Friday, 28 September 2012

Honey-Roasted Onion Tart


I came across this recipe while flipping through the February issue of Bonappetit magazine. I know...I know, I'm a little behind on my magazines. It literally takes me a week or so to get through one magazine. I will read a few pages and then something distracts me and I walk away from it. I'm terrible! This past week my husband was on a business trip so instead of watching television before bed as we usually do, I decided I would catch up on my reading. 

This tart looked so good, and easy that I felt I needed to make it and share with you all! The recipe in Bonappetit says it makes 6 appetizer servings, but I think they are very generous servings. You could get away with slicing smaller pieces and they would still be pretty sizable. I made a few revisions to the recipe which I have noted below.

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Monday, 24 September 2012

An old favorite! Beef Stroganoff!





Perfect for Fall! Quick and easy to make!

Beef Stroganoff was created by a chef working for a Russian general, Count Pavel Stroganov, in the 1890s. It became popular in the U.S. in the 1950s from servicemen returning from Europe and China after WWII. Beef Stroganoff is basically tender strips of beef and mushrooms cooked in a sour cream sauce and served over noodles, rice, or even French fries. You will want to make this with a tender cut of beef, such as tenderloin or top sirloin. For a quick version you can use ground beef instead of beef strips. You can also easily substitute yogurt for sour cream and leave out the mushrooms entirely. 

Wee Bear and I share a lot of meals when we go out..... yes, we decided we could do this now, as we are older!! We tip more, so the waiter still gets compensated for giving us good service, but, we share! The other night we had Chateaubriand for two, way too much food for us. We were served six slices of tenderloin and we each ate one!! Wee Bear says, "Aren't you going to eat anymore than that?" I said, " No, I can't eat any more! But, I know what to do, we will take it home!" I got an eye roll on that one!! But, here is what I did! Actually, I have made this many, many times over the years, because this is the simplest recipe I have in the stroganoff category.....and I think you will love it! Perfect for a mid week meal!

Friday, 21 September 2012

Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Welcome Fall and fill your home with the fragrance of it with these spiced pumpkin muffins, they are moist and flavorful!



Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Ice Cream Bombe!


I thought since we are getting to the last days of Summer, lets get this one last Summer recipe in! Fall is almost here and in Seattle we have an "Indian Summer" which will give us a dry September and October...... most of the time! The phrase "Indian Summer" -- most common along the eastern U.S. -- has come to mean a period of very warm and dry weather that occurs after the first frost of the autumn season.
Everyone should have a great recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream in their repertoire. I had the opportunity to take a class from David Lebovitz a few years ago. If you are not familiar with him, I have a bit about him at the end of this blog. Here’s my favorite recipe for Vanilla ice cream, which you can serve with anything, from a freshly-baked fruit pie, a warm berry crisp, or simply smothered with dark chocolate sauce or caramel sauce and toasted nuts. Today, I have made the ice cream and combined with my favorite Fudge Sauce, then put into my Bombe mold. This is one of my favorite desserts to make during Summer months, an ice cream bombe. They are so easy and make a great presentation for all your Summer parties. Plus, there is NO baking involved, so you don’t have to worry about a hot kitchen! So, heh, let's make this!!

Monday, 17 September 2012

Huckleberry Sauce! Mmmmm so good!



I love huckleberries, and get a kick out of people who may be golfing or hiking with me and say, " You're not going to eat that are you?" As if I'm about to commit suicide! I grew up in the country, riding horses and picking the huckleberries, as we rode through the woods. When I am on the golf course, I have all my favorite bushes and head right for them! They make a nice treat mid round!

Friday, 14 September 2012

Garlic Chive Sea Shells with Sauteed Mushrooms

My husband (TT) and I visited a local farmer's market over the weekend and picked up some flavor infused pasta from a local vendor. They had so many cool varieties that made your mouth water! We bought a few different kinds of fettuccine such as, garlic parsley, lemon pepper and spicy Thai. We also bought garlic chive sea shells which I made last night for dinner with sauteed mushrooms. It was fantastic! They sell such a wide assortment of pasta, sauces, fresh-frozen pastas and oils -it's amazing and a bit overwhelming because you want to buy them all! They sell their pasta creations online and can ship to you, they can be found at http://www.pappardellesonline.com/servlet/StoreFront.

When we picked up our pasta from them at the farmer's market, they include a recipe with each one. We thought that was a nice touch as the recipe highlights that specific pasta. I changed this recipe a bit for the garlic chive sea shells by incorporating sauteed chicken for added protein. It made it a more heartier meal. TT was out tractoring in the late afternoon so he was hungry and looking forward to this meal, which only takes about 30 minutes to make, ideal for a weeknight.