Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Soup

Intense creamy mushroom soup

August 13, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This soup originally came from the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley and is well worth making.

Serves about 4 generous portions

10 x 5inch Portabello mushrooms, cubed to about 1/2 inch
3 slices Applewood smoked bacon cut into 1/2″ pieces
10 shallots, skinned and sliced. (Shallots are sweeter than onions)
4 cups chicken stock
5 drops truffle oil, per bowl
salt and pepper
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 leek, sliced to 1/2 inch pieces and cleaned
1 750 ml bottle of Pinot Noir
4 cups cream
8 tbsp goat cheese, at room temperature
Chanterelle mushrooms, for decoration

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, sweat out the bacon, shallots, garlic and leeks in a mixture of butter and olive oil.
Add the Portobello mushrooms and continue to sweat until about 90% of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated.
Add the Pinot Noir and reduce until about 1/2 is left.
Cover the mushrooms with the chicken stock and reduce to a slow simmer.
Cook for about 20 to 30 mins, add the cream, slowly bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins.
Puree in a blender.
Season well and pass through a fine sieve and keep warm.
When serving, sprinkle the truffle oil, the crumbled goat cheese, or sprinkle some sauteed chanterelles (in butter) or some small garlic croutons.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Pasta

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese!

December 6, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Lovely for the Holidays.

12 oz box of Macaroni pasta
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1&1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp mustard powder (I use Colmans)
1 heaped tsp dried sage
6 to 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated. (I grate my own from a block of good quality cheddar, because that commercial pre-grated stuff is so full of additives that it doesn’t melt properly. Isn’t that gross!)
Pumpkin pie spice is nice sprinkled on the top

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan, salt it and put the macaroni in. Cook according to the package instructions, drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir, cooking gently for about 1 minute.
Add the milk and whisk together to avoid clumps. Bring to a simmer, whisking all the time till the sauce starts to thicken.
Add in the pumpkin, salt, pepper, mustard powder, nutmeg and sage.
Stir together.
Add in the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce and combined.
Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir together until the macaroni is coated.
Sprinkle a little pumpkin pie spice over each serving and enjoy!!

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat

Butternut squash bread pudding

December 5, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

Gorgeous!! Serves 4 -6

Preheat oven to 375 F

3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
ground or dried sage
4 cups sturdy, day old French or Italian bread, cut into large cubes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lb sweet Italian or spicy Italian pork sausage
1/2lb sliced mushrooms
1&1/2 cups kale, chopped
1 cup half and half
2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 to 1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese

Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Oil a cookie sheet and toss the squash in the olive oil. Season with the salt, pepper and dried or ground sage. Bake at 375 F for 40 to 45 mins.

Cut the bread into large cubes and put in the oven for about 5 minutes while the squash is cooking.
Remove to a large bowl.

Meanwhile saute the minced shallot in the olive oil and butter until wilted.
Add the minced garlic and saute briefly until soft then add the mushrooms and cook them through.
When the mushrooms are browned and nearly done cooking, add the chopped kale and saute for a few minutes. If necessary, add a little more oil. Season all with salt and pepper then remove from the pan and place all the cooked vegetables in the bowl with the cooked bread.

Use the same pan to cook the sausage. Remove the casings from the sausages, break up the meat in the pan and cook through. Add a little more olive oil if there’s not enough in the pan, to keep the meat from sticking.
Add the cooked sausage to the bowl with the vegetables, along with the squash when it’s cooked through.

Whisk the eggs, in another bowl and add the half and half, then the milk and stir in the cheeses.
Pour the mixture into the large bowl with the bread/vegetable/sausage mixture and mix it all together with a wooden spoon.
Let it sit for at least 15 mins in order for the bread to soak up the liquid.
You can also make the recipe to this stage and refrigerate overnight letting the bread soak well in the juices.
Pour it into a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes.
You can turn on the broiler to get it a little more browned near the ned of the cooking.

This recipe also reheats really well for leftovers!

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Brussel sprouts and butternut squash with warm maple mustard dressing

November 29, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Brussels sprouts and butternut squash are simply roasted together and then tossed with a gorgeous and simple dressing of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and grainy mustard for an easy and delicious Fall staple.

1lb brussels sprouts
1lb peeled, diced butternut squash, (about 1 inch dice)
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp grainy mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
leaves from 2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 400F

Toss the brussels sprouts and butternut squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed 9 x 13? baking sheet.
Roast for 35 minutes, turning twice, until the vegetables are tender inside and browned in spots on the outside.
Meanwhile, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, rosemary and garlic. (Or blend together in a small food processor)

When the vegetables are done, transfer to a serving bowl.
Drizzle with the balsamic mixture and toss to coat.
Serve immediately

Appetizers · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Bacon wrapped dates in a cream sauce

July 9, 2012 Belinda

These are not for the faint hearted or calorie conscious, but are delicious as a little starter. I don’t yet have a photo, but for now you can just picture them in your mind! Unctious!!

