Tag Archives: recipes

Meat Loaf Bourguignon…Perfect For El Nino Weather!

Meat Loaf Bourguignon
A perfect supper for one of those El Nino nights!

IMG_0797
Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 large yellow onions
1-2 shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups crushed salted crackers
½ cup finely minced walnuts
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ pound Cheddar cheese, cut in slices
Parsley sprigs
* Use the Cuisinart to chop onions, garlic, parsley, and walnuts.

IMG_0765-001Now let’s get to cookin’

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl combine onions, garlic, parsley, and mix well. Add all the dry spices, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Slowly pour in the red wine and crushed crackers. Add the ground beef, pork and eggs. Lastly, add the minced walnuts. Knead the mixture well to mix thoroughly.

IMG_0769IMG_0778

Try not to overwork the meat, your meatloaf will turn out tough.

IMG_0782

Divide the mixture in half and form each half into a compact loaf. Place the cheese on top of both loaves. Gently pinch the loaves together, leaving room for air to pass through. This allows the cheese in the middle to melt.

IMG_0786IMG_0795

 

 

When I tried this recipe for the first time, my cheese didn’t melt all the way. Of course it was still delicious! Remember to pinch together loosely.

Place in a glass Pyrex dish or a small roasting pan. Place on middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour. Set your timer for 30 minutes and check the meatloaf. Turn the oven to 350 degrees if you feel like the top is browning too quickly.  Ovens are super tricky and vary in heat, so use your best judgement.

Remove for the oven and let sit for about five minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the loaf and arrange slices on a warm platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs.  Two sides that I love to serve with this dish are, roasted herb carrots and red potatoes. This recipe can easily be doubled if you have a larger family or simply want leftovers.

So get the family together on a Sunday afternoon, for some good ole’ fashioned togetherness and yummy food!
With Love and Peace in my heart,
G-

Strawberry and Blueberry Pie…It’s berry berry yummy!

IMG_3492

Strawberry Blueberry Pie

I stumbled on the best tasting strawberries and blueberries in town.  I went a little pie crazy and baked a few for my friends.

Ingredients

6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half

1 ½ cup fresh blueberries

½ cup sugar

½ brown sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon orange juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

Cinnamon

Use your favorite crust recipe or purchase pre-made crusts.  I love to use Marie Calendars frozen crusts.IMG_3350

Now let’s get to baking!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees .  Line your cookie sheet with foil to help with easy clean up.  The juices from this pie tend to flow over.

Wash and dry strawberries very well.  Slice in half and place in a small bowl .  Drizzle a little white sugar and lemon juice over the berries.  Stir well and set aside for about 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl toss together sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, ginger, orange juice and vanilla extract.  Add the strawberries and its juices.  Slowly add the blueberries and gently stir mixture.  Pour pie filling into the crust.  Use a wooden spoon to even out the filling and set aside.

Roll out pie crust on a lightly floured surface.  Using a pastry cutter or small sharp knife, cut crust into ½ inch-wide strips.  Using the pie crusts strips, weave a lattice pattern.  If necessary, trim the edging of the crust.  Gently pinch the edging of the crust to seal, and crimp as desired.

Beat the egg in a small bowl.  Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Line edging of pie with non-stick foil to prevent from burning.  Bake your delicious pie for about 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees  .  When the juices are boiling in the center of pie and the crust is golden brown, your pie is ready!

Place pie on a wire rack and let cool for a few hours.  I know it’s hard not to just slice into a pie, however they taste so much better once the flavors have set.

IMG_3362               IMG_3523

I love to make this for family bbq’s or summer backyard parties!  Enjoy this recipe and remember Strawberry Fields Forever!

Happy Baking!

Xo, G-

A Taste of Homemade

Lemons All Around…A’ La Chicken!

lemon chicken 3

When life gives you a lemon tree with miraculous lemons, the recipes are endless!  A perfect spring dish for the family!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons grated lemon peel, 2-3 lemons

1 ½ cup lemon juice

3-4 twigs of thyme, leaves chopped or 2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ cup melted butter

1-2 lemons, thinly sliced

1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 package angel hair pasta

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese, grated

Now let’s get to cookin’!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon peel, lemon juice, thyme, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper.  Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover with the lemon marinade.  Make sure the chicken is coated well.  Place foil or plastic wrap over the dish and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.  Set a timer, if possible, to turn the chicken over in the marinade a few times.  When making this dish, I refrigerated the chicken overnight.

Lightly brush chicken with the melted butter.  Bake chicken uncovered for 25 minutes.  Turn chicken over and coat with marinade.  Lower oven to 350 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes.  All ovens vary in temperatures, so use a meat thermometer if you have one.

