Pine Nut Cheese Crisps

These tasty crisps were the perfect addition to my salad. Either crumble them on top or let them sit elegantly on some crisp romaine. Super tasty, easy and they look like you are a magician in the kitchen.

Based on Food Network Magazine Recipe

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Parmesan Reggiano cheese grated
3 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
4 tbsp chopped pine nuts

Pre-heat oven to 425 F.  Place parchment paper on a cookie tray. Mix pine nuts and sage together.  Place 9 tablespoon-size mounds of cheese on cookie sheet.  sprinkle each mound with pinenut sage mixture. Bake at 425 until teh cheese is golden and the edges are slightly crisp. approx 8-10 minutes.  Allow them to cool slightly so you can touch them.  Remove each crisp with a thin spatula and carefully wrap them around a rolling pin handle to give them a curve shape. Allow them to cool completely.
Repeat until mixture is done.

Sausage and Herb stuffed Mushrooms

Based on a recipe by Tyler Florence

The stuffing of in these mushrooms is SO tasty you could almost serve it by itself!

Ingredients

8 large green olives, pitted

1/4 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing
3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, dried out
24 large white mushrooms, stems removed

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
To make the stuffing, put the olives, pine nuts, parsley, and garlic on a cutting board and chop, and put into a mixing bowl. Add the sausage and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Drizzle the stuffing with about 1/4 cup of olive oil to moisten and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; mix well with your hands to combine. Put the bread crumbs in another bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and add 1/4 cup of the Pecorino; season with salt and pepper.

Oil the bottom and sides of a casserole dish which is large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a single layer. Arrange the mushrooms snugly in the pan, cap side down; season the insides with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Stuff each mushroom with a generous spoonful of the sausage stuffing and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top; drizzle with even more oil. Bake for 20 minutes until the stuffing is browned and the mushrooms soft, rotating the dish periodically for even cooking.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients
1 cup crab meat
1/2 cup cream cheese softened
1/2 cup italian parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Approx.15 mushroom caps (small/medium sized white)
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan
nonstick cooking spray
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
pinch pepper

Directions
I recommend making the cream cheese mixture a day ahead. It lets all the flavors incorporate well.
Combine the crabmeat, cream cheese, parsley, green onions and Parmesan.  Season with salt, garlic salt and pepper - season it to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp parmesan in a bowl.
Stuff the mushroom caps with teh mixture and top with bread crumbs.  Drizzle the tops with olive oil.  Place them either on a cookie sheet or in a glass casserole dish. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is hot and the tops crispy.
Serve hot!

Perfect Glazed Baby Carrots

Based on Recipe by Anne Burrell
Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients
Salt
1 bag (approx 1 pound) baby carrots
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 sprigs of thyme
pinch pepper

Directions
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Blanch the carrots in the boiling water, when they are cooked but still have a slight crunch left, plunge them immediately into the ice water. When cool, use a clean tea towel to rub the skin off (if they had any on). Reserve.

To a large skillet add teh butter, sugar, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, pepper and about 1/2 cup of water. Bring the pan to medium heat swirling occasionally. When most of the water has reduced and the mixture seems blended together, remove teh garlic and add the carrots, stir until they are coated. Allow it to cook for another 5 minutes on medium low. The carrots should be completely coated and hot!

Eggnog

This non alcoholic version of the festive drink got a huge two thumbs up from my kids and husband!. Gently cook to ensure no bacteria from the eggs, you will never drink the store bought again!

Ingredients

6 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbs sugar

ground nutmeg

Directions

Beat the egg yolks, add the sugar and continue to beat until they start to lighten in colour.In a large saucepan mix the egg yolks and milk until well incorporated. Heat in medium low heat and stir constantly. Allow this to heat slowly for approx 10 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow it to boil or simmer. Place the pan in a sink or bowl of ice water and stir for 2 minutes. Sitr in vanilla. Cover and chill in fridge for at least 4 or up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve whip cream in a mixing bowl and 1 tbsp sugar until peaks form. Transfer chilled egg mixture to a punch bowl. set aside a spoon of cream for each cup and then fold in the rest of the cream to the egg mixture.