Serves 6 as a starter
12 rashers of bacon (streaky)
24 pitted Medjool dates

Sauce
Large knob of unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
5 fl oz dry white wine
1 ¼ cups whipping cream
2 heaped tsp grain mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley to garnish

Preheat the oven to 450F
Hold a rasher of bacon by one end and use the blunt end of a knife to gently stretch it out by another quarter – this helps make the bacon crisper when cooked. Repeat with all the bacon. Cut each rasher in half and roll one half around each date.
Refrigerate while you make the sauce
Melt the butter in the frying pan over a gentle heat, add the garlic and shallot and sweat gently for about 5 mins until soft but not colored
Add the wine, turn up the eat and boil until the liquid is reduced by half.
Strain the mixture through a sieve and return to the pan. Add the cream and mustard bring to a rolling boil and boil for 30 secs. Season if necessary (bear in mind that the bacon is salty)
Divide the mustard /cream mixture between six 4 inch diameter gratin dishes.
Add four dates to each dish.
Bake for 8 to 10 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the bacon browning.
Finish off the dish with 2 minutes under a very hot grill to really crisp up the bacon.
Serve sprinkled with parsley and serve with some granary bread

Beverage · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Cranberry Liqueur

June 10, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is slightly adapted from “The Essential New York Times” recipe book by Amanda Hesser.

Yields 2 cups

2 cups cranberries
1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water
12 oz vodka
2 cinnamon sticks

Combine the cranberries, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Boil until cranberries are soft and start to pop, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree.
Pour into a jar and add the vodka and cinnamon sticks.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 week and up to 3 weeks.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth if you don’t want any straggling seeds.

Serve and/or refrigerate and it will last for up to 1 year!

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Brussel Sprout gratin

June 10, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a recipe from a fellow blogger called “The View from Great Island”
This will get you addicted to brussel sprouts if you weren’t already, like me!

Preheat the oven to 350F I would say this serves 5 – 6 as a side dish, but 4 for a main dish.

5 – 6 cups brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
4 slices bacon
3 shallots, sliced
Oliver oil
3 tbsp Marsala wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 tbsp butter
fresh thyme leaves
freshly ground nutmeg
zest of half a large lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk

In a large pot, snip the bacon into 1 inch pieces and saute over medium heat till it starts to get brown and crisp.
Add in the shallots and brussel sprouts and saute for a few minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine, stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Put a little olive oil in the bottom of an oval gratin dish and spread out half of the sprouts in the dish.

Season well with salt and pepper, the fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest and a dash of nutmeg.
Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the top. Dot with a tbsp of the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Top with the remaining sprouts and the past cup of cheese. Dot with the last tbsp of butter.
Mix the milk and cream together and pour it gently over the whole dish.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Meat

Pumpkin sausage meat muffins with cranberry glaze

November 15, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

These are so cute and easy!
Makes 12 muffins.

1 cup finely chopped onion
8oz mushrooms, chopped finely
3 cloves minced garlic
1lb pork sausage meat (I used Sweet Italian sausagemeat)
1 cup pumpkin puree, either canned or homemade from roasted butternut squash
1 egg
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tsp each minced thyme, sage and rosemary
Freshly ground pepper and salt
1 tbsp Worcester sauce

1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
grated zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a standard 12 cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.

In a non stick skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes more, until vegetables are tender. Add to a bowl with the sausage meat, pumpkin, egg, oats,sage,rosemary and thyme, salt and pepper.
Toss gently to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin tin. Place in the oven, bake for about 20 minutes.

Combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon onto the meatloaf muffins and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Paula Deen’s Creamy Mac and Cheese in the Slow cooker

November 13, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a real hit with the kids, and even the adults keep picking at it. Very moreish. The Campbell’s cheddar cheese soup sounds weird, but really makes it! We have this every year as an extra and it’s

always gone!

Serves 10

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8 oz box isn’t quite 2 cups)
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 oz) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed Cheddar cheese soup (I used Campbells)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard (I use Colmans)
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground

Boil the macaroni in a 2 qt saucepan in plenty of salted water until not quite tender, about 5 minutes.
Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Okay, so here, having used the pre-packaged grated American cheddar cheese, it didn’t seem to melt and stayed all lumpy. Next time I will grate my own “real” mature cheddar cheese, but the lumps do go away once it goes into the slow cooker.
In the slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well.
It might still be weird and lumpy at this stage but don’t worry as it all changes when it’s cooking so slowly.
The add the drained macaroni and stir well again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.