Cook the pasta as directed on package.  Drain well and place pasta back into the pot.  Drizzle with olive oil and parmesan cheese.  Arrange a nice bed of angel hair pasta on a serving platter, place chicken on top and garnish.  Surround with the lemon slices and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Save the lemon marinade for additional sauce.  This is a tangy recipe and some may like it more than others.  Add a little flour to the sauce for a thicker consistency and whisk well.  Serve a fresh green salad with vegetable toppings and dinner is served!!!

A funny story about Lemons All Around…I once, at a restaurant, asked the waitress, “Can we please have water with lemons all around?” gesturing for everyone at the table.  When she returned, we each received a glass of water with lemons wedges, approximately 6 around the rim, and a straw.  I couldn’t help but giggle, busting up with laughter, as I realized just how literal statements can be taken!  What I meant was…water with a lemon wedge for the entire table.  I still laugh out loud when I say, “It’s a lemons all around kinda moment!”

Happy Cooking friends!

Deviled Eggs…With A Hot Pink Beet Vibe!

 

deviled egg final 1

Easter time is a time for eggs and a time for eggs is, Easter Time!

Ingredients

12 large white or brown eggs, range free is best

¾ cup mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons Dijon or yellow mustard

1-2 teaspoons white vinegar

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-4 twigs French thyme, garden fresh

Salt and pepper to taste

1 jar cut beets in vinaigrette, Trader Joe’s

beet juice           boiled eggs

Hippity Hop here’s how we did it!

In a large pot, fill ½ way with lukewarm water.  Gently place the eggs in pot.  Bring to a boil about 15-18 minutes and remove from heat.  Drain hot water and fill with cold water adding ice cubes.  This process is often called an, ice bath.  Let the hard-boiled eggs cool completely before removing the shells.  Dunking the egg in cold water, often helps with the shell removal.

Using a sharp knife, halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks.  Set the yolks aside in a medium bowl.  I clean my knife with a towel after each cut of an egg.  I find this helps with achieving a clean cut egg white.

Fill a small shallow bowl with the vinaigrette beet juice, carefully placing whites in bowl.  Let the whites soak for about an hour.  Remember to turn over a few times, so that the juices dye all of the egg.  I used beet juice as a safer alternative to food coloring.  Don’t forget to wear an apron as you don’t want to stain your clothes.

eggs dying                     egg station

Mash the yolks with a potato masher or fork.  Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, white vinegar, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Mix all these ingredients well.

Because Isabella and I are big on presentation, we used a Wilton cake icing tool.  You can also use a pastry bag.  Fill the tool with the yolk mix and slowly pipe into egg whites.  Garnish with fresh french thyme leaves and paprika.

Deviled eggs on Easter is a family tradition that has been carried on for generations.  I’m happy to teach my daughter Isabella, and she was fascinated by the dying process.  It was a great learning experience for all!

Happy cooking friends and enjoy!

With Love and Peace in my Heart,

G-

Bacon, Leeks and Tomato…It’s Like A BLT On Pasta!

lil chefMy lil chef, Isabella, made this dish extra magical with her cooking talent! 

Ingredients,

5 Leeks

2 tablespoons olive oil

6-8 slices of bacon, one package

3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped

1 28-ounce can Muir Glen Organic, fire roasted crushed tomatoes

¼ cup parsley

2 packages garlic basil pasta, Trader Joe’s

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper

bacon and leeks 2             basil pasta

Oh the smell of bacon…Now let’s get to cookin’!

Trim the tough tops and root ends of the leeks.  Make sure to clean well as leeks often tend to have dirt on the roots.  Thinly slice with a knife or use a food processor for the leeks, basil and parsley.  Save some whole basil leaves for garnish.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil on medium heat.  Coat the bottom of skillet.  Slowly add the bacon and cook until crisp.  Remove bacon from the pan and roughly chop in your food processor (Cuisinart, everything, is my favorite!)  Add the leeks and garlic to the bacon.  Cook for 6 or so minutes.

bacon               muir glen

Add the tomatoes to the pan and mash using the back of a wooden spoon.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat.  Stir a few times to mix the flavors.

In a large pot, salt the water and bring to a boil.  Cook pasta to al dente.  Drain the pasta well and place back into pot.  Slowly mix the tomato mixture in with the pasta.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.   Garnish with parmesan cheese and basil.

blt pasta 2

The pasta pictured above, I purchased at Trader Joe’s.  I love both flavors and use them often during the spring and summer months.  The Muir Glen tomatoes can be found at any grocery store or online.  Serve with a fresh green salad, steamed asparagus or any fresh vegetable your family enjoys.

Happy cooking friends and enjoy!

With love and peace in my heart,

G-xx 

Holly’s Special Pizza…Sundried Tomatoes is the secret!

 

special pizza

This is one of my favorite recipes and perfect for the springtime!

Ingredients

1 Boboli pizza

1 jar sundried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped

1 red onion, minced

1 fresh bunch basil, chopped

2-3 chicken breasts, skinless-boneless

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 bags Spring Mix Lettuce

3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ cup pine nuts

½ blue cheese, crumbles

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

red onions                        Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

Let’s get to cookin’!

