Lemony Limoncello & Mascarpone Mousse Verrines

Posted by becr zone 9 CA 19 on Sat, Apr 4, 09 at 20:28

LEMONY LIMONCELLO & MASCARPONE MOUSSE VERRINES
A verrine is a confection, originally from Paris, made by artfully layering ingredients in a small glass, and may be either savory or sweet. Very chic and trendy--this one is served in a shot-glass! Use the larger 2.5 to 3 ounce shotglasses, or use ramekins. Makes about 8 Verrines.



Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup fresh raspberry (optional)
* 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
* 1 cup prepared lemon curd
* 4 tablespoons limoncello (1 jigger plus 1 tablespoon)
* 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain raspberries, gently pat dry and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest and the lemon curd. Stir in the Limoncello liqueur, whisking briskly until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Beat in the lemon extract. Fold in the mascarpone and stir gently; combine well.

4. In 8 large shot-glasses or ramekins, evenly and attractively layer the lemon curd mixture and the mascarpone mousse (use a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, if desired).

5. Top with the fresh berries, and garnish with a mint leaf.

6. Chill until serving time.

(Too lazy to go to the store) Macaroni Casserole

Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. on Wed, Apr 1, 09 at 11:57

(Too lazy to go to the store) Macaroni Casserole
I came up with this version one night using what was available as I didn't feel like going grocery shopping. Now one of my families favorite dishes.

There are no set amounts of anything, it's a fly by the seat of your pants recipe so add, subtract, do your own thing with it.

Depending on how many servings you'll need cook elbow macaroni or any pasta shapes you have on hand (I like seashells) for about 10 minutes in boiling water, drain, throw in a dutch oven.

Pour enough tomato juice over the top to cover the pasta.

Dice bacon, fry crisp, discard fat or keep a tablespoonful :o) Add to the pasta.

Grate Cheddar Cheese, add this to the pasta mix, stir to mix, bake at 350 degrees for approx. 1 hour.

When I make this it's an add...that looks about right... type of dish so the amounts I'm giving are approximate.

4 cups of uncooked pasta
Large can of tomato juice, use what is needed to cover the pasta, don't be stingy.
2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese, more or less, you decide.
1/2 lb. or less of diced bacon fried crisp, 1 tbsp. of the drippings if your feeling 'What the Heck'
I usually serve this with crusty bread and a green salad.

When I came up with this it was a real hit with my family, all our kids make this and so do all their friends.

Chocolate Pie

Posted by token28001 zone7 NC on Wed, Apr 1, 09 at 10:40

Chocolate Pie

2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of flour
2/3 cup of cocoa
6 egg yolks
pinch of salt
a splash of vanilla extract
1 stick of butter
2 cups of milk
6 egg whites, pinch of cream of tartar, and 1/4 cup of sugar for meringue.
Combine sugar, flour, cocoa, and milk. Turn on low heat and stir until combined. Begin adding egg yolks. Continue to stir. Increase to medium heat and continue to stir. Add vanilla and salt. Continue to stir until creamy and well blended. Add butter and continue to stir. Remove from heat once all ingredients are blended and smooth. Check for lumps.

Pour into lightly baked pie shells.

Mix egg whites, tartar, and sugar for meringue. Beat with blender until peaks form. Cover pie filling and bake until brown. Top with grated milk chocolate.

Makes 2 pies.

Momma's Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Posted by token28001 zone7 NC on Wed, Apr 1, 09 at 10:34

Momma's Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
One box of cheap Mac & Cheese with "powdered" cheese sauce.
Two eggs
One cup of milk
Half a stick of butter
1 block of sharp/extra sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups grated)
salt and pepper.

Cook the macaroni for about 5 minutes over a rolling boil. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Spread a layer of macaroni in a 9x9" baking dish. Spread a thin layer of grated cheese. Spread another layer of macaroni. Spread a thin layer of grated cheese. Repeat once more or until all is gone.

Mix 1 cup of milk with 2 eggs. Beat until blended. Spread powdered cheese sauce over layers of macaroni and cheese. Pour egg/milk mixture into casserole. Be sure to cover all the layers. It should be somewhat soupy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Apply generous pats of butter over the surface.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 before serving. Feeds me.

Shrimp Balls

Posted by lorna-organic 7NM on Tue, Mar 31, 09 at 23:43

SHRIMP BALLS
(makes about twenty-four, or you can use mixture in ramekins and double the baking time)

1-1/2 pounds raw, rough chopped shrimp (3" long shrimp)
3 cups cracker crumbs
1/2 cup diced shallots
4 raw eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup diced celery

Beat eggs, stir in mayonnaise, add remaining ingredients and stir carefully. No salt is necessary because the crackers are salted. Roll mixture between your palms to form 1" balls. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes. If using ceramic ramekins reduce oven temp to 350 and bake for 30 minutes.

If you like spicy, you might want to add a couple of drops of hot sauce before you beat the eggs. Serve shrimp balls with homemade tartar sauce.

TARTAR SAUCE

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped green olives
1 cup chopped sweet pickles
1/2 cup capers
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup chopped shallots or red onions

Mix all ingredients and chill well before serving.

Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes w/Cabbage)

Posted by lorna-organic 7NM on Tue, Mar 17, 09 at 9:13

COLCANNON (Irish mashed potatoes with cabbage)

cabbage, fresh, 1 head, medium, or 1 head of kale
2 leeks or an onion
4 tbsp salted butter
5 large raw potatoes
1 tsp salt
1/8-1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Chop cabbage or kale in thin ribbons. boil in salted water until soft.
Clean leaks well. Slice white part of leeks and saute in butter until soft, or chop onions and saute until soft. Stir butter and leeks/onions into cabbage/kale. Peel and steam potatoes until soft. Mash the potatoes, then blend with cabbage mixture. Serve.

IRISH SODA BREAD

2 cups white flour (+ a bit more in reserve for the kneading)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder (Rumford's or other non-aluminum type)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup currants or sultanas (yellow raisins)
1-1/2 tsps. caraway seeds
approx. 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups buttermilk (enough to make dough hold together)

Oven 375. In a large mixing bowl, place flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and stir together, stir in fruit and caraway seeds. Add sufficient buttermilk to make a firm dough, which is not dry. When dough has formed into a nice firm ball, sprinkle with about one tablespoon of flour and knead lightly until dough is smooth, about two minutes.

Form dough into a circle by tucking edges in repeatedly. When you have a plump circle of dough, place it on a parchment covered baking sheet (or lightly oiled baking sheet). Score bread with a sharp knife, make an X across the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow, when rapped across the bottom with your knuckles. One loaf produces about fifteen slices of bread. Good for corned beef sandwiches, or just toasted spread with butter (and perhaps marmalade).

Ham and Potatoes Casserole

Posted by gldno1 z6MO on Mon, Mar 2, 09 at 7:06

Ham and Potatoes Casserole

Shopping list or pantry items;

potatoes, can of cream of mushroom soup, onions, cheese, leftover ham.
Peel and finely chop one onion
Grate cheese (any you like that melts well) or use slices

Peel and slice however many potatoes to fill maybe a quart to 2 quart casserole. I am guessing 5 or so.

Butter dish

Layer potatoes, add some chunks of ham, sprinkle onion, add cheese.

Keep layering.

Finish with cheese.

Dilute can of soup with enough water or milk to make pourable. Pour over potatoes in casserole, cover and bake.

375°F until potatoes are fork tender.

This with a green salad is all you need for a tasty meal.

Note: If I have baked a ham, I dice up lots of left overs and freeze in baggies just for this dish.

Not the Usual Low Cal Cheesecake--Butternut

Posted by lorna-organic 7NM on Mon, Mar 2, 09 at 4:01

Not the Usual Low Cal Cheesecake--Butternut

1 eight ounce package of cream cheese
3-1/2 cups roasted butternut chunks
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
a dash of freshly grated nutmeg
3 large eggs
1/2 cup white flour

Graham Cracker Crust

1/2 a sleeve of graham crackers
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Put graham crackers into food processor, whirl until you have crumbs. Add melted butter and brown sugar, whirl until well mixed. Press graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a buttered 8-9" spring form pan, pressing the mixture up the side of the pan as far as you can, about 1/2". Bake at 350 for twelve minutes.

Cut cream cheese into large chunks, place in food processor, along with butternut and maple syrup. Blend well. Add spices and three eggs. Blend well. Add flour, again, blend well. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 for one hour. Cool for half an hour before releasing spring on baking pan. Refrigerate when cool. Will taste best if allowed to set for several hours before serving.

This cheesecake has about one quarter the amount of fat of a regular cheesecake. The sugar and maple syrup represent about one quarter of the normal amount of sweetener in cheesecake. The recipe is my own.

Butternut Squash Pasta

Posted by girlgroupgirl 8 Atlanta on Sun, Mar 1, 09 at 23:05

Butternut squash pasta!

OH YUM!

I cup of frozen, mushed butternut squash (from last summers garden)
1/2 a small purple onion finely minced
1/2 t. crushed garlic
1/4 of a cube gluten free bullion
1/2 c. unsweet almond milk
some parmesan or any other delicious hard cheese, grated
toasted pine nuts

Cook up some pasta. I use Trader Joe's brown rice pastas. Spirals will catch the sauce nicely.
While pasta is cooking, place a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook up your onions for 4 minutes until they are slightly brown. Throw in some garlic for just a few minutes. Add the squash and the bit of bullion cube. Too much billion will make it too salty (as your cheese is plenty salty enough). I like to add 1/2 cup almond milk now, to make a lovely - creamy, nutty flavor.
Toss in cooked pasta, top with some Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
So fast and delicious.
I served this with a "winter salad". I grow cold tolerant lettuces under tents all winter and throw in some herbs for a lovely salad!

Great on one of those odd, southern snowy nights!

Strawberry Shortcake w/ White Chocolate Whipped Cream

posted by ianna Z5b on Tue, Feb 10, 09 at 10:59

I don't have an exact recipe for this but here's my process for making a kind of

Strawberry Shortcake w/ White Chocolate Whipped Cream

3 oz. of white chocolate, melted over double boiler
Whipping cream (whipped up and slightly sweetened with about 1/4 cup sugar)

approx. 1/3 cup Raspberry or strawberry jam dissovled with equal amount of water. - to make a syrup.

store bought round sponge cake (make 3 layers)
any berries, like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.. lightly sprinkled with sugar.

Take a little of the melted white chocolate and mix in with a little of the whipped cream to temper it. Then mix into the larger batch of whipped cream.

Take the sponge cake, brush with the jam syrup, layer with the white chocolate whipped cream, add the berries, layer again with sponge cake and repeat the process. Top layer should have a small layer of whipped cream and a little amount of the fruits.

Makes a very light and very tasty cake.

Strawberries and Cream Trifle

Posted by becr zone 9 CA 19 on Sun, Feb 8, 09 at 3:21

Strawberries & Cream Trifle



Luscious layers of fresh strawberries, cake, and whipped cream. Serves 10.

2 quarts ripe fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled & sliced
1 cup strawberry preserves
2 tablespoons brandy or sherry
1 pint whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups cake, cubed (sponge cake, or angel food or pound cake)
1 1/2 cups prepared custard sauce, optional

1. Stir together the preserves and the brandy or sherry. Stir in the strawberries.

2. Whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar and the vanilla until soft peaks form (chill the bowl and beaters first). Do not overbeat.

3. Layer the berries mixture, whipped cream, cake and custard sauce (if using) alternately in a trifle dish or individual dessert dishes.

4. Top with whipped cream and a few of the choicest berries. Serve right away, or cover and chill until serving time. Enjoy!

Bean Soup

Posted by gldno1 z6MO on Fri, Feb 6, 09 at 16:53

Bean Soup

l lb. stew meat
1/2 lb white soup beans
1 small bunch celery - chopped (I use 1 cup)
1 large onion, chopped
3 large potatoes chopped
salt and pepper

Simmer 5 hours. Add l stick butter at end of cooking (I used 1/2 stick).

I made this using the crock pot by soaking the beans overnight in water to cover 2-3
inches.
Next morning dump all in large pot with enough water to make maybe 6 cups total (or
less). Bring to boil. Dump in crock pot and cook on high 4 hours or low until thick and
mushy. Add butter.

I love this served with corn muffins or just plain cornbread.

Two Versions of Shepherd's Pie

Posted by lorna-organic on Tue, Feb 3, 09 at 10:36

Two Versions of Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is great COMFORT food. Mashed potatoes are the "crust" of your main dish pie. The traditional version is to spread leftover mashed potatoes into a pie plate, then fill with loose cooked ground beef, onion, carrot and gravy. Peas can be added. Carefully smooth a thin layer of mashed potatoes around the edges of the top, leaving a circle of the filling exposed. Bake at 350 until potatoes begin to brown.

I created a variation using sweet potatoes and ground pork. I spice the pork with mustard, sage, thyme and garlic to create a sausage flavor. Cook and mash sweet potatoes. Line a pie plate with sweet potatoes. Fill with cooked loose cooked ground pork, gravy and onions. Spread a thin layer of mashed sweet potatoes around the edges of the top, leaving a circle of filling exposed. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350. Ground beef can be substituted for the pork.

Cook a pound of meat to the halfway point on high flame to brown it and bring the fat out. Pour off the fat. Add chopped onion, carrot. salt and pepper to taste. To make the gravy, sprinkle 1 tblsp. of flour onto the loose meat, stir in and cook for 5 minutes. Add two cups of boiling water, stir in rapidly. Simmer for about ten minutes.

Granny's Shepherd Pie

Posted by aftermidnight Z8 V. Island B.C. on Tue, Feb 3, 09 at 11:50

Here's my version of a shepherd's pie or to be more precise my grandmother's version. This is made from left over roast beef. No exact measurements, use what you have.

Granny's Shepherd Pie

Left over roast beef put through a meat grinder along with an onion, how much? to your own taste, I use a smallish one. put this in a casserole, mix any left over gravy in, salt and pepper to taste. Cover this with a layer of left over mashed potatoes, dot with butter. Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour.

I have used frozen hash browns instead of potatoes, put a bit of cooked rice in with the meat, I've also put leftover carrots through the grinder with the meat and onion, sometimes leftover peas, sometimes a bit of cooked rutabaga depending on what I have are also added.