every Thanksgiving at my grandparents' eighteenth-century home, which was right across from a turkey farm. I’m not quite sure how, but something in that experience inspired this recipe. (Maybe the ingredients reflect what a turkey would like to eat, if asked.)"
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 large onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 3/4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
2 cups wild rice (about 13 ounces)
2 cups long-grain brown rice
2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
Melt 1/2 cup butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to boil. Add wild rice. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Mix in brown rice; cover and simmer until rice is just tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes longer.
Stir cranberries, parsley and thyme into rice. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer. Mix in hazelnuts and green onions. Season generously with salt and pepper.
To bake stuffing in turkey: Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Butter ceramic baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes.
To bake all of stuffing in baking dish: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down; bake stuffing until heated through, about 40 minutes.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Bon AppétitNovember 1999
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc.
Punky's notes:
**I used walnuts instead of hazelnuts. Just toasted in a dry skillet and then roughly chopped.
**I made a half recipe for dinner club. The full recipe really makes quite a bit.
**I did not have a chance to do the last bit of cooking in the oven like it called for. Times I have, it has a little less liquid and the rice gets softer. Still very good.
Mary Risley, the director of Tante Marie's Cooking School, says, "I come from a family of Connecticut Yankees, and when I was growing up, I spent every Thanksgiving at my grandparents' eighteenth-century home, which was right across from a turkey farm. I’m not quite sure how, but something in that experience inspired this recipe. (Maybe the ingredients reflect what a turkey would like to eat, if asked.)"
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 large onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 3/4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
2 cups wild rice (about 13 ounces)
2 cups long-grain brown rice
2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
Melt 1/2 cup butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to boil. Add wild rice. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Mix in brown rice; cover and simmer until rice is just tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes longer.
Stir cranberries, parsley and thyme into rice. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer. Mix in hazelnuts and green onions. Season generously with salt and pepper.
To bake stuffing in turkey: Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Butter ceramic baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes.
To bake all of stuffing in baking dish: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down; bake stuffing until heated through, about 40 minutes.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Bon AppétitNovember 1999
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc.
Punky's notes:
**I used walnuts instead of hazelnuts. Just toasted in a dry skillet and then roughly chopped.
**I made a half recipe for dinner club. The full recipe really makes quite a bit.
**I did not have a chance to do the last bit of cooking in the oven like it called for. Times I have, it has a little less liquid and the rice gets softer. Still very good.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
What's on the Menu?????
Round 2 is about to happen and I'm curious to see if anyone has thought of what they're bringing. Mine is up in the air. I was thinking of a carrot souffle, rumored to taste some what like sweet potato casserole. BUT, I've been known to change my mind a million times up until the night before . So what is your dish???
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Better Late Than Never
Okay, I can't figure out how to format this right, but here are our pics from that wonderful supper....I'm looking forward to next month...What's everyone making?
Friday, November 11, 2005
Some pics of the food
I am dipped
Well last night was a lot of fun. And the food was great. Thank you all so much for joining me in a super yummy meal. I can't wait to see everyone in December.
Green Fondue with Fresh Herbs
1 small clove garlic
1 C med-dry white wine
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 lbs Gouda or Edam cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp potato flour or cornstarch (cornflour)
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tsp tarragon (I didn't use this since I didn't have it)
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 Tbsp gin
Rub a medium, heavy saucepan with garlic clove. Add wine and bring just to a boil. Add lemon juice and immediately lower heat to medium-low. Toss cheese with potato flour or corn starch, then add to the pot by the handful, stirring with each addition until just melted. Add herbs, seasonings, and gin. Cook for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a warmed fondue pot. Serve with bread, vegetables, and meals alongside.
Green Fondue with Fresh Herbs
1 small clove garlic
1 C med-dry white wine
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 lbs Gouda or Edam cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp potato flour or cornstarch (cornflour)
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tsp tarragon (I didn't use this since I didn't have it)
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 Tbsp gin
Rub a medium, heavy saucepan with garlic clove. Add wine and bring just to a boil. Add lemon juice and immediately lower heat to medium-low. Toss cheese with potato flour or corn starch, then add to the pot by the handful, stirring with each addition until just melted. Add herbs, seasonings, and gin. Cook for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a warmed fondue pot. Serve with bread, vegetables, and meals alongside.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
"D" Day is Almost Here!!
Dinner that is!! I LOVE the theme!! What great recipes posted so far!! Feta Artichoke... Kahlua... I've died and gone to heaven!! And the cheese fondue sounds incredible! I know everyone else is using the comments, but this to me is more fun! In addition to "hummus", or I guess Jason is bringing MY hummus, I will be bringing Mini Crab Cakes with Cajun Aioli. I've seen what some have planned...What about everyone else?!
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Can you fondue?
Well, the countdown is on and I can't wait for Thursday. I will be making Fondue Bacchus (wine and broth) and Green fondue with fresh herbs (an herby Gouda fondue). I will also have some wine, beer and tea. Feel free to add what you would like. So, who all is coming and whatcha bringin? Be creative. It can be things that can be dipped, things that have been dipped, or an actual dip. Think outside the box (or rather the serving dish) on this one. Until Thursday...
Ashley
Ashley