Pour into cup and top with a dollop of cream and sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg on each serving.

Melting Moments Bickies

These small melt in your mouth sugar packed bickies, are the christmas tradition in my house. Making them at this time of year just seems to make them that much more special to my family and friends. Originally I kept this recipe a secret but gradually over the last couple of years I have learnt to share the joy! put them in a cute little box with a ribbon and you have the perfect christmas gift!

Note: this recipe takes patience and can be temperamental. Take the time to ensure you have exact ingredients, and that your butter is really well softened to room temperature. If you double the batch you run a much higher risk of it not turning out (it has worked about 50% for me when I double it). You are better off just making one batch at a time to ensure it will always be perfect.

Ingredients

1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)--do not pack it down.

3/4 cup plain flour (just shy of this is perfect. I have learnt if you go over this at all it will not work)

1/4 cup custard powder ( this is available in the "gello"/pudding section of your supermarket. Should be in a little tub)

6 0z salted butter

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 355 F ( 180c)

Cream butter, slowly add the custard powder, constantly scraping down the sides of your mixer. Then gradually whip in the icing sugar. while mixing gradually spoon in the flour.

Using a freezer zip lock bag, cut off the tip to use for piping. spoon in the cookie mixture.

Lightly spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray and then lightly wipe it with a paper towel. You want the tray to be just barely oiled since the cookies are butter based!.

Pipe 1 or 2 on the tray and do a test run to see how long you will need to cook it. The cook time changes depending on different ovens I use. Time how long it takes for the edges to barely start turning brown and take your cook time as being 30 seconds less than that.

Pipe a small circle as shown in the picture.

Bake them for 9-15 minutes depending on your altitude and oven. Watch closely, when they are ready they will not be browned.

Allow them to sit on the tray for a minute and then while still warm slide the tip of a metal knife under them and transfer them to a cooking rack to cool completely.
Allow the cookie sheet to cool completely before piping more on.

Repeat until all the cookies are baked.

While they are baking prepare the frosting. (see directions below) Carefully put some frosting on a cookie and then with evenly distributed pressure slowly siggle the second on top. They are very fragile and at this point will break easily so be patient. It's SO worth it!.

Frosting Ingredients & Directions

125g Softened Salted butter (softened to room temperature)

1 1/4 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)

2 tbsp whole milk

Beat butter and gradually whip in half the icing sugar, add in the milk 1 tbsp at a time. Then slowly whip in the rest of the sugar. Whualla. Easy!

Satay Chicken Wraps

Tender, and TASTY. Give these wraps a try. I used leftover satay chicken to make myself an asian salad the next day. I love a good meal that just keeps on giving.

Ingredients

Marinade
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, pounded/flattened, cut into 1-inch strips (Approximately 4-6 thighs)
3 tablespoons peeled, roughly chopped ginger
3 tablespoons roughly chopped white onion
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon fish sauce

To cook
3 tablespoons peanut oil
3/4 cup julienne red onion
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup julienne red bell pepper
1/2 cup julienne bok choy
3/4 cup mung bean sprouts
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Asian Mayonnaise, recipe follows
6 flat out wraps, (or naan bread)

Directions

Put the chicken into a resealable gallon-size plastic bag and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Add the rest of the ingredients to a food processor, fitted with the bottom blade or a blender, and pulse 5 to 6 times for 2 seconds each or until well blended. Using a new resealable gallon-size plastic bag, add the chicken and the marinade, mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour at least. You can marinate this as long as you want overnight is fine, you can't over marinate it.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the Asian Mayonnaise.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Heat a large saute pan over high heat and add 3 tablespoons peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, stirring frequently for 3 to 4 minutes. Once cooked through, remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. To the same pan add the red onions, carrots, red bell peppers, and bok choy and saute for 2 minutes longer. Add in the mung bean sprouts, ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Spread all of the naan with the Asian Mayonnaise and top with the chicken satay saute. Roll and serve immediately. The asian mayo is pretty strong tasting. Feel free to try it with or without the mayo.. the chicken flavor is fantastic either way.

Asian Mayonnaise
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro(coriander) leaf
2 teaspoons finely chopped green onions

In a small, nonreactive bowl, combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes