Italian Plum Tart, a delicious gift from a friend :)
Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
An old favorite...
My daughter had to bring in a recipe for her final grade in her High School cooking class this past year and didn't know what to make. She went through all the recipes on my blog and ended up making this recipe for Apple, Cherry and Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing and received an A+! It was one of the favorites of the class. And ours.
She hasn't made a thing since!
but at least I know she can :)
Apple, Dried Cherry, and Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing
Source: Bon Appétit, September 2002 - original recipe by the Mountain Town Station Brewing Company and Steakhouse, Mount Pleasant, MI
Printable Recipe
For the Maple Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or any white wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
For Salad:
1 bag baby spinach (or any mixed greens)
2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips (use any apple you like)
1/2 cup dried cherries (tart or sweet)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (or not!)
Note:
Keep some apple, walnuts and cherries on the side to sprinkle over the top of the salad when you serve!
For dressing:
Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, and vinegar in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Or put all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake it really, really well! (Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Shake jar or whisk again before using.)
For salad:
Toss spinach, apples, cherries, and walnuts in large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining apples, walnuts, cherries and then serve.
and
Source: Bon Appétit, September 2002 - original recipe by the Mountain Town Station Brewing Company and Steakhouse, Mount Pleasant, MI
Printable Recipe
For the Maple Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or any white wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
For Salad:
1 bag baby spinach (or any mixed greens)
2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips (use any apple you like)
1/2 cup dried cherries (tart or sweet)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (or not!)
Note:
Keep some apple, walnuts and cherries on the side to sprinkle over the top of the salad when you serve!
For dressing:
Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, and vinegar in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Or put all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake it really, really well! (Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Shake jar or whisk again before using.)
For salad:
Toss spinach, apples, cherries, and walnuts in large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining apples, walnuts, cherries and then serve.
Joining
Beth at Beth Fish Reads for the Weekend Cooking Party.
Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.
and joining
http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com
hosted by
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends #3
hosted by
Walking on Sunshine Foodie Friends #3
and
and
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Weekend Cooking: Barbecued Raspberry-Hoisin Chicken
I did it! I finally found something different for Miss Picky! Usually I can only make flat chicken, as she calls it. Cutlets, pounded until it's so thin you can practically see through it. She tasted the dipping sauce first, and proceeded to have two skewers of chicken chicken chunks. Definitely a keeper. A bona fide hit! I pretty much stuck to the recipe, except I added a few tablespoons of soy sauce to the marinade. The Griller was careful and used medium heat instead of the usual "char and destroy" setting!
Didn't have scallions so I used chives from my garden! Spring is right around the corner, the mints are starting to show, too! And the Rosemary survived all the blizzards! It'll be so nice not to grill with a winter coat on, and even nicer to be using things from the garden finally!
Barbecued Raspberry-Hoisin Chicken
Source: from EatingWell: July / August 2007
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
5 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
3 tablespoons soy sauce sauce
1 clove garlic
1 strip (2-by-1/2-inch) orange zest, or grated zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, each cut into 3 crosswise strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion greens, divided
rice, brown or white, for serving
Combine raspberries, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, garlic, orange zest, ginger, pepper and crushed red pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside 1/4 cup for a dipping sauce.
Transfer the remaining marinade to a medium bowl and add chicken; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler to high.
Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the marinade (discard excess marinade) and thread onto 4 skewers, distributing equally.
Grill the chicken until browned and cooked through. If using the broiler, place the chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray and broil 4 inches from the heat source until cooked through.
Just before serving, sprinkle the rice with the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1/4 cup scallions; fluff with a fork. Sprinkle the chicken and rice with the remaining scallions. Serve with the reserved dipping sauce.
Didn't have scallions so I used chives from my garden! Spring is right around the corner, the mints are starting to show, too! And the Rosemary survived all the blizzards! It'll be so nice not to grill with a winter coat on, and even nicer to be using things from the garden finally!
Barbecued Raspberry-Hoisin Chicken
Source: from EatingWell: July / August 2007
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
5 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
3 tablespoons soy sauce sauce
1 clove garlic
1 strip (2-by-1/2-inch) orange zest, or grated zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, each cut into 3 crosswise strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion greens, divided
rice, brown or white, for serving
Combine raspberries, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, garlic, orange zest, ginger, pepper and crushed red pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside 1/4 cup for a dipping sauce.
Transfer the remaining marinade to a medium bowl and add chicken; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler to high.
Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the marinade (discard excess marinade) and thread onto 4 skewers, distributing equally.
Grill the chicken until browned and cooked through. If using the broiler, place the chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray and broil 4 inches from the heat source until cooked through.
Just before serving, sprinkle the rice with the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1/4 cup scallions; fluff with a fork. Sprinkle the chicken and rice with the remaining scallions. Serve with the reserved dipping sauce.
Joining Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Hot Hot Hot Cranberry Sauce
I love fresh cranberry sauce, and don't get me wrong, I love the jellied kind in the can, too! Cranberry sauce is the one thing I can fool around with the recipe on the holidays to change things up! So this time I looked and found one made with cherries and cranberries. It sounded very good. Like a jam recipe I used to make, except this had the addition of ginger. I left out the ginger! Then there was one with jalapeno's that looked good to me. I love the combination of sweet and hot. So why not? I played around with the recipe and ended up not using ginger and adding a half of a jalapeno. It turned out to be the hottest jalapeno I ever tasted. Yeah, you guessed it. I rubbed my eyes. I scratched my nose. All with jalapeno hands! OUCH! This would have killed Grandma for sure. Good thing we warned her ahead of time! This time anyway :)
At first I thought, this is pretty disgusting tasting, the amaretto together with the really hot jalapeno, but I kept tasting it, and it grew on me. The big kid liked but it was too hot, the picky one didn't even try. The Griller can't have cranberries but I know if he could he would have liked it but with a lot less heat. Wouldn't even offer it to Grandma. So I packed it up to schlep it to our friend's Thanksgiving feast! Too hot for most, but whoever had it, found it somewhat addicting. Not sure why, but we ended up finished the whole batch. I'll make it again. But I would check the jalapeno first!
Cherry-Cranberry Sauce
Source: original recipe SELF - November 2010 by Jennifer Iserloh
adapted There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag (15 ounces) frozen or fresh cranberries
1 bag (10 ounces) frozen cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
some fresh orange or clementine slices
1/4 cup amaretto (next time I'll try it without it!)
1/2 -1 jalapeno, minced (depending how much heat you like!) I used a frozen jalapeno and grated it with a microplane
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cinnamon, stirring, about a minute. If using, carefully add the amaretto and cook until liquid thickens and reduces by half, about 1 minute. Add cranberries, cherries, sugar, 1/4 cup water and a 1/2 cup orange juice. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add some clementine slices and simmer until cranberries break apart and sauce thickens, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
At first I thought, this is pretty disgusting tasting, the amaretto together with the really hot jalapeno, but I kept tasting it, and it grew on me. The big kid liked but it was too hot, the picky one didn't even try. The Griller can't have cranberries but I know if he could he would have liked it but with a lot less heat. Wouldn't even offer it to Grandma. So I packed it up to schlep it to our friend's Thanksgiving feast! Too hot for most, but whoever had it, found it somewhat addicting. Not sure why, but we ended up finished the whole batch. I'll make it again. But I would check the jalapeno first!
Cherry-Cranberry Sauce
Source: original recipe SELF - November 2010 by Jennifer Iserloh
adapted There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag (15 ounces) frozen or fresh cranberries
1 bag (10 ounces) frozen cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
some fresh orange or clementine slices
1/4 cup amaretto (next time I'll try it without it!)
1/2 -1 jalapeno, minced (depending how much heat you like!) I used a frozen jalapeno and grated it with a microplane
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cinnamon, stirring, about a minute. If using, carefully add the amaretto and cook until liquid thickens and reduces by half, about 1 minute. Add cranberries, cherries, sugar, 1/4 cup water and a 1/2 cup orange juice. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add some clementine slices and simmer until cranberries break apart and sauce thickens, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Monday, October 11, 2010
POM Juice is Wonderful!
As a kid I loved pomegranates. My grandma would bring me and brother one each and we'd cut them open and get the juice and the seeds everywhere. Loved it. Somehow the mess was half the fun. Maybe not for my mother :) My kids love pomegranates, too! Only now I know the trick of pulling the seeds out in a big bowl of water. So they don't go everywhere. But we never do that. That's no fun. Although I do cheat and buy them already seeded! Or juice! The folks at POM Wonderful were nice to send me a case of POM juice. Eight lovely little bottles arrived the other day, and I was forced to leave a note to my kids on two of them that said, HANDS OFF! and they listened! Because they knew something good would come out of it!
And something good did...
Lamb Chops with Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze
Source: Bon Appétit - November 2009/ Test Kitchen
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe
8 baby lamb chops
Peppercorn mix, coarsely ground (pink, green, white, black peppercorns) or all black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pomegranate juice
4 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salad:
2 cups arugula
3 cups baby spinach
small jar marinated mushrooms
handful shredded carrots
half red pepper, half yellow pepper, sliced thin
big handful of toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon of the pomegranate glaze
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle chops very generously with pepper and salt. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops; cook to desired doneness. Transfer lamb chops to platter.
Add pomegranate juice, golden brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar to skillet; if grilling use a small saucepan, and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup glaze, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season glaze to taste with a bit of salt.
In a jar, add the olive oil, rice vinegar, salt and pepper and a tablespoon of the pomegranate glaze. Shake it up. Adjust seasonings, if needed.
Toss spinach, arugula, carrots, mushroom, and bell peppers with the vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Divide salad evenly among the plates. Top with toasted walnuts. Place two or three lamb chops alongside the salad. Drizzle glaze generously on the lamb chops and serve.
And something good did...
Lamb Chops with a Pomegranate Glaze!
Pomegranate Glaze, thick and syrupy!
The recipe called for steaks, but I had lamb chops and no steak, so that was that. And it was an absolutely gorgeous day to grill. So the Griller took care of the chops, while I started on the salad dressing and the glaze! Miss Picky won't touch lamb chops, so she had the glaze on boneless, skinless grilled chicken breasts.
Everyone was happy!
and I still have one bottle left. All mine. I'm sure it will end up as cocktail! Definitely!
Arugula and Baby Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Lamb Chops with Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze
Source: Bon Appétit - November 2009/ Test Kitchen
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe
8 baby lamb chops
Peppercorn mix, coarsely ground (pink, green, white, black peppercorns) or all black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pomegranate juice
4 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salad:
2 cups arugula
3 cups baby spinach
small jar marinated mushrooms
handful shredded carrots
half red pepper, half yellow pepper, sliced thin
big handful of toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon of the pomegranate glaze
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle chops very generously with pepper and salt. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops; cook to desired doneness. Transfer lamb chops to platter.
Add pomegranate juice, golden brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar to skillet; if grilling use a small saucepan, and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup glaze, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season glaze to taste with a bit of salt.
In a jar, add the olive oil, rice vinegar, salt and pepper and a tablespoon of the pomegranate glaze. Shake it up. Adjust seasonings, if needed.
Toss spinach, arugula, carrots, mushroom, and bell peppers with the vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Divide salad evenly among the plates. Top with toasted walnuts. Place two or three lamb chops alongside the salad. Drizzle glaze generously on the lamb chops and serve.
Thanks again to Ryan at POM Wonderful!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Mosaic Monday: Another salad...
This one got raves. Big raves. They didn't ask, and I didn't say mayonnaise, because they're not huge fans of mayo. But in dressings it's usually ok. I wouldn't trick them or anything. They loved it. We're very big on salads here. Usually one before every dinner. It's very easy to get creative with a salad, although for all these years, when my mother makes one, it has always been the same exact salad. No deviation. No change. No Nothing. Iceberg or romaine, sometimes a little baby spinach mixed in, never an entire spinach salad, and usually only carrots, tomatoes and green olives. Occasionally marinated mushrooms. Bottled dressing. Italian, Catalina or Russian. It's good. but change is nice, too! So I tend to get creative. Fruit, nuts, cabbage, mixed greens. Found this one at epicurious. Apple, Dried Cherry and Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing. I love maple syrup and I don't think we have ever had it in a salad. We will again, the dressing is delicious. and I'm thinking what else to use it on! Dipping sauce for chicken fingers, on a turkey sandwich. Have to make more of this stuff, it's great!
I used dried, sweet Bing cherries instead of tart, a Fuji apple instead of Granny Smith and I didn't realize the recipe said to toast the walnuts. That's par for the course. Didn't see that until I was done serving it. Not big deal. The original recipe called for two teaspoons of sugar. I omitted that completely. Sweet enough with just the maple syrup. This one is a great salad no matter what! Definitely a keeper.
Apple, Dried Cherry, and Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing
Source: Bon Appétit, September 2002 - original recipe by the Mountain Town Station Brewing Company and Steakhouse, Mount Pleasant, MI
Printable Recipe
For the Maple Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or any white wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
For Salad:
1 bag baby spinach (or any mixed greens)
2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips (use any apple you like)
1/2 cup dried cherries (tart or sweet)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (or not!)
Note:
Keep some apple, walnuts and cherries on the side to sprinkle over the top of the salad when you serve!
For dressing:
Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, and vinegar in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Or put all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake it really, really well! (Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Shake jar or whisk again before using.)
For salad:
Toss spinach, apples, cherries, and walnuts in large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining apples, walnuts, cherries and then serve.
I used dried, sweet Bing cherries instead of tart, a Fuji apple instead of Granny Smith and I didn't realize the recipe said to toast the walnuts. That's par for the course. Didn't see that until I was done serving it. Not big deal. The original recipe called for two teaspoons of sugar. I omitted that completely. Sweet enough with just the maple syrup. This one is a great salad no matter what! Definitely a keeper.
To make the apple matchsticks, I used a Julienne Mandoline slicer. It surprised me how well it worked. I love the slicers, but I love my fingertips, too, and definitely had to be careful! It make nice sized matchsticks in about five seconds. I still have my finger tips. There was this one time though...
Apple, Dried Cherry, and Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing
Source: Bon Appétit, September 2002 - original recipe by the Mountain Town Station Brewing Company and Steakhouse, Mount Pleasant, MI
Printable Recipe
For the Maple Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or any white wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
For Salad:
1 bag baby spinach (or any mixed greens)
2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips (use any apple you like)
1/2 cup dried cherries (tart or sweet)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (or not!)
Note:
Keep some apple, walnuts and cherries on the side to sprinkle over the top of the salad when you serve!
For dressing:
Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, and vinegar in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Or put all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake it really, really well! (Dressing can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Shake jar or whisk again before using.)
For salad:
Toss spinach, apples, cherries, and walnuts in large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates. Sprinkle with remaining apples, walnuts, cherries and then serve.
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