Two quick and yummy appetizers

Over the break I made two really great apps that were fast, easy and delicious! Warm Brie with apples and toasted Almonds Take a circle of Brie and put it on a plate that is microwave safe. Dry toast some blanched almonds or almond slivers in a dry pan, just until slightly browned. Slice a crisp apple into small wedges. Slice some bread, we used a baguette. Warm up the Brie just until softened, in the microwave. I used 1.5 minutes at 50% power, but yours may be different. The goal is soft and ready to ooze, but not hot. Arrange the apple wedges and bread on the plate around the Brie. Sprinkle the al ones on top of the Brie. Pass the napkins and enjoy. The best way is to get some Brie, apple, and almonds all in the same bite, on bread, or using the apple as a base. Yummy!!!!! Roasted asparagus with prosciutto Snap the woody ends off asparagus while the oven broiler is preheating. Slice the prosciutto lengthwise in two Wrap one strip of meat around each spear of asparagus Place on a pan lined with parchment about three inches from the broiler. Broiler three to five minutes per side until the prosciutto is crispy and the asparagus is roasted. Do not add any oil or butter to the pan, the fat from the meat will be enough. Transfer to a plate and enjoy with friends. I would make that again!

Beef Stew - ultimate comfort food

This is the beef stew of my childhood, that my mother, Marjorie, used to make, with a few tweaks...

You need a couple of things for this recipe to be at it's best, the most important being a Pressure Cooker.  I know, I know, they can be scary, but really, today's pc's are very safe and easy to use, and make all the difference.

Another thing that helps this stew is having a bacon breakfast.  Huh????  Cook bacon in a nice wide stainless pan, and enjoy.  Pour off some of the fat, leave all that delicious bacon-y fond in the pan, and use it to sear your meat, and brown the onions and mushrooms.  Sooooo good!  But totally optional, you could just use plain old olive oil...

Ok, on to the recipe.

1 beef shank slice (osso bucco) with a nice thick bone in it
1 lb. stewing beef, cut in 1 inch cubes (ish...)
flour to coat the meat
2 large onions, large dice
8 oz. brown (cremini) mushrooms, quartered or sliced, depending on the size
2 large carrots, peeled and cut in large (2 inch) pieces
1/2 small rutabaga, cut the same as the carrots
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut in medium dice (smaller than carrots and rutabaga)
2 stalks celery, also in large pieces
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
bay leaf
thyme
pepper

Dust the meat with flour.  In batches, brown the meat on med-high heat in oil, or that bacon-y pan from breakfast (see note above).  As each is down, transfer to the pressure cooker.   In the same pan, toss in the onions, saute for five minutes, then add the mushrooms.  The object is to get some colour on the onions and mushrooms, and soak up the rest of the flavour in the botton of the pan.  With the onions and mushrooms still in the pan, pour in the red wine, and start deglazing (scraping the stuff off the bottom of the pan) - Note: this is why you are NOT using a non-stick pan....  Let the wine reduce by at least half, then pour the contents into the pressure cooker on top of the meat.  If there's still deglazing to be done in the pan, use the beef stock to finish the job.  Otherwise, just pour the stock into the pressure cooker.  Add in the vegetables, herbs and pepper.  Notice I'm not putting salt in here.  Since I used the bacon-y pan, I want to be cautious of how salty it gets, so I'll leave it out for now, and taste later.

Put the lid on the pressure cooker (follow the instructions that came with yours) and crank the heat up under it to high.  You are listening for the rocking, sizzling, spitting noise.  Once you hear that, RUN!!!! hee hee, just kidding, simply turn the heat down to med-low (you want it to settle down to a gentle rocking, sizzling) and leave it be for 1 hour.

After an hour, release the pressure (again, follow your instructions) or place the entire cooker, still sealed, in the kitchen sink and pour COLD water on it for five minutes.  that will equalize the pressure and make the cooker safe to open.  Ahhhh, careful, it will be VERY VERY HOT!

The next step is also optional, but I find it makes all the difference in world.  Transfer the stew to a large bowl, let cool and place in the fridge overnight.  Make sure you include the bone from the shank.

The next day, the fat will have hardened across the top, and it will be very easy to remove and discard.  As well, the gelatin from the bone will have been released, and will give your stew gravy a beautiful body. Reheat the stew.  At this point you have some choices... you can thicken the gravy with a roux, or a slurry of cornstarch, or you can leave it thin, or you can remove the solids and make dumplings in the gravy.  This is our favourite! It will thicken the gravy and give your stew a beautiful, homey touch.

Enjoy in front of a roaring fire, or in the arms of a loved one - try it and you'll say....

"I would make THAT again!"

Ginger Snaps

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chewy-gingersnaps-00100000070698/index.html
adapted from this recipe...

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

These are really delicious cookies, but they go through a really ugly stage (I called them turd cookies before they were baked), but don't be discouraged, they turn out much nicer out of the oven.

Mix the flour, soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cloves until well blended.  Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.  Measure the oil, and swirl it around the measuring cup before adding it to the sugar mixture.  then, use the same measuring cup to measure the molasses, a lot less will stay in the cup!  Add the molasses to the sugar mixture and again, blend well.   Dump the dry ingredients in, and mix until blended.

Spoon the dough into your hand in small balls (about the size of a ping pong ball), and roll smooth.  (This is the ugly stage!).  Roll the balls in sugar then place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment, leaving at least 2 inches in between each ball.

Bake at 350 degs. for 15-18 minutes until just set.  The top will be crackled and sparkly, and the cookies will have spread out into perfect little circles.  Let cool completely on a cookie rack.

yum yum yum!

Favourite Banana Bread - a big batch

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banana-banana-bread/detail.aspx
Adapted from this recipe...

• 4 cups whole wheat flour or 1/2 and 1/2 with 12 grain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 cup softened margarine
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teas. pure vanilla extract
• 4-2/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6-8 bananas... I freeze them in their skins if they get too ripe and save them for this recipe!)

PREHEAT your oven to 350 deg. Line two 9x5 loaf pans with parchment paper (I find I don't need to grease the pans or the paper.

Cream the margarine and brown sugar together until fluffy. I just use a wooden spoon, but if you want to drag out your beater for this you could, but it's not necessary.

Blend the flour(s), baking soda, salt and walnuts in a separate bowl.  Mash the bananas to your desired consistency in a third bowl. Stir in the vanilla.  Dump the mashed bananas on top, then the flour mixture.

Blend, but only until combined. Don't overmix, just incorporate all the flour.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, and smooth the top. Bake for around 60 minutes, but start testing every five minutes after 45.  The last thing you want to do is burn this!

When done, cool completely.  This freezes really well in individual slices (that's what we usually do, then just grab a slice to thaw on the way to work for breakfast!).  It also makes really great french toast!

Try it, and you'll say...

"I would make that again!"