Category: Recipes (Page 18 of 55)

So you probably all know that merlot pairs nicely with dark chocolate, right? Good news! No need to grab a wine glass AND a dessert glass for this beauty—chocolate and merlot are married to create an indulgently rich dessert that will send you straight to heaven. Don’t be concerned about the, um, interesting ingredients—you won’t be disappointed!

Chocolate Merlot Mousse

Serves: 4 

Ingredients: 

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted  
• 1 1/2 cups silken tofu, drained and at room temperature 
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/3 cup merlot 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
• 1-2 tablespoons chocolate shavings and berries, for garnish 

1. Melt the chocolate. 
2. Process all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender until creamy.  
3. Spoon into 4 ramekins or fancy glasses.  
4. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.  
5. Just before serving, sprinkle the chocolate shavings and berries over each serving of mousse. 

Note: This recipe comes to us from The Vegan Culinary Experience.

(recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of ‘Sweet Utopiea: Simply Stunning Vegan Desserts’)

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Never fear! Heidi is here with a new, yummy recipe! “My mother gave me this recipe over 20 years ago and I made it for my boat guests all the time.  You can substitute the cream of mushroom soup with a white sauce, but this is pretty damned easy and really damn good. Just ask all the boys I made this for back in the days of winning hearts and stomachs, including my husbands.”

Chicken Dijon

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken quarters
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1 lb Mushrooms, Sliced
• 1/2 cup Onions, Finely Chopped
• 2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard 

1. Dredge chicken quarters in flour and salt and pepper, shaking off any excess and sear in a large high sided skillet in the olive oil and butter over medium high heat. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms begin to brown.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the soup, sour cream and Dijon mustard.  
3. Return the chicken to the pan and pour the soup mixture over the top, spreading  evenly. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.
4. This dish ain‘t got a lotta color to it, so serve it with some bright rice pilaf, spinach, carrots ~ anything with color. If nothing else, sprinkle fresh parsley over the top – adds a nice touch, especially if you‘re going for hearts through stomachs. 

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I’m always searching for great new ways to use seasonal produce. Peach Clafoutis is my winner for this week. Clafoutis is a classic French dessert that usually showcases fresh cherries. Hmmm… I don’t think that the cherries will mind.

Peach Clafoutis 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 6 peaches, halved, pits removed, cut into wedges
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

To Serve:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, extra
• Confectioners’ sugar, to dust

1. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together the egg, milk, cream and vanilla in a another large bowl.
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Gradually add the egg mixture, whisking until a smooth batter forms. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2.5 qt ceramic baking dish to lightly grease. Place peaches in baking dish.
4. Add the butter to the flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Pour over the peaches. Bake for 20-25 minutes or just until set.
5. Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Dust each clafoutis with confectioners’ sugar and top with a dollop of the cream to serve.

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Mostly Meatless Mondays:

If you’re not on a budget than you must have close ties with either Bank of America or OPEC.  My guess is, most everybody is cutting back somewhere so we thought we’d add our two cents with a low cost and sometimes healthy way to start off the week ~ Mostly Meatless Mondays!

Prices for beef, pork and poultry are NOT PALTRY (sorry, I’m tired) and some of the pundits of the world suggest less animal intake for us carnivores.  With that in mind, we’ll jump on the band wagon and offer up some tasty dinner ideas to alleviate that pain in your ass (your wallet) and give ole’ Bessie a breather. 

This Monday’s Dishes are: 

Baked Potatoes with Salsa Sour Cream;  Sauteed Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

Potatoes

Serves 4

4 Baker Potatoes

2 Cups Sour Cream (light if you like it)

1 Cup Fresh Salsa (well drained, or make your own pico de gallo)

3 T.   Freshly chopped cilantro

S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Clean potatoes well and pierce all over with a fork.  For a more crispy skin, rub lightly with Crisco and wrap potatoes in aluminum foil.

Place on center rack in oven for approx. 40 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife.  If you’re in a hurry, skip the oven (and the aluminum) and pop them in the microwave on high for about 15 minutes.  Watch closely.

Empty the sour cream into a non-metallic bowl and whip with a fork.  Drain your favorite ‘fresh’ salsa well and add to the sour cream along with the fresh cilantro.  A little lime juice is nice here if you have it on hand.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove spuds and let cool.  Slice or open with a slit down the middle – spoon some of the sour cream mixture on the top.  You can always add a little cheese to this if you’d like.

Fresh Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

Yes, almonds and Thyme will work well with the acidity of the salsa and creaminess of the potatoes.  Think Fusion…..

1 LB. Fresh green beans, picked, washed and drained.

1 T.   Shallot, minced

1 T.   Garlic, minced

1 T.   Butter

1 T.   Oil

¼ C.  Slivered Almonds

2 T.   Fresh Thyme – roughly chopped

S&P  To Taste

Fill a large sauce pan with water, bring to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and blanch the green beans – about 3-4 minutes.  Drain and place under cold running water or an ice bath.

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high.  Add the oil and butter then the garlic and shallot, let soften, stirring often.  Add the green beans and cook for another 4-5 minutes (I like mine crunchy – so cook to your taste).  Add the slivered almonds and the thyme and continue to stir.  Salt and Pepper and you’re done!

Plate up and enjoy a healthy Mostly Meatless Monday!!