Preheat your grill at least 15 minutes before cooking the chicken.  Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with crushed garlic, salt and pepper.  Grill the chicken for 12-15 minutes until it reaches 170 degrees F.  Once done, chop the grilled chicken into bite sizes pieces.

In a large bowl mix the lettuce, sundried tomatoes, onion and basil together, toss well.  The oil from the sundried tomatoes will act as your dressing.   Mix in the pine nuts, blue cheese, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the pizza crust with olive oil.  Bake the Boboli pizza for 5-8 minutes.  Watch closely so that you don’t burn the crust.  Our family likes it a little crunchy.  Place the salad mixture on top of the pizza crust.  Slice with a pizza cutter into individual servings.

Get creative and add additional toppings to this recipe.  Diced apples, pears or cucumbers work well here.  Most of these ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe’s.  Because I love sundried tomatoes like a lot, I usually buy 2 jars.  If your family doesn’t like blue cheese, other cheeses can be used as a substitute like Asiago.  This is a great alternative and has really good flavor.  For an extra smoky taste, toast the pine nuts in a small saucepan over low flame.  To prevent nuts from burning, stir constantly.

This is always a big hit with my girlfriends on those perfect summer nights.  Serve with a nice bottle of Merlot, Chardonnay or a Shirley Temple of course!

Happy Cooking and Enjoy!

Peace and Love,

G-

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oMvfXE0QIU

While visiting the pumpkin patch this past weekend we bought several fairytale pumpkins for recipes that call for pumpkin puree. For fall recipes I generally will roast about a dozen pumpkins and freeze the puree for later use.

Ingredients for the crumb topping:

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt (kosher optional)

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature preferred

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup pecans, chopped

Pumpkin Crumb Cake Ingredients

Pumpkin Crumb Cake Ingredients

Ingredients for the cake:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 ½ teaspoon salt (kosher optional)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature preferred

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, brown preferred

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup sour cream

Roasted pumpkin sprinkled with brown sugar

Roasted pumpkin sprinkled with brown sugar

Now let’s get mixing!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter (or Pam baking spray) a 9 inch cake pan.

Preparing the crumb topping:

Whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, salt and softened butter in a medium bowl. Add flour and chopped pecans to the sugar mixture. This combination should resemble thick, cohesive dough. Set aside for later use when topping the cake.

Preparing the cake:

Using a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Using a hand mixer (electric mixer with flat beater) beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed. Once thoroughly combined, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the pumpkin puree and sour cream and mix well. Slowly mix in the flour mixture. The batter will became slightly thick.

Pour batter and spread evenly into pan. Top the cake with the crumb topping. Place cake on middle rack and back for 45 minutes. Using a toothpick, insert into the center of the cake. The cake is finished baking once the toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 15 minutes. Remove the cake slowly using a butter knife to loosen the cake from the edge of the baking pan. Remember to always allow time for your baked goods to cool. It truly is a Golden Rule.

This is a great crumb cake to serve in the morning with coffee or tea to your holiday houseguests. Happy baking!

pumpkin crumb cake

I like to use Swans Down cake flour instead of the all-purpose flour. I really love how this flour bakes and it always adds extra fluffiness.

Swans Down Cake Flour

Swans Down Cake Flour

Yours Truly with Peace and Love in our Hearts,

Bella Gwen and Gina Misty

Zesty Pumpkin Soup

Tis the pumpkin season!

“Tis the pumpkin season!” Love baby Elody!

October is such a wonderful month to use and experiment with pumpkin.  I love to make this Zesty Pumpkin soup and serve in little carved out mini pumpkins!

This makes a great presentation if hosting a Halloween or Fall Festival party.

Ingredients

¼ cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoon salt

white or rainbow crushed pepper to taste

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1 ¼ cups (16-ounce can) Libby’s Solid Pack Pumpkin

1 cup half-and-half

Sour cream and chives for garnish (optional)

Zesty Pumpkin Soup with Homemade Garlic Toast.

Zesty Pumpkin Soup with Homemade Garlic Toast.

 How to make this delicious fall recipe:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, garlic and sauté until soft.  Add curry powder, salt, coriander and crushed red pepper.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and boil (uncovered) gently on med-heat for 15-20 minutes.  Slowly stir in the pumpkin and half-and-half.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring soup slowly.  Once the soup is nicely blended remove from heat.

Pour the soup mixture into a blender or food processor. Blend soup ingredients until creamy.  Make sure to give the soup a taste and add any spices you feel needed.  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives.

You can always add more pumpkin puree and chicken broth to double the recipe.  I usually add 1 more can of Libby’s pumpkin puree and 1 extra can of chicken broth.  Serve with garlic toast for dipping!  A fresh garden salad is always a good healthy side to choose.  Enjoy and happy cooking!!!

pumpkins