RECIPE

Cheddar and Roasted Pear Canapés

Ingredients: 

4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch dices 
2 T brown sugar 
1 T olive oil or vegetable oil 
1 T balsamic vinegar 
Baguette (French bread) sliced into thin rounds 
8 oz. extra sharp or sharp cheddar, sliced thin and in a diameter similar to bread rounds 
cup chopped toasted pecans 
Thinly slivered fresh sage leaves 

Place rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400º. In large Pyrex pan, toss pears, sugar and oil until well combined. Spread in even layer in pan and bake for 15 minutes. Stir pears, then return to oven for 10-15 minutes longer or until sugar has begun to caramelize and pears are browned. Add vinegar and stir well. 

Bake pears for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. (Pears can be prepared up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated until ...

Mushroom Pate

Ingredients:

1 “container” each of 3 kinds of mushrooms 

Hen of the Wood (3½ oz.) 
Crimini (8 oz.) 
Champignons (8 oz.)
1 medium large shallot, chopped  
T butter ½ tsp. thyme 
Salt and pepper to taste 
2 T brandy or sherry 
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese 
1-2 tsp. white truffle oil (Williams Sonoma) optional 

Trim off tough ends on stems of mushrooms and chop. Process with medium large shallot to a paste. Melt butter in skillet and add dried thyme to taste. Put mushroom paste into skillet and cook until dry. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add brandy or sherry and cook down until dry. Put mushroom mixture back in processor and add cream cheese and white truffle oil (optional). Process until it comes together. Put into mold and refrigerate until solid.

You can use any kind of mushroom. Flavorful ones wo ...

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 375 º

House Seasoning: 1 C salt, ¼ C black pepper, ¼ C garlic powder (Store for multi use)
1 C crabmeat
½ C cream cheese
½ C fresh chopped parsley
½ C chopped green onion
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
House seasoning
10-12 mushroom caps
½ C bread crumbs

Mix all ingredients (except mushrooms). Stuff mushroom caps and top with bread crumbs. Spray mushrooms with a cooking spray to help brown. 
Bake for 20 minutes.

Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:

9” pastry shell
4 T butter
2 T minced green onion tops
1# fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
4 eggs
1 C heavy cream
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
½ C grated Swiss cheese 

Preheat oven to 450º F, bake pastry shell for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temp to 350º F. 
Melt 3T butter in large skillet. Add onion; cook 1 plus minute, stirring constantly. Stir in mushrooms, 1 tsp salt, and lemon juice. 
Cover pan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat and boil for 5-10 minutes until liquid is completely evaporated and mushrooms begin to sauté in the butter. Stir them occasionally to prevent scorching.
Beat the eggs and cream together with the remaining ½ tsp salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sti ...

Mint Crème Anglaise 

Ingredients:

2 c milk
2 c (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
6 egg yolks
¼ c sugar
2 Tbsp green crème de menthe

Combine the milk and mint leaves in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside for 30 minutes. Strain the milk into another saucepan, pressing against the mint leaves to extract as much flavor as possible. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture is light and thick. Reheat the milk over medium-low heat and gradually add it to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return this to the saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture has thickened slightly and coats the back of a metal spoon. Do not allow it to boil or the sauce will curdle. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the crème de menthe, and transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool to room temperature. 

Moroccan Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Leftover chicken and rice come together in this flavorful main dish salad. Serve over baby spinach.

2 c cooked rice
1 c shredded cooked chicken
2 c shredded carrots 
¼ c sliced scallions
¼ c chopped Kalamata olives
¼ c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 c orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine rice, chicken, carrots, scallions, and olives in a large bowl. Whisk together gravy (or broth), orange juice, lemon juice, mint, cilantro, oil, cinnamon, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste in another bowl. Toss dressing with rice mixture.

4 servings 

Lime Curd

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
¼ lb. butter 
5 T. lime juice
4 T. grated lime rind
3 large or 4 small eggs, beaten 
Mix all together in a heavy bottomed pan and cook over low heat, constantly stirring for 12 minutes. Curd should be very thick.
Cool and chill, covered. This will keep in a glass jar for at least 2 weeks.

This is an old southern favorite used to fill tart shells and meringues. It is delicious drizzled over pound cake, waffles, pancakes or as a spread on muffins. To use as a filling, mix it half and half with whipped cream. Garnish with strawberry or raspberry puree and a sprig of lemon balm or mint